THIS WEEK: The Southwest Minnesota State University (3-3 NSIC, 1-1 NSIC South) football team returns home this Saturday, Oct. 19, to host No. 1 ranked Minnesota State University (6-0, NSIC, 2-0 NSIC South) at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. It will be the first time in program history that SMSU has ever hosted the No. 1 ranked team in NCAA II football. SMSU will look to earn the program's first-ever victory over MSU and revenge last season's double overtime loss to the Mavericks in Mankato. SMSU enters the game ranked fifth in the country in total offense and 13th in rushing offense, while MSU is ranked fourth in total defense and seventh in rush defense. MSU has won 17 straight NSIC games dating back to week one of the 2012 season. A preview on Minnesota State can be found on page 4.
THIS WEEK'S GAME QUICK FACTS:
•Prior to this week, the previous highest NCAA ranked team to play in Marshall was last season when No. 2 Minnesota Duluth defeated SMSU 45-20 in the season opener.
•SMSU has rushed for 1,654 yards this season - the fourth highest single-season total in program history. The 1973 squad holds the record with 1,945. Last season's team has the second highest total with 1,888 yards.
•SMSU earned its second road win of the season last week at Wayne State. It's the first time SMSU has won two road games in a season since 2010. The last time SMSU won three road games in a single season came in 2008.
•SMSU ranks 17th in the country in turnover margin and 39th in turnovers gained. The Mustangs have been plus-three in turnover margin in three games.Â
•Last week's victory moved
Cory Sauter into a tie for third on the SMSU all-time coaching victories list with Ron Flowers and Curt Strasheim with 14 career victories.
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Tyler Tonderum has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the last five games becoming just the second SMSU player in team history (Shad Peckenpaugh,1985) to do so.
•Tonderum has three 200-yard rushing games in his career (all this season) becoming the first player in school history to accomplish the feat.
•Tonderum has tied the SMSU single-season record with 13 rushing touchdowns - joining
Gannon Moore (2009) and Robert Lipsey (1990) atop the list.
•Tonderum - who ranks second on the country in scoring - has 13 rushing touchdowns and has scored at least two touchdowns in five of six games.
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AJ Page ranks first second in the NSIC in tackles and sacks and is third in tackles for loss.
•SMSU set a school and NSIC single-game record with 828 yards of offense in the Oct. 5 loss to Sioux Falls.
•SMSU also set an NCAA II record for total offense by a losing team versus USF. The previous record was 749 by Fort Lewis (Colo.) versus Colorado Mesa in 2002.
•SMSU has scored 30 or more points in 12 of its last 18 games dating back to the final game of the 2011 season.
A VICTORY ON SATURDAY FOR SMSU WOULD...:
•Be its first ever over Minnesota State in 12 games.
•Be the highest ranked team the program has ever beaten at the NCAA II level. SMSU defeated MSU Moorhead - ranked No. 2 in NAIA - in 1994.
•Give SMSU a 4-3 record - its best record after seven games since the 2006 team was 4-3.
•Give
Cory Sauter a 10-12 record in home games.
•Lift SMSU's all-time record to 173-290-5, including 111-197-5 in conference play.
THE HEAD COACH: Southwest Minnesota State head coach
Cory Sauter is in his fourth season in 2013 and has an overall record of 14-25, including 13-24 in conference games. Sauter was named head coach on March 29, 2010, after serving two seasons as an assistant coach at SMSU. In 2009, Sauter served as the team's offensive coordinator, while in 2008 he served as quarterbacks coach. A complete bio on coach Sauter can be found on page 21.
SAUTER MOVING UP THE LIST: Cory Sauter is tied with both Ron Flowers and Curt Strasheim for third all-time in program history with 14 victories. Eric Eidsness ranks second all-time with 26 victories in six seasons.
