The nation's two top-ranked NCAA Division II clubs -- and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rivals -- will square off this Saturday (Dec. 6) when the University of Minnesota Duluth pays a visit to Mankato, Minn., for a quarterfinal round playoff bout with Minnesota State University-Mankato. The opening kickoff is set for 12 p.m. at Blakesee Stadium (7,000 capacity/natural grass) on the MSU campus.

Complete Release

THE RECORDS: UMD is a perfect 13-0 overall and went 11-0 in NSIC play to claim a share of the league title with Minnesota State, which is 12-0 in all games.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Mavericks stacked up in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division II and the D2Football.com polls as well NCAA II Super Region Three Rankings

    AFCA    D2Football    Super 3     
UMD    No. 2    No. 2    No. 4
MSU    No. 1    No. 1    No. 2
        
THE BROADCAST: The UMD-Minnesota State matchup will be carried live locally on 1490 The Fan (KQDS-AM) with Jeff Papas handling the play-by-play responsibilities and ex-University of North Dakota offensive lineman Gregg Swartwoudt providing color commentary. The broadcast can also be heard on KQ 105.5 FM in Grand Rapids/Hibbing, Minn.; KQ 106.7 FM in Ely/Virginia, Minn.; Red Zone Sports Radio 1350 AM in Pine City, and KKIN-AM 93 in Atkin, Minn., as part of the Bulldog Radio Network and at: fan1490.com.

In addition, Saturday's game will be videostreammed and can be accessed at: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd.

THE COACH: Curt Wiese, who was promoted to the UMD head coaching position on Dec. 21, 2012 after spending the previous five years as its offensive coordinator, is now 24-2 with the Bulldogs. One year ago, he guided UMD to an 11-2 overall record, a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs, an NSIC North Division title in as many years and a No. 8 national ranking in the final AFCA Division II poll. Wiese's troops also shined in the classroom last fall as 14 Bulldogs earned NSIC All-Academic Team status, including offensive lineman Andrew Pattock, who was named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American.
For his exemplary efforts, Wiese was selected the 2013 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winner for Division II, a prestigious honor recognizing coaches for their responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and excellence, on and off the field.

During Wiese's successful five-season run as the team's offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs finished near the top of the NCAA II leader board four times in scoring (third in 2012 with a school-record 46.5 points per game average, fifth in 2008, sixth in 2010 and ninth in 2009) and in 2012 possessed the nation's seventh best rushing attack (after ranking seventh, fourth, and third, respectively, in that department the previous three seasons). The 2012 Bulldogs were also the nation's leader in third down conversions (54.8 percent). In addition, no less than 15 of his pupils landed some kind of All-American recognition, including a pair of Harlon Hill Award finalists -- quarterback Ted Schlafke (2008), the school's career passing and total offense leader, and running back Isaac Odim (2009), UMD's No. 1 all-time ground gainer and scorer and the holder of 17 school records. In addition, his starting offensive guard from 2009-12, Garth Heikkinen, became the school's first recipient of the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year of Award and earned a playing spot in the annual East-West Shrine Game in January 2013.

Since Wiese's arrival at UMD in February 2008, the Bulldogs have gone 86-9 (for an NCAA II-best .905 winning percentage) while capturing two NCAA II national championships (2008 and 2010), six overall NSIC titles and seven NSIC North Division crowns. They've also made seven NCAA II playoff appearances and produced two perfect 15-0 seasons.

Wiese, 38, came to UMD following two years of employment as the head coach at NCAA III member Marietta College (Ohio). He compiled a 9-11 career overall record with the Pioneers, including a 6-4 mark in 2006. The Stoughton, Wis., native signed on with the Marietta football program in 2003 when he became the team's offensive coordinator -- a duty he continued to maintain after he was elevated to head coach. In five years of directing the Marietta offense, Wiese helped churn out two All-Americans and 12 All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections and was a finalist for the 2004 AFCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year Award.

Prior to his move to Marietta, Wiese worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, tutoring the tight ends for two years and the offensive line for one season. He entered the coaching arena a little over a dozen years ago on the heels of a four-year collegiate playing career. After three seasons at Minnesota State University-Mankato (1995-97), Wiese transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where as a senior in 1998, he quarterbacked the Pointers to a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.

