Armed with a 13-game home winning streak, the University of Minnesota Duluth returns to James S. Malosky Stadium (4,500 seating capacity/artificial turf) this Saturday afternoon (Oct. 10) to host intrastate rival St. Cloud State University in the Bulldogs' annual Homecoming game. Opening kickoff for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division clash is set for 1:05 p.m.

Complete Release

THE RECORDS: Both UMD and St. Cloud State are off to 3-2 starts this fall.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and St. Cloud State  stacked up in this week's American Football Coaches Association Division II and the D2Football.com polls:
 
        AFCA    D2Football    
UMD        No. 25    No. 15
SCSU        NR    NR  
     
THE BROADCAST: The Bulldog-Husky matchup will be carried live locally on 92.1 FM The Fan with Jeff Papas handling the play-by-play responsibilities. The broadcast can also be heard on KQ 105.5 FM in Grand Rapids/Hibbing, Minn.; KQ 106.7 FM in Ely/Virginia, Minn.; 105.7 FM The Fan Siren/Pine City, Minn., and Red Zone Sports Radio 930 in Aitkin, Minn., as part of the Bulldog Radio Network and at: 921thefan.com or free via the iHeartRadio app.

For the eighth consecutive year, My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9) is televising all UMD home games, including the one Saturday night against St. Cloud State. Northland Newscenter sports director Zach Schneider and former long-time UMD defensive coordinator Vince Repesh will serve as the on-air talent. The telecast, which is also available locally on Charter and Mediacom cable, will be videostreammed as well and can be accessed for free at: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd.

THE COACH: Curt Wiese is now in his third season of head coaching duty with the Bulldogs, having guided them to a 27-5 overall record, two consecutive NCAA II playoff appearances, one overall NSIC title (it shared that honor with Minnesota State University-Mankato last fall) and two straight NSIC North Division crowns. Last fall, UMD went 13-1 (its third most single-season victories ever) and closed out the year holding down the No. 3 spot in the final AFCA Division II poll. That followed up a rookie-go-around that included an 11-2 mark in all games and a No. 8 final AFCA II poll ranking.

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.

Since being appointed UMD's sixth head coach on Dec. 21, 2012, Wiese has helped produce 10 All-Americans and 16 All-NSIC first team selections while 26 of his Bulldogs have earned NSIC All-Academic status (including offensive lineman Andrew Pattock, who as a senior in 2013 was named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American).

THE RIVALRY: The Bulldogs and Huskies have collided 47 times previously in a rivalry which began back in 1933 -- the third year of intercollegiate football at UMD. St. Cloud State holds a slim 24-23 lead in the all-time series, but is just 2-9 in its last 11 meetings with its long-time intrastate adversary. One year ago (Oct. 11), UMD cruised to a 44-21 victory over the Huskies, limiting the hosts to just 115 total yards the entire second half.

LAST WEEK: UMD spotted Minnesota State-Moorhead a quick 7-0 lead before proceeding to peel off 34 straight points on its way to toppling the Dragons 47-14 Saturday afternoon in Moorhead. Junior quarterback Drew Bauer rushed 26 times for 177 yards and one touchdown  and completed 14 of 23 passes for 220 yards and another three scores in the triumph -- UMD's 16th straight over Minnesota State-Moorhead. UMD held the Dragons to just 233 yards of total offense while accumulating 555 yards of their own (averaging 7.43 yards per play in the process). Junior inside linebacker Beau Bates led all Bulldogs in tackles with eight while Darion Fletcher was credited with six stops and also had one pick.

Like the Bulldogs, St. Cloud State also made its 2015 NSIC North Division debut with a convincing victory -- a 62-14 home takedown of the University of Minnesota Crookston.

CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: The Bulldogs' team captaincy responsibilities this fall are being shared by a trio of seniors - defensive nose tackle Jonathan Harden, running back Logan Lauters and inside linebacker Brent Stiglich -- along with junior inside linebacker Beau Bates and junior quarterback Drew Bauer

SOME TOUGH SLEDDING: The Bulldogs have yet to face a club with a losing record this year and UMD's six opponents (including St. Cloud State) are a combined 22-8. The Bulldogs' two losses this season have come on the road to a pair of nationally-ranked opponents by a combined seven points (20-17 to No. 1 Minnesota State-Mankato in the 2015 opener and 35-31 two weeks later to then-No. 12 Sioux Falls). This marks just the second time since 2007 the Bulldogs have lost two games during the regular season (2011 was the other).

