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The University of Minnesota Duluth will take on its last Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division opponent of the 2017 season this Saturday (Sept. 23) when the Bulldogs pay a visit to Wayne State College. Opening kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Bob Cunningham Field (3,500) in Wayne, Neb.
 
THE RECORDS: UMD, which is 1-2 in 2017, went 10-2 last season, placed second in the overall NSIC standings with a 10-1 record and claimed its ninth straight NSIC North Division title by going a perfect 7-0. The Bulldogs also advanced to the NCAA II playoffs for the eighth time in the past nine seasons.

Wayne State, off to a 2-1 start this season, was 3-8 one year ago for a share of 11th place in the NSIC (with Minot State University and Upper Iowa University) and tied Southwest Minnesota State and Upper Iowa for fourth place in NSIC South Division race with a 2-5 mark .

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and Wayne State stacked up in this week's American Football Coaches Association Division II and D2Football.com polls:
 

	AFCA	D2Football
UMD	RV	NR
WSC	NR	NR

      

THE BROADCAST: The Bulldog-Wildcat clash will be carried live locally on KDAL-Radio (610 AM and 103.9 FM) with Jeff Papas on the call. The broadcast can also be heard at: kdal610.com.

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

THE COACH: Curt Wiese is in his fifth season of head coaching duty with the Bulldogs, having guided them to a 44-10 overall record (only two NCAA II coaches have won more games during that stretch), three NCAA II playoff appearances (2013, 2014 and 2016), one overall NSIC title (it shared that honor with Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2014), four straight NSIC North Division crowns and a school-record 22-game home winning streak which stretched between Oct. 5, 2013 and Nov. 12, 2016,

Last fall, his Bulldogs reeled off 10 straight victories following a setback in the season opener and wound up going 10-2. Along the way they returned to the NCAA II playoffs after a brief, one-year absence, and occupied the No. 13 spot in the final AFCA II poll. One year earlier, UMD capped off a 9-3 season by defeating Fort Hays State University 30-22 in the Mineral Water Bowl and in 2014 rolled up a 13-1 overall record (the third most wins in program history) and captured a share of its league-record 19th NSIC crown after going 11-0 in conference play. That was in addition to advancing to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA II playoffs and ending up at No. 3 spot in the final AFCA II poll. That followed up Wiese's 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 17 different All-Americans and 27 All-NSIC first team selections while his Bulldogs have earned NSIC All-Academic status 55 times. That includes 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 generated both the second- most victories (they are 106-17) and winning percentage (.????) in the country while capturing two NCAA II national championships (2008 and 2010), six overall NSIC titles (2008-12 and 2014) and nine NSIC North Division crowns. They've also made eight NCAA II playoff appearances and produced two perfect 15-0 seasons and three 11-0 regular seasons.

Wiese 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 was among 10 head coaches nationwide who were honorary coach nominees for the 2016 Allstate Insurance and American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

    WIESE BY THE NUMBERS
    Record at UMD (Year):  44-10 (5th)
    Overall Coaching Record (Year): 53-21 (7th)
    Career NSIC Record: 40-7
    Career UMD Home Record: 23-3
    Career UMD Road Record:  21-7
    vs. Wayne State:  2-0

THE RIVALRY: The Bulldogs are a commanding 12-1 against Wayne State in a series which began on Nov. 13, 1993 at the old Metrodome in Minneapolis. UMD's lone loss over to the Wildcats came on Sept. 17, 2011 -- a 7-0 setback in Wayne. The two clubs last collided two years ago (Sept. 12, 2015) in Duluth where UMD throttled the visiting Wildcats in 48-7 in its home debut. The Bulldogs roared out to a 22-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back while improving to a perfect 7-0 lifetime against Wayne State home. On the afternoon, the Bulldogs finished with 533 yards of total offense, 349 of which cam on the ground.

LAST WEEK: After trailing 8-0 early, Minnesota State University-Mankato reeled off 24 consecutive points and went on to down the Bulldogs 38-23 Saturday on Military Appreciation Night at James S. Malosky Stadium. UMD sophomore quarterback Ben Everhart, making his first collegiate start and sixth-ever appearance, completed 24 of 43 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns in the setback. Junior wide out Jason Balts was on the receiving end of a team-high eight of those passes (which he parlayed into 130 yards and one) while senior wide out Ricci had five receptions and one touchdown. Minnesota State-Mankato, which has now defeated UMD four straight times, outgained the Bulldogs in both total offense (497 to 384) and rushing yards (244 ot 59) while UMD held the edge in both passing yards (325 to 253) and first downs (21 ot 20)Both UMD junior linebacker Gus Wedig (11) and sophomore cornerback Bishop McDonald (a career-high 10) topped the double-digit mark for tackles while senior free safety Kegan Wirtz had the game's only interception.

Wayne State kept the University of Minnesota Crookston winless with a 33-14 takedown of the host Golden Eagles Thursday night. Senior Rashad Trimble rushed for a game-high 185 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries with one touchdown while quarterback Zach Osborn threw four touchdown passes for a second straight game,going 14-of-23 for 253 yards with one pick. Wayne State ran just 59 offensive plays compared to 83 for Minnesota Crookston.

A TALE OF TWO QUARTERS: The Bulldogs have been outscored 34-10 in the third quarter this season but have turned the tables on the opposition (24-10) in the final 15 minutes of regulation.

RARE INDEED: For the first time since 1999, the Bulldogs have started a year 0-2 at home.It's also the first time in eight years they've suffered two losses in the same season at Malosky Stadium.

GETTING DOWN: UMD is one of just eight NCAA II schools that has yet to allow a fourth down conversion this season as opponents are 0-for-1 in that situation.

