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The University of Minnesota Duluth will put the wraps on its 2018 regular season road schedule this Saturday (Oct. 27) when the Bulldogs invade Crookston, Minn., for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division matchup against the University of Minnesota Crookston. Opening kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Ed Widseth Field (natural grass/2,000 capacity) on the Minnesota Crookston campus..

THE RECORDS: The 10-time defending Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division champion Bulldogs are 8-0 on the year (and 4-0 in the NSIC North) while Minnesota Crookston, which has won one of its last 31 games, is 1-7 overall and 1-3 in NSIC North play.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Golden Eagles stacked up in this week's American Football Coaches Association Division II and the D2Football.com polls and the latest NCAA II Super Region 4 Rankings:
 

	AFCA	D2Football.com	Super Region 4
UMD	No. 5	No. 6	No. 1
UMC	NR	NR	NR

           
THE BROADCAST: The Bulldog-Golden Eagle 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 game will be streammed and can be accessed for free at: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd

THE COACH: Curt Wiese is in his sixth season of head coaching duty with the Bulldogs, having guided them to a 60-11 overall record (only one other NCAA II coach has 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), five 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 made their 10th consecutive postseason appearance (the Mineral Water Bowl) and went 9-3 overall -- one year after they reeled off 10 consecutive victories following a setback in the season opener before finishing 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 18 different All-Americans and 32 All-NSIC first team selections while his Bulldogs have earned NSIC All-Academic status 72 times. Among those were three CoSIDA Academic All-American first team honorees in wide receiver Jason Balts (2017) offensive lineman Andrew Pattock (2013) and defensive end Nick Thorpe (2017).

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. 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.

Going back to Wiese's arrival at UMD in February 2008, the Bulldogs have generated both the second-most victories (they are 122-18) and winning percentage (.871) in the country while capturing two NCAA II national championships (2008 and 2010), six overall NSIC titles (2008-12 and 2014) and 10 NSIC North Division crowns. They've also qualified for eight NCAA II playoff berths (2008-14, 2016), made two Mineral Water Bowl appearances (2014 and 2016) 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):  60-11 (6th)
    Overall Coaching Record (Year):  69-22 (8th)
    Career NSIC Record:   56-7
    Career UMD Home Record: 30-3
    Career UMD Road Record:  30-8
    vs. Minnesota Crookston: 5-0

THE RIVALRY: The Bulldogs and Golden Eagles have met on 15 previous occasions, including once in each of the past 10 seasons. UMD holds a 14-1 lead in the all-time series, which began in Crookston on Sept. 28, 1999 -- the Golden Eagles' inaugural year as members of the NSIC. Minnesota Crookston recorded its lone victory over the Bulldogs two seasons later (a 17-13 home decision), but has since fallen to UMD 12 straight times. The latest of those setbacks occurred one year ago (Nov. 4) when UMD celebrated Senior Day at James S. Malosky Stadium with a 54-6 thrashing of the Golden Eagles. The Bulldogs, who erupted for 40 points in the second and third quarters after leading just 8-0 at the first-quarter break. rolled up 518 yards of total offense and held Minnesota Crookston to 149 yards overall.

LAST WEEK: In its final NSIC interdivisional test of 2018, the Bulldogs rolled to a 37-17 road victory Winona State University on Saturday afternoon. Junior quarterback Mike Rybarczyk,  ran for a pair of touchdowns and was on the receiving end of another scoring strike (from senior wide receiver Nate Ricci). The first of Rybarczyk's touchdowns -- a six-yard run -- came on UMD's second series of the afternoon. The Bulldogs then went up 13-0 on the final play of the first quarter when senior cornerback Mitchell Johnson-Martin picked up a fumble and took it seven yards into the end zone. The Warriors cut the UMD lead to 13-7 early in the second quarter, but that's the closest they'd get to averting their eighth consecutive loss to the Bulldogs. Redshirt freshman Zach Ojile capped off the day's scoring with a one-yard plunge with 3:22 to go in regulation. That came one play after sophomore defensive lineman Chris McGrady-Wiley blocked a Winona State punt. Rybarczyk paced the UMD rushing attack with 83 yards on 15 carries in addition to completing 12 of 24 passes for 162 yards and no picks. Ricci finished with a game-high four receptions for 38 yards. UMD allowed just five rushing yards on 25 attempts the entire afternoon while amassing 204 yards of its own on the ground. Junior free safety Bill Atkins topped UMD with nine total tackles, including one stop for a loss.

