The University of Minnesota Duluth will put the finishing touches on the 2015 football season this Saturday (Dec. 5) when the Bulldogs and Fort Hays State University lock up in 50th annual Mineral Water Bowl. Kickoff is set for 12 noon at Tiger Stadium in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

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THE RECORDS: The Bulldogs, winners of seven of their last eight games, are 8-3 on the year and that put them in a tie for fourth place (with Southwest Minnesota State University) in the final NSIC standings. UMD also earned a share of its seventh NSIC North Division title by going 6-1, a mark duplicated by both Bemidji State University and Northern State University.

Fort Hays State also closed out the regular season sporting an 8-3 record and placed third (along with University of Central Missouri) in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association with that same mark.
    
THE BROADCAST: The UMD-Fort Hays 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.

Saturday afternoon's game will be videostreammed as well and can be accessed for free at: portal.stretchinternet.com/fhsu

THE COACH: Curt Wiese is winding down his third season of head coaching duty with the Bulldogs, having guided them to a 33-6 overall record, two NCAA II playoff appearances (2013 and 2014), one overall NSIC title (it shared that honor with Minnesota State University-Mankato last fall) and three 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 23 All-NSIC first team selections while 39 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).
 
Over the course of 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 94-13 (for an .878 winning percentage over that stretch -- the second-best mark in NCAA II football) while capturing two NCAA II national championships (2008 and 2010), six overall NSIC titles and eight NSIC North Division crowns. They've also made seven NCAA II playoff appearances and produced two perfect 15-0 seasons and three 11-0 regular seasons.

WIESE BY THE NUMBERS
Record at UMD (Year): 32-6 (3rd)
Overall Coaching Record (Year): 41-17 (5th)
Career NSIC Record: 29-4
Career UMD Home Record: 17-1
Career UMD Road Record: 15-5
NCAA II Playoff Record: 3-2
vs. Fort Hays State: 0-0

THE RIVALRY: UMD and Fort Hays State will meet for the first time ever Saturday.

LAST WEEK: The Bulldogs have been idle since downing Minot State University 36-10 on Nov. 14 in their regular season finale at James S. Malosky Stadium. Senior Jonathan Harden, UMD's starting nose tackle and part-time fullback, rushed for three touchdowns as the Bulldogs overcame a 10-8 halftime deficit to post their 16th triumph in a row at home. Junior running back Darren Walker rushed 15 times for 116 yards while sophomore quarterback Nate Ricci added another 100 yards on the ground (on 19 carries) and one touchdown. He also completed 10 of 19 passes for 107 yards and was on the receiving end of a 59-yard scoring strike from senior wide out Justin Fowlkes. Minot State, which is 0-4 all-time against the Bulldogs and has been outscored 191-16 in the process, generated just 161 yards of total offense -- a 2015 low for a UMD opponent -- and seven first downs the entire afternoon.

Likewise, Fort Hays State's last activity came on Nov. 14 and also resulted in a home victory -- a 28-14 decision over then No. 20 Central Missouri. The Tigers, who never trailed the entire afternoon, amassed 326 rushing yards (with 159 of those coming from Shaquill Copper) and 441 yards overall.

END OF THE LINE: The 10 members who comprise UMD's senior class will bid farewell to their collegiate careers this Saturday in Excelsior Springs. 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 Brent Stiglich -- began their collegiate careers at UMD. Harden transferred to UMD from Western Michigan University in 2013 and Avesca from Fond Du Lac Tribal Community College in 2015.

THE RUN CONTINUES: This marks the eighth straight year  the Bulldogs will take part in postseason play. From 2008 to 2014, UMD earned a NCAA II playoff berth, going 14-5 along the way with national championship conquests in both 2008 and 2010.

THESE 'DOGS HAD THEIR DAY: Some 14 Bulldogs received All-NSIC North Division honors for 2015, including senior Andrew Brees, who earned first team status as a placekicker for the third time in four years (2012, 2014 and 2015) and was also this year's first team punter. He was joined on that 25-member group by junior offensive tackle Peter Bateman, junior linebacker Beau Bates, junior wide out Beau Bofferding, sophomore defensive end Karl Finkel, senior cornerback Darion Fletcher and senior nose tackle Jonathan Harden. UMD placed another four players on the second team: junior quarterback Drew Bauer, senior free safety David Boegel, sophomore offensive tackle Matt Juneau and senior linebacker Brent Stiglich. In addition, honorable mention acclaim was secured by senior linebacker Mark Nahorniak, junior defensive lineman Isaac Vesel and junior offensive guard Connor Randall.