WHAT A RUSH: Some 11 different Bulldogs have already run the football this season, including junior transfer Anthony Wood, whose 127 yards on 21 carries (a nifty 6.0 yards per rush average) tops the club. UMD, which finished 13th in NCAA II rushing offense last fall (averaging 233.4 yards per outing), has outgained the opposition on the ground in 22 of the past 24 games with the 2017 opener against Sioux Falls (when UMD managed negative-16 yards of rushing offense) and last Saturday night (59 yards versus Minnesota State-Mankato) being the exceptions.

GETTING BACK TO THE SACK ATTACK: After registering  a school-record 52 sacks in 2016 -- the second highest total in all of NCAA II football -- the Bulldogs have found getting to the quarterback a bit more difficult task in 2017. That hasn't, however, been the case for the opposition. Through the first three games, UMD has been credited with two quarter back sacks (including one by senior outside linebacker Zach Bassuener, who last fall ranked second in the NSIC to senior teammate and reigning NSIC Defensive Player of the Year Beau Bates in that department) while giving up 12. UMD's two sacks are the fewest of any NSIC club.

GETTING HIS KICKS: Sophomore Cameron Hausman has already punted 22 this year after he -- and two other Bulldogs -- registered 33 punts during the entire 12-game 2017 season. (Hausmen had 26 of those punts).

IN GOOD HANDS: No NCAA II outfit in the country did a better job of controlling the football last season than UMD. The Bulldogs ranked first nationally in time of possession with a 36:06 per game average after occupying the No. 3 spot at the conclusion of the 2015 season (34:08). Thus far in 2017, UMD ranks 21st nationally in that department (33:23). Last Saturday night, Minnesota State held the ball for over three minutes more than the Bulldogs, marking only the second time in the past 19 games UMD failed to lead it opponent in time of possession

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE SOUTH: Since taking over the Bulldog program four-plus seasons ago, Curt Wiese has won 44 of 54 games Only two other NCAA II head coaches -- Colorado State University-Pueblo's John Wristen and Shepherd University's Monte Cater (both with 47) -- have accumulated more victories during that the time period. Of Wiese's 10 lifetime losses, seven have come against NSIC South Division members (including four at the hands of Minnesota State). The other three setbacks have occurred in NCAA II postseason play.
 
FORCING THE ISSSUE: Senior free safety Kegan Wirtz has forced a NCAA II-leading three fumbles this season, all of which came at the expense of Sioux Falls three weeks ago. UMD tied for the NCAA II lead in recovered fumbles last fall with 17 and have four (including those three against Sioux Falls) in 2017.

CLASS WARFARE: Of the 107 individuals who comprise the 2017 Bulldog roster, 18 are seniors, 23 are juniors, 19 are sophomores, 19 are redshirt freshmen, and 28 are first-year Bulldogs.

WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Just under 91 percent of the current crop of Bulldogs are either Minnesota (50) or Wisconsin (47) natives. Illinois (5). California (2), Florida (1), Indiana (1) and Washington (1) are home to the remaining 10 Bulldogs.

BULLDOG BITS: Both senior wide out/return specialist Nate Ricci and sophomore quarterback Mike Rybarczyk are out for the season with injuries they incurred last Saturday night (Ricci) and the week before at Upper Iowa (Rybarczyk). Ricci, a 2016 All-NSIC North Division first team honoree who hauled in the sixth-most passes (61) for the fourth-most receiving yards (1,047) in program history last fall, now ranks ninth on the UMD career reception charts with 108. Ricci has registered at least one catch in 15 straight games (the longest such streak on the club) starting with the 2016 season opener. In his last outing before that, the 2015 Mineral Water Bowl against Fort Hays State University, he was used at quarterback in place of the injured Drew Bauer. Rybarczyk started the opening two games this fall (his first two starts as a Bulldog) and completed 26 of 60 passes for 265 yards and one touchdown while being picked off once.

• UMD has trailed at the third quarter break in all three games thus far.

• Junior Matt Juneau, who relocated from right tackle to left tackle on the UMD offensive front this season, has cracked the starting lineup in 23 consecutive games--the longest ironman streak of any 2017 Bulldog. Senior outside linebacker Zach Bassuener is next with 19.

• Junior Jason Balts,who tops the 2017 Bulldogs in pass receptions (19), currently ranks third in the NSIC in all-purpose yards with a 143.3 per game average.

• Cornerback Justic'e King, who is the lone true UMD freshman to see playing time so far in 2017, has been credited with six total tackles.

• Four current Bulldogs have an interception to their collegiate credit and all four of those have multiple thefts -- junior strong safety Sam Lynch (four, including a team-leading three in 2016), senior free safety Kegan Wirtz (three, one this season and two in 2016), sophomore strong safety Bill Atkins (two, both last fall) and sophomore cornerback Bishop McDonald (one in 2016 and the club's first pick of this season).

• Since the 2008 season opener, only one NCAA II team in the country has racked up more victories (106) and posted a higher winning percentage (.862) than UMD. That club, top-ranked Northwest Missouri State University, is the two-time the defending NCAA II champion, and owns the nation's longest winning streak at 33 games, having not lost since falling 25-21 to host UMD in the opening round of the 2014 NCAA II playoffs (Nov. 22).

ON DECK: UMD will make its 2017 NSIC North Division debut on Thursday (Sept. 28) with a Thursday night home clash against long-time intrastate rival St. Cloud State University. UMD is the nine-time defending NSIC North Division champions and since the league instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 56-3 in NSIC North Division assignments (31-0 at home).