Minnesota Crookston gave host Concordia University-St. Paul all it could handle, but came up on the short end of a 21-13  decision. Junior quarterback Jalin Scott accounted for 324 of the Golden Eagles' 355 total yards by going 20-of-34 for 270 yards and one touchdown and rushing 31 times for another 54 yards.

A SIGN OF THE GOODS THINGS TO COME?: In its 86-year history, UMD has started a season 8-0 seven times (2018, 2014, 2010, 2008, 2002, 1981, and 1980) and on five of those previous occasions (2014, 2010, 2008, 2002 and 1980) the Bulldogs have gone on to run the table during the regular season.

WHAT A RUSH: Junior quarterback Mike Rybarczyk, who last Saturday made his first start since Week Two of the 2017 season, has paced the Bulldogs in rushing the past two games. That included a career-high 111-yard effort against visiting Southwest Minnesota State University  -- the largest ground harvest by a Bulldog since Sept. 28, 2017 (Anthony Wood with 128 yards).

WHAT A RUSH II: UMD has outgained the opposition on the ground in 38 of the past 41 games with the 2017 opener against Sioux Falls (when UMD managed negative-16 yards of rushing offense), the ensuing weekend (59 yards versus Minnesota State-Mankato) and the 2017 finale (79 yards vs. the University of Central Missouri) being the exceptions.

WHAT A RUSH III: The Bulldogs have surrendered only one rushing touchdown all season -- at St. Cloud State on Sept. 13.

SCORE EARLY, SCORE OFTEN: The Bulldogs, one of 13 remaining unbeaten NCAA II teamsin the country, are outscoring the opposition 83-3 in the first quarter this fall and that one opposition field goal was registered in the season opener at Minot State.

SCOOP AND SCORE: Senior cornerback Mitchell Martin-Johnson has twice parlayed a fumble recovery into a touchdown in 2018 (doing so in each of the past two weekends). The program single-season record in that department is three set by linebacker Rob Huberty in 2010. Two of Huberty's scores that year came in back-to-back games.

GET AHEAD, STAY AHEAD: UMD has trailed for only 3:49 all season -- and that was all in one stretch during the second half of the Bulldogs; 26-19 double overtime triumph over Bemidji State on Sept. 22 at Malosky Stadium.

START ME UP: Senior offensive tackle Matt Juneau, a three-time All-NSIC North Division honoree, has started 40 consecutive games -- the longest ironman streak of any 2018 Bulldog.

THE BEAT GOES ON: The Bulldogs are now guaranteed of finishing with a winning record for the 11th consecutive year. That's the longest such run by a UMD club since it went 19 seasons in a row above the .500 mark between 1970 and 1988.

THE BEAT GOES ON II: UMD will take a 16-game NSIC winning streak into Saturday's bout with Minnesota Crookston.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Nate Ricci finished with a team-high four catches last Saturday at Winona State, giving him 136 for his career. That's good for the No. 8 spot on UMD's all-time catch charts and 10 more than fellow senior wide out and 2018 NSIC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Jason Balts (who incurred a season-ending lower body injury against Bemidji State University in Week Four.).

Ricci, a sixth-year senior, is an inaugural nominee for the first-ever Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award. In 2017, he was on the doorstep of an All-American-caliber season before injuring his clavicle three weeks in and missing the remainder of the year.

CATCH OF THE DAY II: Some 15 different Bulldogs have recorded a pass reception so far in 2018 and seven of those have a scoring strike to their credit.

FEELING RIGHT AT ROAD: Since succumbing 42-38 to Southwest Minnesota State in their 2016 debut, the Bulldogs have reeled off 14 straight regular season (NSIC) road wins.

