The University of Minnesota Duluth football team will host its annual Homecoming game Saturday when the Bulldogs welcome Southwest Minnesota State University to Malosky Stadium for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference showdown. The game -- which will honor UMD Athletics brand new 2024 Hall of Fame Class at halftime -- will get underway at 12:00 p.m.


WIESE EYES 100 UMD WINS: Bulldog head coach Curt Wiese, who reached 100 career coaching wins last season and sits at 108 overall wins, owns 99 wins at the helm of UMD. Wiese currently has a Bulldog record of 99-24.

Wiese is now also just one win away from tying former head coach Bob Nielson (1999-2003 and 2008-12), who earned 100 wins in his nine seasons at UMD. Wiese, who currently has the third most wins by a head coach in program history, needs just two wins to become the Bulldogs second-winningest coach in history.

THE CAREER CLIMB CONTINUES FOR WALLJASPER: Redshirt junior quarterback Kyle Walljasper has amassed 5,124 total yards of offense so far in his career -- good enough for the seventh most total offense in program history. Walljasper has 1,992 rushing yards to pair with 3,132 passing yards.

Walljasper's 3,132 passing yards already ranks him eighth all-time in career passing yards, while is 5.7 yards per carry currently puts him with the 5th most ypg in program history over a career.

With 70 career total touchdowns in his career (41 passing, 29 rushing and one receiving), Walljasper already ranks sixth in total touchdowns, and just three shy from taking over the fifth spot held by Issac Odim (2008-10) with 72. 

HENNESSEY EYES TOP-10 SACK LIST: Graduate defensive end Drew Hennessey enters the weekend with 16.5  career sacks -- just .5 sack away from tying the ninth spot for all-time sack leaders at UMD, and one solo sack away from taking over the ninth spot exclusively. Currently, Hennessey's 16.5 sacks ranks him  12th all-time.

The last Bulldog player to record 17 or more sacks in a career was Nate Pearson (2017-21), who ran up 27 -- the second most in program history. Russ Rabe owns UMD's career sack record with 29, set  2001-04.

Hennessey turned in eight sacks in 2023 for a career-best, and was just one sack shy of reaching the 10th spot for the most sacks in a single season. UMD has had four players all-time record nine sacks -- in all, 11 players have turned in nine or more sacks in a single season. 

Russ Rabe owns the single season record of 15, set in 2003.

TAKE AME(S): Redshirt junior wide receiver DaShaun Ames has been Kyle Walljasper's top target so far this season, and he leads the Buldlogs with three receiving TDs (fifth most in the NSIC) and 273 receiving yards for a 22.75 yards per catch average -- the most of an WR in the NSIC. Ames is averaging 91.0 yards a game through the first three games of the season, also good enough for fifth in the NSIC.

Averaging four receptions a game, Ames has already tied his career season-high for receiving TDs (three in 2023), and has 927 yards so far over his career.

THE MATCHUP: UMD is 29-7-1 all-time against the Mustangs, *which includes a forfeited loss to SMSU over the 1986 season. 

The two sides last tangled last season in Marshall, Minn. to the tune of a 33-0 win on Sept. 23, 2023. The Bulldogs are 9-1 in their last 10 games against SMSU, which includes a undefeated home record over that span. While those 10 games cover a two decade time-span dating back to 2002, UMD has managed to average 38.1 points against the Mustangs in those 10 contests.

In their last meeting in Marshall last season, the Bulldogs 33-0 win started with two 33-yard field goals from kicker Curtis Cox at 12:36 and again at 9:06 to take a 6-0 lead early in the quarter. UMD's defense and special teams were a big part of the opening quarter – after Cox hit his first FG, the Bulldogs recovered their onside kick to regain possession of the ball, which eventually led to the second Cox FG.

When the Mustangs offense got its first touch on the ball with under nine minutes left in the first, Bulldog graduate senior corner back Ty'Rese Gibson stripped the ball on SMSU's fourth play and recovered it for UMD. Then it was senior Ethan Beffert's turn, whose strip sack was recovered by Marcus Martin on the Bulldogs 47 yard line.

11 plays and 40 yards later, the Bulldogs picked up their first touchdown of the day when then redshirt sophomore Kyle Walljasper punched a rushing TD in from a yard out at 12:54 for the 13-0 lead. UMD then made it a 20-0 game before half when sophomore running back Daniel Mitchell hit the jets for a 28 yard touchdown with 1:16 remaining before halftime, his first touchdown of the season.

The Bulldogs opened the third quarter with another interception, this time by Tim Pokornowski, his second of the season. Pokornowski's pick came at 12:21, and paved the way for yet another Cox field goal at 8:55 for 40 yards and the 23-0 advantage.

Marcus Glodowski grabbed UMD's second interception of the day at 6:17, and although the Bulldogs didn't cash on Glodowski's pick, Cox would later drill his fourth field goal of the day at 12:07 of the fourth from 21 yards out and the 26-0 lead.

UMD struck one final time with 3:36 left in the game on a quick pitch from Walljasper to Cameron Miller for a 3-yd TD, that coupled with a Cox point after, stretched the Bulldogs winning margin to 33-0.

The Bulldogs defense stifled the Mustangs all day long, and five players recorded five or more tackles in the game, including Drew Hennessey, who also hauled in two sacks in addition to his four solo tackles. Beffert and graduate senior linebacker Brad Dati – making his first appearance since an injury forced him out last season, had five tackles and a sack apiece, while Ty'Rese Gibson had a team-high six tackles to go with his strip and fumble recovery. Jacob Mogenson also had a sack for UMD, which registered five on the day against SMSU.