THE PRIDE OF THE NORTH: Since the NSIC instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 44-2 in NSIC North Division assignments (24-0 at home) with both of those two losses coming in consecutive years St. Cloud State (51-49 in 2012 and 35-7 in 2011).

PRIDE OF THE NORTH II: UMD, the seven-time defending NSIC North Division champion, will bring a 21-game North Division winning streak into this Saturday's bout with St. Cloud State. The Bulldogs have also won 10 straight NSIC North Division road outings since being upended 51-49 by St. Cloud State on Sept. 29, 2012.

DOG EAT DOG: UMD has defeated St. Cloud State five straight times in Duluth, going back to a 28-0 loss in the 2004 season finale. That's the last time the Bulldog have been blanked at Malosky Stadium. In fact, since falling 29-0 to Minnesota State-Moorhead on Oct. 31, 1981, UMD has suffered just two shutout losses at home in 173 games and both of those have come at the hands of the Huskies (they turned back the Bulldogs 33-0 in 1992 as well).

STREAKS APLENTY: To summarize, here are the streaks the Bulldogs will put on the line this Saturday:

Consecutive Home Wins: 13
Consecutive NSIC North Division Wins: 21
Consecutive NSIC North Division Home Wins: 24
Consecutive Home Wins vs. St. Cloud State: 5
Consecutive NSIC Home Games Without Being Shut Out: 108

BAUER POWER: Junior Drew Bauer was chosen both the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week and a USA College Football Player of the Week for his spirited performance in last Saturday's 47-14 road thumping of Minnesota State-Moorhead. In addition to finishing the day with 397 yards of total offense -- the sixth highest single-game output in program history, Bauer threw for three touchdowns, ran for another, and added a two-point conversion run to boot. He also amassed a career-high 177 yards on the ground (off 26 carries), marking the seventh time he's eclipsed the 100-yard rushing barrier as a Bulldog.

BAUER POWER II: The last time the Bulldogs and St. Cloud State hooked up collided (Oct. 11, 2014), Bauer enjoyed perhaps his most productive afternoon as a collegian, throwing for 326 yards -- the highest total by a Bulldog since Ted Schlafke rolled up 350 yards in the 2007 season finale at St. Cloud State -- and two scores while completing 20 of 31 throws. He also ran for another touchdown and led both teams in rushing with 82 yards on 13 carries. That gave the Inver Grove Heights, Minn., native 406 total yards, a figure no UMD player has matched in seven years (Schlafke had 495 in that same 2007 clash with the Huskies.)

Bauer, the 2015 NSIC North Division Preseason Offensive Player and the holder of the school's single-season rushing record for a quarterback (983 yards in 2014), has already generated both the fourth most all-time total yards (6,769) and passing yards (4,763) in program history. He'll enter Saturday's bout with St. Cloud State sporting  a 27-5 career record as a starter.

CATCHING ON FAST: Junior wideout/runningback Beau Bofferding, who was on the receiving end of a pair of Drew Bauer scoring strikes last Saturday in Moorhead, has caught at least one pass in each of the last 18 games since being blanked in that department in the 2014 season opener.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: This season marks the 50th year of Bulldog football at Malosky Stadium. Since moving to that on-campus facility on Oct. 29, 1966, the Bulldogs have won over 77 percent of their home games, going 191-54-4 (.775). In recent times, opponents have found victories even harder to come by at Malosky Stadium as UMD has amassed a sizzling 46-3 mark there since the 2008 opener. The Bulldogs have also gone 52-1 versus overall NSIC competition at Malosky Stadium since Oct. 21, 2000 with that lone loss being inflicted by Minnesota State-Mankato on Sept. 21, 2013 (21-17).