GETTING A BIT DEFENSIVE: UMD is giving up just 219.8 total yards per outing this season, a figure that is bettered by only one other NCAA II school. Here is how the Bulldogs rank nationally and in the NSIC in various defensive categories:

                            NCAA/NSIC
Category                   Rank          Avg./Total
Total Defense            2nd/1st        219.8 ypg
Scoring Defense       3rd/1st         12.0 ppg
Rushing Defense      3rd/1st          70.4 ypg
3rd Down Conv. Def.  4th/1st        .243
Passing Eff. Defense  5th/1st       93.62
Kickoff Return Def.     7th/4th       14.09 ypr
Passing Defense       11th/1st       149.4 ypg
First Downs Allowed  13th/1st       108

NO OFFENSE TAKEN: UMD also currently sits among the NCAA II and NSIC offensive leaders as well:

                                    NCAA/NSIC
Category                        Rank           Avg./Total
Time of Possession         4th/1st         34:43
3rd Down Conv. Off.         6th/2nd       .500
Tackles for Loss Allowed  9th/1st        4.00 tpg
Scoring Offense               16th/2nd      39.4 ppg
First Downs                     17th/3rd        181
Punt Returns                   17th/2nd       15.29 ypr

IT TAKES A THIEF: Senior cornerback Tareq Abulebbeh, a transfer from Southern Illinois University who sat out the past two Saturdays with an injury, already has five interceptions this season, and his 0.83 picks per game average ties puts him in a tie for third on the NCAA II leaderboard (and first on the NSIC charts). The last Bulldog to rack up more than five interceptions in one season was Cole Strilzuk in 2018 (6 thefts in 15 games).

IT TAKES A THIEF II: Seven current Bulldogs have an interception to their UMD credit and four of those have multiple thefts -- senior strong safety Sam Lynch (seven), senior cornerback Tareq Abulebbeh (five), sophomore strong safety Bill Atkins (three), and sophomore cornerback Justic'e King (two). Senior outside linebacker Alex Helmer, sophomore cornerback Michael Kirkendoll (a 2018 transfer from North Dakota State School of Science) and senior cornerback Mitchell Johnson-Martin have the one interception each.

MOVING ON UP: The Bulldogs, who were unranked in the 2018 AFCA II Preseason Poll, moved up at least one spot in each of the six regular season rankings before checking in at No. 5 the past two weeks. That represents their highest position in the AFCA II Poll since being slotted third in the 2015 preseason.

SOME NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Since the NSIC instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 66-3 in North Division assignments. Two of those losses came at the hands of St. Cloud -- on consecutive years (35-7 in 2011 and 51-49 in 2012) at Husky Stadium. UMD is the 10-time defending NSIC North Division champion and is a perfect 36-0 all-time at home against North Division foes.

THE REAL THING: This Saturday will mark UMD's first game on natural grass since its last visit to Minnesota Crookston (Oct. 29, 2016).

SACK IT TO ME: The Bulldogs have been credited with 25 sacks this fall, the second highest figure in the NSIC, while allowing less than half of that (12). Senor linebacker Alex Helmer paces UMD with 6.5 sacks, the third most in the NSIC

BIG PLAYS: The Bulldog offense has generated 37 plays that have resulted in gains of 20 or more yards this season compared to compared to 20 for the opposition. One quarter (five) of those were registered by Winona State last Saturday.

BONUS FOOTBALL HAS BEEN A BONUS FOR UMD: The Bulldogs are 7-1 in their last eight overtime games.

IN GOOD HANDS: The Bulldogs have held the upper hand in time of possession in 33 of the past 35 games (one of the outliers occurred two weeks ago against Southwest Minnesota State). This fall UMD ranks fourth among all NCAA II schools in that department (34:43) after finishing 3rd and 1st, respectively in 2017 and 2016.

WE'LL SECOND THAT: The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 228-68 in the second quarter since the 2017 season opener and have given up a just two second-quarter touchdown (to St. Cloud State on Sept. 13, 2018 and to Winona State last weeks) in any of their last 16 games.

ISN'T THAT SPECIAL: Redshirt freshman Javien Versey leads the 2018 Bulldogs in special teams tackles with seven (all on kickoff returns) while junior transfer Tyrik Carmickle is next with six (all on on kickoffs as well)

QUITE THE RUN: Since taking over the Bulldog program five years ago, Curt Wiese has won 60 of 71 games. Only one other NCAA II head coach -- Colorado State University-Pueblo's John Wristen (61) -- has accumulated more victories during that the time period. Of Wiese's 11 lifetime losses, seven have come against NSIC South Division members (including four at the hands of Minnesota State-Mankato) and one against a NSIC North Division foe (at Northern State on Oct. 31, 2015). The other three setbacks have occurred in postseason play (besides Minnesota State-Mankato).

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will return to James S. Malosky Stadium for a Nov. 3 bout with NSIC North Division rival University of Mary.