WIESE BY THE NUMBERS
Record at UMD (Year): 24-2 (2nd)
Overall Coaching Record (Year): 33-13 (4th)
Career NSIC Record: 21-1
Career UMD Home Record: 11-1
Career UMD Road Record: 13-1
Career NCAA II Playoff Record: 3-1
vs. Minnesota State     0-1

THE RIVALRY: The Bulldogs and Mavericks will do battle for the 36th time Saturday afternoon -- but for the first time in the postseason. UMD holds a 20-14-1 lead in the all-time series, which began in Duluth on Sept. 30, 1932 (the Bulldogs' third year of intercollegiate football). and has won eight of their last 11 confrontations against Minnesota State, with all three of the setbacks coming at James S. Malosky Stadium (21-17 on Sept. 21, 2013; 35-14 on Oct. 13, 2007 and 34-13 on Oct. 2, 2004). The two intrastate rivals last met one year ago in Duluth where the then-No. 7 Bulldogs were ambushed 21-17 by the No. 2 Mavericks. That loss snapped the Bulldogs' school record 41-game NSIC home winning streak, which dated back to October 2000.

LAST WEEK: For the second time in as many weeks, the Bulldogs rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to pull out an NCAA II playoff victory. Saturday afternoon in Arkadelphia, Ark., UMD required overtime to cap off a 48-45 comeback triumph over No. 7 Ouachita Baptist University.
The Bulldogs used a trick play -- a nine-yard touchdown pass from senior wide out Zach Zweifel to sophomore quarterback Drew Bauer -- on their first series of overtime after the previously unbeaten Tigers, the Super Region Three's No. 1 seed, had settled for a 37-yard field goal in their opening series. Junior runningback Logan Lauters rushed 32 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns (all in the first half) while Bauer completed 21 of 37 passes for 293 yards and a pair of scores for the Bulldogs, who trailed 39-35 with just under six minutes to go in regulation. OBU, the 2014 Great America Conference champions making its first NCAA II playoff appearance, did pierce the Bulldog defense for 576 total yards – the highest output by a UMD foe this fall – in the loss. Junior corner free safety David Boegel paced the Bulldogs with nine tackles while senior cornerback Daryl Brown had a hand in four stops, picked off one pass (in the UMD end zone), and forced and recovered a fumble. 
   
Minnesota State also had to play beyond regulation to punch its ticket to the NCAA II quarterfinals as bested No. 5 Pittsburg State University 24-21 in Saturday in Mankato.

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING: The Bulldogs' team captaincy responsibilities this fall are being shared by a trio of seniors -- defensive end Jacob Brusehaver, linebacker/long snapper Yusef Hassan, and wide out/return specialist Aaron Roth. Roth served in that same role last year and is UMD's first two-time captain since 2008 (quarterback Ted Schlafke).

THESE 'DOGS HAD THEIR (NSIC) DAY: A league-high 20 Bulldogs were recognized All-NSIC honors fir 2014. Headlining that list was senior offensive guard Andrew Muer, who attained All-NSIC North Division first team status for the second straight year (the lone Bulldog to do so). He was joined on that 27-member group by sophomore offensive tackle Peter Bateman, junior free safety David Boegel, junior placekicker Andrew Brees, senior inside linebacker Gavin Grady, junior nose tackle Jonathan Harden, junior running back Logan Lauters, and senior offensive tackle Phillip Rutz. UMD placed another eight players on the All-NSIC North Division second team: sophomore inside linebacker Beau Bates, sophomore quarterback Drew Bauer, senior outside linebacker Gavin Brown, junior cornerback Darion Fletcher, sophomore offensive guard Connor Randall, senior wide receiver Aaron Roth, senior running back Austin Sikorski, and senior wide receiver Zach Zweifel. In addition, honorable mention acclaim was secured by senior defensive end Jacob Brusehaver, sophomore defensive end Jake Lambrecht, sophomore strong safety Hunter Malberg, junior outside linebacker Nathan Zibolski and Roth (as a return specialist). Sikorski (first team in 2013 and second team in 2012), Roth (first team in 2012 and second team last fall) and Zweifel (second team both 2012 and 2011) are all three-time All-NSIC North Division honorees while Brees (first team in 2012), Bateman (second team in 2013), Lauters (second team in 2012), Zibolski (honorable mention in 2013) and Muer have earned all-league distinction twice.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL ...: Earlier this week a trio of Bulldogs -- Gavin Grady, Andrew Muer and Logan Lauters -- received Daktronics All-Super Region Three recognition for 2014. Grady and Muer both were named to the Daktronics first team while Lauters was a second team selection.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON: UMD's current 13-game winning streak is the fourth longest in program history:

Games	Dates
20	Nov. 3,1979- Oct. 24, 1981
17	Nov. 10, 2007- Aug. 29, 2009
17	Sept. 4, 2010- Sept. 10, 2011
13	Sept. 6,2014- Present

PLAYOFF PASTS: This marks the ninth year -- all since 2002 -- the Bulldogs have been invited to the NCAA II dance and they are 14-6 in their 20 lifetime playoff assignments. A complete listing of UMD's NCAA II playoff appearances is as follows:
 

Date	Opponent	Round	UMD-OPP
11/23/02	@NW Missouri State	1st	41-45
11/12/05	@North Dakota	1st	12-23
11/22/08	Chardon State	2nd	20-10
11/29/08	@Grand Valley State	Quart.	19-13 2OT
12/06/08	@California U. (Pa.)	Semis	45-7
12/13/08	NW Missouri State	Champ	21-14
11/21/09	Nebraska-Kearney	2nd	42-7
11/28/09	Grand Valley State	Quart.	10-24
11/27/10	St. Cloud State	2nd	20-17 OT
12/04/10	Augustana	Quart.	24-13
12/11/10	NW Missouri State	Semis	17-13
12/18/10	Delta State	Champ	20-17
11/19/11	Saginaw Valley State	1st	30-27 OT
11/26/11	@CSU-Pueblo	2nd	24-21
12/03/11	Wayne State (Mich.)	Quart	25-31
11/17/12	@Missouri Western	1st	55-57 3OT
11/23/13	Emporia State	1st	55-13
11/30/13	@NW Missouri State	2nd	21-45
11/22/14	NW Missouri State	1st	25-21
11/29/14	@Ouachita Baptist	2nd	48-45 OT

Home: 8-2 Road: 4-4 Neutral Site: 2-0.

TOP 'DOGS: UMD captured a share of its league-record 19th NSIC championship this fall -- and did so with the most wins (11) in program history. In addition to owning more NSIC crowns than any other institution (they have one more than Winona State University), the Bulldogs have compiled an all-time winning percentage of .738 (off a 231-80-5 record), which is second only to Sioux Falls's .758 mark (25-8 in three seasons of NSIC membership).

ON THE RIGHT TRACK: This marks the third time in the 82-year history of Bulldog football that a UMD club is 13-0. The 2008 and 2010 Bulldogs also hit that mark before both went to finish 15-0 and bring home an NCAA II championship.

A SENIOR MOMENT: This is the final NCAA II playoff go-around for UMD's 13 seniors. That group includes cornerback Daryl Brown, linebacker Gavin Brown defensive end Jacob Brusehaver, linebacker Gavin Grady, tight end Taylor Grant, linebacker/long snapper Yusef Hassan, tight end Ryan Miesbauer, offensive guard Andrew Muer, wide out/return specialist Aaron Roth, offensive tackle Phillip Rutz, running back Austin Sikorski (who, long with Brusehaver, is out for the rest of the year with a knee injury), defensive end Mitchell Ziegler and wide out/return specialist Zach Zweifel. Of that Baker's Dozen, only nine players (Brusehaver, Grady, Hassan, Miesbauer, Muer, Rutz, Sikorski and Ziegler) remain from UMD's 29-member rookie class of 2010, when the Bulldogs last captured an NCAA II title. Brown, Roth and Zweifel were all called into action the following year as first-year freshmen while Daryl Brown and Grant subsequently joined the UMD program as transfers from the University of North Dakota. In addition, junior tight end Jay Schlichte is also in his final year with the Bulldog program as he is scheduled to graduate later this year.