TOP 'DOGS: UMD captured a share of its league-record 19th NSIC championship last year -- and did so with the most victories (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 .737 (a 235-82-5 record), which is second only to Sioux Falls' .789 mark (30-8-0 in three-plus seasons of NSIC membership).

WHAT A RUSH: Senior team captain Logan Lauters, who was sat out last Saturday's triumph at Minnesota State-Moorhead -- as well as all but two series the previous week -- with a lower body injury during, occupies the No. 2 on UMD's career rushing charts with 3,297 yards. That's 945 yards behind the No. 1 occupant, three-time All-American Isaac Odim (4,442 yards from 2008-10). Lauters's career 6.4 yards per run average takes a backseat only Odim's 7.2 clip (2008-10) among Bulldogs with 1,000 or more yards. He currently ranks eighth among all active NCAA II players in career yards per carry and 10th in rushing yards. One year ago, Lauters rolled up 1,531 yards on the ground -- a figure eclipsed by only one other Bulldog ever in a single-season (Isaac Odim in both 2009 and 2008).

BALL CONTROL: UMD currently ranks eighth among all NCAA II clubs in time of possession (34:07) and leads the entire NSIC in that department.

BULLDOG BITS: St. Cloud State was also the Bulldogs' opponent at their 2013 Homecoming game ... Senior placekicker Andrew Brees nailed his first field goal try last Saturday -- a 2015 season-best 41-yarder -- before having his 31-yard attempt blocked in the third quarter. The two-time All-NSIC North Division first team pick was a perfect 6-for-6 in field goal efficiency this fall prior to that. Brees, who was one of 21 individuals nationwide to earn a Fred Mitchell Kicker of the Month citation for September is also handling the club's punting duties this season as well. He currently ranks eighth in career field goals (35) among all active NCAA II kickers .... Drew Bauer's 397 yards of total offense last Saturday came one week after he  amassed 389 yards in a 28-24 home triumph over Upper Iowa University ... Redshirted freshman safety Sam Lynch made is first collegiate start last Saturday against Minnesota State-Moorhead and wound up with two tackles on the day ... Junior wide out Dominic Bonner, who transferred to UMD this fall from Cabrillo College (Calif.), hooked up with junior quarterback Drew Bauer for a 78-yard gain against Upper Iowa during UMD's last home game. That was the longest pass play by the Bulldogs since the 2010 season. Three weeks earlier, Bonner parlayed his first UMD reception into a 51-yard pickup against Minnesota State-Mankato ... Head coach Curt Wiese has won 27 of 32 games since taking over the Bulldog program three seasons ago and only two other NCAA II coaches -- Northwest Missouri State University's Adam Dorrel (30) and Colorado State University-Pueblo's John Wristen (29) -- have generated more victories during that the time period ... Senior cornerback Darion Fletcher has thwarted more pass attempts (12) than all but three players in the entire nation thus far and is the lone Bulldog to pick off a pass this fall (he's done it twice) ... Senior Logan Lauters has rushed for 100 or more yards on a team-high 13 occasions as a Bulldog. Drew Bauer is next with seven ... The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 107-45 in the first half in 2015 but just 64-56 in the final 30 minutes of play ... UMD has appeared in every AFCA II Top 25 poll since Aug. 12, 2008 ... Just 11 individuals make up the Bulldogs' 2015 senior class and of those 11, only eight -- David Boegel, Andrew Brees, Ty Fischer (who joined the Bulldogs this fall after a two-season absence), Darion Fletcher, Justin Fowlkes, Logan Lauters, Mark Nahorniak and Brent Stiglich -- began their collegiate careers at UMD ... Both junior quarterback Drew Bauer and junior offensive tackle Peter Bateman have made more career starts (32 in a row) than any other active Bulldog while the senior trio of free safety David Boegel, placekicker Andrew Brees and cornerback Darion Fletcher share the team lead for career appearances (43 of a possible 44). Boegel leads all current Bulldogs in career tackles with 172 while Fletcher is next at 151 .

ON TAP: UMD will take its show on the road next Saturday (Oct. 17) for another NSIC North Division engagement with the University of Mary. The Bulldogs are 8-0-0 all-time against the Marauders.