Armed with a 15-game home winning streak, the University of Minnesota Duluth will put the wraps on the 2015 regular season this Saturday (Nov. 14) when the Bulldogs take on Minot Sate University in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division confrontation. Opening kickoff for UMD's annual Senior Day is set for 1:05 p.m. at James S. Malosky Stadium (4,500/artificial turf) on the UMD campus.

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THE RECORDS: UMD, winners of six of its last seven games, is 7-3 on the year and 5-1 in North Division play. Minot also owns a 1-9 overall record, which includes a 1-5 North Division mark.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Beavers stacked up in this week's American Football Coaches Association Division II and the D2Football.com polls as well as the NCAA II Super Region Three Rankings:
 
    AFCA    D2Football    Region 3
UMD    NR    No. 19    NR
MSU    NR    NR    NR 
       
THE BROADCAST: The UMD-Minot State 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 Saturday's regular season finale. 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 31-6 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).

WIESE BY THE NUMBERS
Record at UMD (Year): 31-6 (3rd)
Overall Coaching Record (Year): 40-17 (5th)
Career NSIC Record: 28-4
Career UMD Home Record: 16-1
Career UMD Road Record: 15-5
vs. Minot State: 2-0

THE RIVALRY: UMD and Minot State have met on just three previous occasions with all coming since the 2012 season when the Beavers joined the NSIC. The Bulldogs prevailed 44-6 in the two clubs' first-ever matchup on Oct. 13, 2012 in Minot, N.D. and then shut down the Beavers 52-0 one year later (Oct. 19) at James S. Malosky Stadium. The Bulldogs capped off a perfect 11-0 regular season last fall by cruising to a 56-0 victory in Minot. (Nov. 15)

LAST WEEK: The Bulldogs struck for a pair of first-quarter touchdowns (both coming off turnovers) and then gutted out a 14-9 road win over Bemidji State University Saturday afternoon. UMD, which was without the services of three injured offensive starters -- junior quarterback Drew Bauer, senior running back Logan Lauter and junior center Matt Catton -- limiting the Beavers to just 181 total yards on the day. Junior running back Darren Walker (14-yard run) and Bauer's replacement, sophomore Nate Ricci (15-yard run) gave the Bulldogs all the scoring they would need as UMD hiked its winning streak against the Beavers to 16 games. Walker led all rushers with 75 yards on 15 carries while Ricci, in his first collegiate quarterbacking start, ran 18 times for 61 yards. He also completed 9 of 19 passes for another 80 yards. UMD finished with 296 yards of total offense, including 194 on the ground. The two long-time intrastate rivals combined to go 5-for-12 on fourth down conversions. UMD converted all three of it six fourth-down tries out of punt formation via the arm (a 22-yard pass) and legs (runs of 21 and 11 yards) of senior Andrew Brees. Bemidji State had entered the afternoon having won six consecutive games.

Minot State was thumped 45-14 by previously winless University of Minnesota Crookston Saturday in Crookston. The host Golden Eagles torched Minot State for 525 yards of total offense of which 377 came off the rush. Beaver junior quarterback Jose Escobar completed 11 of 19 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown in the losing effort. His backup, freshman Isaiah Weed, threw for 97 yards and one score while going 9-for-18.

THE LAST FAREWELL: This Saturday will mark the final collegiate home appearances for UMD's 10 seniors. That group includes defensive lineman Pierre Avesca, free safety David Boegel, placekicker/punter Andrew Brees, cornerbacks Ty Fischer and Darion Fletcher, wide receiver Justin Fowlkes, nose tackle Jonathan Harden, running back Logan Lauters (who is out with a career-ending injury), outside linebacker Mark Nahorniak and inside linebacker Brent Stiglich. Of those 10 Bulldog seniors, only eight -- Boegel, Brees, Fischer (who joined the Bulldogs this fall after a two-season absence), Fletcher, Fowlkes, Lauters, Nahorniak and Stiglich -- began their collegiate careers at UMD. Harden transferred to UMD from Western Michigan in 2013 and Avesca from Fond Du Lac Triball Community College in 2015.