QUITE A RUN: Going back to the start of the 2008 season, no NCAA II outfit in the country has produced a better winning percentage (.905) than UMD. In terms of victories over that stretch, the Bulldogs lead the nation with 86 followed by Northwest Missouri State (85).  Minnesota State-Mankato (70) is a distant third.
    

Team	W-L	Pct.
1. UMD	86-9	.905
2. Northwest Missouri State	85-13	.867
3. Minnesota State-Mankato	70-15	.824
4. Bloomsburg	69-15	.822
5. Colorado State-Pueblo	65-16	.802
6. Grand Valley State	71-19	.789
7. California U. (Pa.)	67-20	.770
8. Shepherd University	59-20	.747
9. Pittsburg State	62-22	.738
10. West Texas A&M	64-24	.727

WHAT A RUSH: Through 13 games, UMD is averaging 289.7 yards per game on the ground (the eighth best figure among all NCAA II schools) and 5.7 yards a carry. The Bulldogs have been outrushed by an opponent just three times since the 2012 season opener -- a stretch of 38 games -- and that was at Bemidji State University on Oct. 10, 2013 (258 yards to 203) and Northwest Missouri State (241-207) and Ouachita Baptist (296-207) the past two weekends.

WHAT A RUSH II: Junior Logan Lauters, who racked up a career-high 32 carries in last Saturday's win at Ouachita Baptist, finished the regular season with the NSIC's second-best rushing harvest and has now rolled up 1,448 yards on the ground this fall -- the fourth highest single-season total ever turned in by a Bulldog.

UMD SINGLE-SEASON RUSHING LEADERS

Player (Years)	No.	Yds.	TD
1. Issac Odim (2009)	259	1,808	29
2. Isaac Odim (2008)	224	1,638	26
3. Ted McKnight (1976)	220	1,482	22
4. Logan Lauters (2014)	207	1,448	14

Lauters, the owner of the ninth best per touch average (7.0) in the country at the moment, now ranks sixth among all-time Bulldog ball carriers with 2,908 yards while his career 6.7 yards per run average takes a backseat only to three-time All-American Isaac Odim's 7.2 clip (2008-10) among all-time Bulldogs with 1,000 or more yards

UMD CAREER RUSHING LEADERS

Player (Years)	No.	Yds.	TD
1. Isaac Odim (2008-10)	589	4,242	72
2. Dave Rufledt (2001-04)	648	3,228	47
3. Austin Sikorski (2010-14)	554	3,216	44
4. Brad Foss (2007-10)	531	3,001	30
5. Ted McKnight (1973-76)	502	2,957	47
6. Logan Lauters (2012- )	437	2,908	34

Lauters also has registered 12, 100-yard outings in a UMD uniform -- seven in 2014 alone. Earlier this season against Northern State, he became the 14th different Bulldog to reach the 200-yard run barrier in a single game.

100-YARD RUSHING GAMES BY THE 2014 BULLDOGS

Date	Player	Opp.	Att.	Yds.	TD
Sept. 6	Logan Lauters	CSP	14	165	0
Sept. 20	Logan Lauters	SMSU	18	154	1
Sept. 20	Drew Bauer	SMSU	12	111	1
Sept. 20	Austin Sikorski	SMSU	16	103	1
Sept. 27	Logan Lauters	WSU	19	128	0
Sept. 27	Austin Sikorski	WSU	21	120	0
Oct. 4	Logan Lauters	MSUM	13	107	0
Oct. 4	Austin Sikorski	MSUM	11	102	1
Oct. 18	Logan Lauters	NSU	15	200	1
Oct. 18	Drew Bauer	NSU	12	126	2
Nov. 1	Nate Beaulieu	UMC	13	101	1
Nov. 8	Logan Lauters	UM	21	147	2
Nov. 22	Drew Bauer	NMSU	25	131	2
Nov. 29	Logan Lauters	OBU	32	161	3

STILL TIGHT WITH THE TURNOVERS: UMD has turned the ball over just 10 times thus far in 2014 (the second fewest in the NCAA II ranks), getting picked off on six occasions and losing four fumbles (only five schools have less). The Bulldogs also rank 10th nationally in turnover ratio at a +17.