Overall, the Bulldogs had 349 yards on offense, with 187 rushing yards and  162 passing. Walljasper's 162 yards of passing offense was mostly divided between Jimmy Durocher, with 74 yards on three receptions, and DaShaun Ames, who had a team-high four catches for 66 yards. .

MORE ON THE MUSTANGS: SMSU's Scott Underwood is currently in his third year as at the helm of the Mustangs. He has an overall record of 6-19 throughout that time, and before SMSU he spent 12 years as head coach at St. Cloud St with a record of 86-52.

SMSU is 0-3 on the current season and coming off a 17-27 loss at home to Concordia University, St. Paul. The Bulldogs and Mustangs have not yet played a common opponent this season.

 On the defensive side of things, a duo of sophomore linebackers Josiah Hedensten, and Gideon Ervasti led the Mustangs last year. Both players started all 11 of the game, and Hedenston had a total of 89 tackles while nine of those tackles came for a loss. Gideon recorded 65 tackles, while eight of those tackles came for a loss

Offensively, sophomore quarterback Marcus Martin recorded 2080 all purpose yards with 1,984 of them passing and 96 rushing. Running back Donald Austin was the rock of the offense last year, starting in all 11 games while rushing for 965 yards. Austin also recorded 133 receiving yards on 14 receptions. Senior wide receiver, Peter Osman was the main target and yard gainer for the Mustangs this past season. He had 42 receptions for 533 yards. 

LAST TIME OUT: After suffering a heartbreaking loss one week ago, UMD bounced back last Saturday with a statement  43-7 road win over the University of Mary in NSIC action at MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, ND.

In a game where the Bulldogs never gave up the lead, UMD went into the half with a 14-0 lead and held the Marauders scoreless until the fourth quarter. 

The Bulldog defense got off to a hot start with Cassius Rohadfox, Mac Strand, and Landon Carter all collecting sacks to force an early three-and-out from UMary. UMD forced the Marauders to punt on both of their first two drives of the game before breaking things open on offense. After driving down the field from their own 43 yard line, Kyle Walljasper found an open Jimmy Durocher for a quick 2-yard receiving touchdown with four seconds left in the first quarter.

The UMD defense didn't slow down, and Jonathan Shrum grabbed his first interception of the season to turn over the Marauder's opening drive of the second quarter. Another punt set up the Bulldogs at the UMary 48-yard line, which was capped off with a 24-yard rushing touchdown from Walljasper to put UMD up 14-0 at the 6:48 mark before the half.

Both teams came out into the second half with scoreless drives before a 57-yard drive for the Bulldogs would end in a 15-yard receiving touchdown from Walljasper to redshirt freshman Ryder Patterson with 6:16 left in the frame. The fake extra point attempt would turn into a carry for Logan Kobus to convert the two point attempt and give UMD a 22-0 lead with six minutes left in the quarter.  A huge 34-yard reception from Durocher from Walljasper set up a 15-yard rushing touchdown from Alex Riley at 2:32, closing out another 50+ yard drive and put UMD up 29-0. On the very next drive, Kenny Stevenson collected the pick six and gave UMD a 36-0 lead with just 50 seconds remaining as it headed into the fourth.

The UMD offense kept their foot on the gas with substitutions in the final quarter, and increased the scoreline to 43-0 on a 30-yard receiving touchdown from Jacob Eggert to Tanner Schmidt at 9:07. The Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs on the following UMary drive, but would let up a fumble recovery touchdown in the final two minutes that allowed the Marauders their only score on the day and 43-7 final score.

NOTES ON THE MSUM GAME: UMD now has a 17-game winning streak against UMary, dating back to their first head-to-head on Sept. 9, 2006. The streak is the fourth-longest unbeaten streak in program in history, and the third longest winning streak. (The Bulldogs are 17-0 against the Marauders all-time).

--UMD is now averaging 47.8 points against UMary in 17 all-time head-to-head showdowns.

--UMD compiled 365 yards of total offense, while it held UMary to just 92. The Bulldogs had 181 rushing yards on the ground and 184 in the air, while the defensive side kept the Marauders to -8 rushing yards. 

--Kyle Walljasper had a season-best 138 yards on the ground with one TD to pair with135 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Walljasper's main target was again Deshaun Ames, who had 49 yards on the day.

--Andrew Klopp led the defense with five tackles, including a team-best three solo efforts and 1.5 sacks and 2.5 TFL for 18 yards. Mac Strand added four tackles (three assists) and a sack. Three other players logged sacks, including Carter Landon (1.5), Cassius Rohadfox (1.5) and Matt Weerts (1.0).

--Logan Kobus tied his season-high longest punt against Mary, a 55-yard bomb. Kobus also hit a 55-yarder against Northern Michigan during the season opener.

LEADING THE PACK: UMD owns the NSIC's best defense, which is allowing just 14.7 points per game and also owns the second most points in the league a game at 35.6.

--Andrew Klopp leads the NSIC in tackles for loss with five solo tackles for 22 yards for an average of 1.83 a game.

--Matt Weerts has a league- high 1.00 sack per game average, while Preston McQueen leads the NSIC with 2.00 passes defended a game -- good enough for 5th in the NCAA.

--Kyle Walljasper ranks second in the NSIC and fouth in the NCAA with a 191.08 passing efficiency. Walljasper is also ranked in the NCAA in three other catergories, including:

--3rd yards per pass attempt (10.28)

--5th avg yards completed (15.60)

--5th ypg total offense (332.0)