BEAVER BUSTERS: Not only are the Bulldogs 3-0 all-time versus the Beavers, but they have outscored them 152-6 in those three triumphs. UMD has gone 35 seconds shy of nine complete quarters without giving up a points to Minot State. The Beavers scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter of the two teams' inaugural meeting in 2012 before proceeding to come up empty in each of the ensuing two seasons (52-0 in 2013 and 56-0 last fall).

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: This season is the 50th year of UMD football at Malosky Stadium. Since moving to that on-campus facility on Oct. 29, 1966, the Bulldogs have won over 77.7 percent of their home games, going 193-54-4 . In recent times, opponents have found victories even harder to come by at Malosky Stadium as UMD has amassed a sizzling 48-4 mark there since the 2008 opener (with two of those losses coming in the NCAA II playoffs). The Bulldogs have also gone 54-1 versus overall NSIC competition (league games and NCAA II playoffs) at Malosky Stadium since Oct. 21, 2000 with that lone setback being inflicted by Minnesota State-Mankato on Sept. 21, 2013 (21-17).

NOT IN OUR HOUSE: UMD hasn't been held scoreless by a visiting NSIC colleague since Minnesota State University-Moorhead turned the trick (29-0) way back on Oct. 31, 1981.

FANTASTIC FINISHES: The Bulldogs haven't closed out a regular season on a losing note since 2004 when St. Cloud State University exited Malosky Stadium with a 28-0 North Central Conference triumph in tow. That's the last time UMD has been blanked at home.

PRIDE OF THE NORTH: Even with the 23-15 defeat at Northern State two weeks ago, the Bulldogs are still a sizzling 48-3 in NSIC North Division assignments (26-0 at home) since the NSIC instituted divisional play in 2008. The other two losses came in consecutive years to St. Cloud State (51-49 in 2012 and 35-7 in 2011). UMD is the seven-time defending NSIC North Division champion but finds itself sitting one game back of Northern State (6-0) in the North Division standings. The Wolves host Bemidji State (5-1) this Saturday.

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

Consecutive Home Wins: 15
Consecutive NSIC North Division Home Wins: 26
Consecutive Regular Season Finale Wins: 10
Consecutive Wins vs. Minot State: 3
Consecutive Home Games Without Being Shut Out: 68
Consecutive NSIC Home Games Without Being Shut Out: 110

THE BREAKUP ARTIST: Senior cornerback and second-year starter Darion Fletcher is tied for the NCAA II lead in pass breakups with 17. That's one more than the UMD single-season mark set by Marcus Davis in 2005. The 2014 All-NSIC North Division second team pick is the school's career leader (32) and single-game record holder (four at Minnesota State-University-Mankato in the 2015 opener) in that department as well. Fletcher also has registered two of UMD's six interceptions this season, giving him a team-high seven for his career (no other Bulldog has more than one collegiate theft).

GET IN THE ZONE: UMD has come away with points (including 30 touchdowns) in 35 of its 38 red zone visits this season (92.1 percent -- the fourth highest average in NCAA II football). It failed to score once due to a missed field goal attempt and two other times when it turned the ball over on down.

PUTTING HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD: Senior Andrew Brees,who has received a Fred Mitchell Kicker of the Month citation (excellence on the football field and in the community) for both September and October this year, is a perfect 33-for-33 in extra point kicks and 8-for-10 in field goal tries thus far. That .800 field goal percentage ranks 20th nationally and is bettered by only one other NSIC placekicker (Upper Iowa University's Brady Beuschel at .813). This fall Brees, the school record holder for the longest field (57 yards at the University of Mary last month) became the first Bulldog to handle both the team's placekicking and punting duties fulltime since 1988 (Randy Fietek). To date, he is averaging 40.8 yards per punt -- the second best figure in the NSIC and the best by any Bulldog since 1977 when Amory Bodin paced the entire NCAA II ranks with a 43.0 yards per punt average. The two-time All-NSIC first team pick (2014 and 2012) tops UMD in scoring with 61 points (he's also run for a pair of two-point conversions) and currently is tied for ninth in career field goals (37) among all active NCAA II kickers.