BOWLED OVER: UMD has made one previous visit to the Mineral Water Bowl -- in 2001 when it was turned back 48-17 by Central Missouri. Current defensive coordinator John Steger and head athletic trainer Mike Wendinger were both on the Bulldog staff for the school's first-ever postseason appearance that afternoon.

BOWLED OVER II: Fort Hayes State, which has equaled a program record for wins in a season with eight, has never been to the Mineral Water Bowl and last made the NCAA II playoff in 1995.

RANK AND FILE: During the course of the 2015 season, the Bulldogs were 0-2 against nationally ranked opponents (AFCA II poll), falling on the road to both No. 1 Minnesota State-Mankato (20-17) in the opener and No. 12 Sioux Falls (35-31) two weeks later. This fall Fort Hays State faced four teams that were, at the time, nationally ranked and went 2-2. The two wins came in Hays, Kan. and at the expense of No. 13 Emporia State University (27-24 on Oct. 17) and Central Missouri (28-14 on Nov. 14) while No 3 Northwest Missouri State  University (45-24 on Oct. 14 in Maryville, Mo.) and No. 15 Pittsburg State University (31-24 in Hays) each prevailed over the Tigers.

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

PUTTING HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD: Senior Andrew Brees,who 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, was bestowed with D2CAA All-Super Region 3 second team honors as a punter earlier this week. This fall Brees, the school record holder for the longest field (57 yards at the University of Mary on Oct. 17, 2015) became the first Bulldog to handle both the team's placekicking and punting duties fulltime since 1988 (Randy Fietek). To date, he is averaging 40.3 yards per punt -- the second best figure in the NSIC and the best mark by any Bulldog since 1977 when Amory Bodin paced the entire NCAA II ranks with a school-record 43.0 yards per punt average. The three-time All-NSIC North Division first team placekicker (2015, 2014 and 2012) tops UMD in scoring with 65 points, connecting on 8-of-11 field goal tries and 37-of-38 extra points (he's also run for a pair of two-point conversions). Brees currently is tied for 10th in career field goals (37) among active NCAA II kickers

GET IN THE ZONE: UMD has come away with points (including 33 touchdowns) in 38 of its 42 red zone visits this season (90.5 percent). It failed to score once due to a missed field goal attempt and three other times when it turned the ball over on downs.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Junior wideout/running back Beau Bofferding, who leads the 2015 Bulldogs in receptions (28), all-purpose yards (1,011) and touchdowns (10), has caught at least one pass in 24 consecutive games since being blanked in that department in the 2014 season opener against Concordia-St. Paul at Malosky Stadium.

A PREMATURE ADIEU: Senior team captain and All-American running back Logan Lauters, who returned to the Bulldog lineup on Halloween day 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. 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), owns the 12th best quarterback pass efficiency mark in the nation (155.5) while his 16.25 yards per completion average is bettered by only one three 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.

BULLDOG BITS: UMD has outscored its opponents 236-103 in the opening half this season and has allowed 27 points (and three touchdowns) during the third quarter the entire year ... Junior wide out Dominic Bonner, who transferred to UMD this fall from Cabrillo College (Calif.), has been thrown to more times (47) than any other 2015 Bulldog. Bofferding is the next favorite pass target (43 times) ... Head coach Curt Wiese has won 32 of 38 games since taking over the Bulldog program three seasons ago and only two other NCAA II coaches -- Northwest Missouri State's Adam Dorrel (37) and Colorado State University-Pueblo's John Wristen (37) -- 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). They are followed by junior running back Darren Walker (twice), a 2015 transfer from Los Angeles Harbor College, and freshman running back Jamiah Newell (one). Nate Ricci, who has quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a 2-0 record since taking over the starting role in Game 10 at Bemdiji State, broke the 100-yard barrier for the first time as a collegian in UMD's 2015 regular season finale ... 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 (38 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 (49 of a possible 50). Boegel leads all current Bulldogs in lifetime tackles with 199 while junior inside linebacker Beau Bates (173), senior inside linebacker Brent Stiglich (169) and Fletcher (166) are next.