IN GOOD HANDS: Between them, the standout senior wide receiver tandem of Aaron Roth and Zach Zweifel have caught 316 passes for 3,945 yards and 30 touchdowns since they first emerged on the UMD landscape as true freshmen in 2011. Here's where they both stand on UMD's all-time catch charts:

UMD CAREER PASS RECEIVING LEADERS   

Player (Years)	No.	Yds.	TD
1. Tim Battaglia (2000-03)	189	3,685	38
2. Steve Battaglia (1999-02)	182	3,037	33
3. Greg Aker (2003-06)	178	2,211	25
4. D.J. Winfield (2007-10)	170	2,896	27
5. Zach Zweifel (2011- )	169	2,280	17
6. Tony Doherty (2005-08)	148	1,861	15
7. Aaron Roth (2011- )	147	1,665	15

 
DOING THAT THING YOU DREW: Drew Bauer, who is now 24-2 as a collegiate starter, has been responsible for the 2nd most points (232) of any NSIC combatant. Although his football career hasn't yet hit the midway point, the Inver Grove Heights, Minn., native already occupies fifth place on UMD's all-time total offense list with 5,490 yards:

UMD CAREER TOTAL OFFENSE LEADERS 

Player (Years)	Plays	Yds.	TD
1. Ted Schlafke (2005-08)	1,692	11,591	106
2. Chase Vogler (2009-12)	1,463	10,486	98
3. Ricky Fritz (1998-2002)	1,464	9,926	65

Bauer's 3,109 yards of total offense in 2014 is the fifth highest single-season total in team history.

UMD SINGLE-SEASON TOTAL OFFENSE LEADERS 

Player (Years)	Plays	Yds.	TD
1. Ted Schlafke (2005)	625	3,591	35
2. Ted Schlafke (2008)	461	3,513	42
3. Chase Vogler (2012)	399	3,200	36
4. Ted Schlafke (2007)	631	3,198	24
5. Drew Bauer (2014)	496	3,109	38

Bauer also is within 29 yards of setting a UMD single-season rushing record for quarterbacks:

UMD SINGLE-SEASON QB RUSHING LEADERS 

Player (Years)	No.	Yds.	TD
1. Chase Vogler (2010)	145	905	7
2. Chase Vogler (2012)	135	893	17
3. Drew Bauer (2014)	184	877	12

THE PRIDE OF THE NORTH: Since the NSIC instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 43-2 in NSIC North Division assignments (25-0 at home) with both of those two losses coming to St. Cl-oud State (51-49 in 2012 and 35-7 in 2011). They've also gone 27-2 versus South Division opponents over that same period with setbacks to Minnesota State-Mankato (21-17 in Duluth one year ago) and to host Wayne State (7-0 in 2011) being the only two setbacks. UMD captured its seventh straight NSIC North Division crown this fall.

YOUNG PUPS: Of the 105 individuals who comprise the 2014 Bulldog roster, only 26 are either seniors (13) or juniors (13). There are 20 sophomores, 22 redshirt freshmen and 37 first-year rookies.

WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Nearly 60 percent of the current crop of Bulldogs are from Minnesota -- some 62 in all -- and another 38 are Wisconsin natives. Indiana (2), Washington (2) and Illinois (1) are home to the remaining five Bulldogs.

A SENIOR MOMENT: This is the final NCAA II playoff go-around for UMD's 13 seniors. That group includes cornerback Daryl Brown, linebacker Gavin Brown defensive end Jacob Brusehaver, linebacker Gavin Grady, tight end Taylor Grant, linebacker/long snapper Yusef Hassan, tight end Ryan Miesbauer, offensive guard Andrew Muer, wide out/return specialist Aaron Roth, offensive tackle Phillip Rutz, running back Austin Sikorski (who, long with Brusehaver, is out for the rest of the year with a knee injury), defensive end Mitchell Ziegler and wide out/return specialist Zach Zweifel. Of that Baker's Dozen, only nine players (Brusehaver, Grady, Hassan, Miesbauer, Muer, Rutz, Sikorski and Ziegler) remain from UMD's 29-member rookie class of 2010, when the Bulldogs last captured an NCAA II title. Brown, Roth and Zweifel were all called into action the following year as first-year freshmen while Daryl Brown and Grant subsequently joined the UMD program as transfers from the University of North Dakota. In addition, junior tight end Jay Schlichte is also in his final year with the Bulldog program as he is scheduled to graduate later this year.

THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN'T TACKLE: Sophomore inside linebacker Beau Bates needs one more tackle to become the seventh current Bulldogto reach the 100-stop career mark this fall. He'll join senior inside linebacker Gavin Grady (157), junior free safety David Boegel (133), junior outside linebacker Nate Zibolski (131), junior cornerback Darion Fletcher (124), senior outside linebacker Gavin Brown (117) and junior inside linebacker Brent Stiglich (100) in that club

BULLDOG BITS: UMD has reeled off four straight wins at Blakeslee Stadium since falling 31-7 to the Mavericks in the 1998 season opener. UMD also downed MSU 45-21 in the 2010 season finale -- a game that was originally scheduled for Blakesee Stadium, but was postponed one day and moved to Marshall, Minn., because of a snowstorm ... Bulldog head coach Curt Wiese, who played collegiately for three seasons at Minnesota State-Mankato (1997-98) before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire under then-head coach Todd Hoffner, who now directs the Minnesota State-Mankato program ... Of the four, third-round NCAA II playoff matchups on tap for this Saturday, the only one featuring two unbeaten teams is UMD vs. Minnesota State ... UMD is the lone NCAA II club at the moment with 13 wins under its belt ... The Bulldogs are now 7-2 lifetime in overtime games (4-1 in the NCAA II playoffs) with one of those victories coming at the expense of Minnesota State in its last visit to Mankato (16-13 on Oct. 14, 2006) ... The Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA II playoffs seven straight seasons, an active run unequaled by all but one NCAA II club (Northwest Missouri State with 11) ... Saturday will be UMD's fourth time on natural grass in the past two seasons. The Bulldogs upended Minnesota State University-Moorhead 69-45 on Oct. 12, 2013 and the University of Minnesota Crookston 77-3 and Ouachita Baptist 48-45 in overtime earlier this fall on real grass ... The Bulldogs are one of three unbeaten teams still alive in the NCAA II playoffs (Concord University at 12-0 is the other) ... Saturday's clash with No. 1 Minnesota State-Mankato will be UMD's third against a nationally-ranked opponent this fall. The Bulldogs defeated then-No. 20 Winona State University 28-21 in Winona, Minn., on Sept. 27, No. 6 Northwest Missouri State 25-21 two weeks ago, and No. 7 Ouachita Baptist this past Saturday ... Bulldog opponents are a mere 7-of-21 on fourth down conversions this season (33.3 percent) while UMD is 19 of 26 (73.0 percent - the fourth best figure in the nation) ... Junior Andrew Brees, a Fred Mitchell Award Kicker of the Month honoree for both September and October, has matched his career high for field goals (10) this fall. The third-year starter also booted his way into the UMD record books one month ago (Nov. 1) by by converting all 11 of his extra points in a 77-3 thrashing of Minnesota-Crookston. Brees is a perfect 28-for-28 on extra point kicks on the road this season .... Senior wide out and return specialist Aaron Roth, who established a career high for pass receptions (10), pass reception yards (145) and longest pass catch (57 yards) last Saturday against Ouachita Baptist is the lone Bulldog who has played in all 52 games over the past four seasons ... UMD's six road opponents thus far combined to score just seven points during the second quarter this season .. The Bulldogs have intercepted 11 passes in 2014, with a team-high three of those thefts falling in the hands of second-year sophomore strong safety Hunter Malberg ... Running back Nate Beaulieu, cornerback Dillon Martinez and punter Shawn Magee are the only three true freshmen to see playing time for the Bulldogs in 2014 ... Sophomore wide out Beau Bofferding, who returned a first-half Ouachita Baptist kickoff 96 yards (a career best), has caught at least one pass in each of the last 12 games -- the longest such active run by a Bulldog. Bofferding is one of 14 Bulldogs with at least one pass reception to his 2014 credit ... UMD has outscored the opposition 142-62 in the opening quarter of play this season.

TO THE VICTORS: UMD-MSU winner will move on to the semifinal round of the NCAA II playoffs on Dec. 13 to face the champion of Super Region One (either Concord University or Bloomsburg University, who also will meet this Saturday in Athens, W. Va.