WHAT A RUSH: The Bulldogs pace the NSIC and are 16th nationally in rushing yards, averaging 246.4 yards per game.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Junior wideout/running back Beau Bofferding, who leads the 2015 Bulldogs in receptions (27), all-purpose yards (998) and touchdowns (10), has caught at least one pass in 23 consecutive games since being blanked in that department in the 2014 season opener against Concordia-St. Paul at Malosky Stadium.

BALL CONTROL: UMD is 15th among all NCAA II clubs in time of possession (32:58) and tops the entire NSIC in that statistical category.

END OF THE LINE: Senior team captain and All-American running back Logan Lauters, who returned to the Bulldog lineup two weeks ago at Northern State after being injured the previous four games, incurred a season-ending injury early in the fourth quarter against the Wolves. He'll finish his collegiate career situated in the
No. 2 spot on UMD's career rushing charts with 3,351 yards. That's 891 yards behind the No. 1 occupant, three-time All-American Isaac Odim (4,242 yards from 2008-10). Lauters's career 6.3 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 10th among all active NCAA II players in career yards per carry and 11th 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).

BAUER POWER: Like Lauters, junior quarterback Drew Bauer is also done for the year with a concussion-related injury. 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), sports the 13th best quarterback pass efficiency mark in the nation (155.5) while his 16.25 yards per completion average is bettered by only one four other NCAA II signal callers. Bauer, who is 30-6 as a starter since assuming that role at the outset of the 2013 season, seems a lock to be just the third quarterback to ever lead the Bulldogs in rushing (joining Chase Vogler in 2012 and Ted Schlafke in 2007). In addition, he has generated both the fourth most all-time total yards (8,086) and passing yards (5,640) in program history.

QUITE A RUN: Going back to the start of the 2008 season, only one NCAA II outfit in the country - Northwest Missouri State University - has generated a better winning percentage and has amassed more wins than UMD. And, up until two weeks ago, UMD had appeared in every AFCA II Top 25 poll since Aug. 12, 2008.
   
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 .738 (a 238-83-5 record), which is second only to Sioux Falls' .809 mark (34-9-0 in three-plus seasons of NSIC membership).

BULLDOG BITS: The 181 overall yards the Bulldogs gave up to Bemidji State last Saturday were the lowest output by a UMD foe since Minot State mustered just 95 yards in a 56-0 drubbing last November. UMD also established a 2015 best for quarterback sacks with five in that victory over the Beavers ... Junior wide out Dominic Bonner, who transferred to UMD this fall from Cabrillo College (Calif.), has been thrown to more times (44) than any other 2015 Bulldog. Bofferding is the next favorite pass target (41 times) ... Head coach Curt Wiese has won 31 of 37 games since taking over the Bulldog program three seasons ago and only two other NCAA II coaches -- Northwest Missouri State's Adam Dorrel (35) and Colorado State University-Pueblo's John Wristen (34) -- have complied more victories during that the time period ... Logan Lauters has rushed for 100 or more yards on a team-high 14 occasions (two in 2015) as a Bulldog. Drew Bauer is next with eight (three this fall) followed by freshman running back Jamiah Newell and junior running back Darren Walker, a 2015 transfer from Los Angeles Harbor College, with one each ... UMD has outscored the opposition 108-46 in the first quarter and 228-97 in the opening 30 minutes of play this season ... Junior offensive tackle Peter Bateman has made more career starts (36 in a row since the 2013 opener) than any other active Bulldog while the senior trio of free safety David Boegel, placekicker Andrew Brees and cornerback Darion Fletcher along with junior quarterback Drew Bauer share the team lead for career appearances (47 of a possible 48). Boegel leads all current Bulldogs in lifetime tackles with 197 while junior inside linebacker Beau Bates (170), Fletcher (165) and Brent Stiglich (161) are next.

ON TAP: Should the Bulldogs come out victorious Saturday, a trip to the Mineral Water Bowl -- their first since 2001 -- could be their reward. That game, which features the top team from the NSIC and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association that don't qualify for the NCAA II playoffs, is set for Dec. 5 in Excelsior Springs, Mo.