THIS WEEK: Southwest Minnesota State University (4-1, 0-1 NSIC South) continues Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division play this Saturday, Oct. 10, at Wayne State College (3-2, 0-1 NSIC South) with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. at Cunningham Field in Wayne, Neb.
    SMSU, which suffered its first loss of the season last Saturday at Augustana, will be playing its fourth road game of the season. SMSU will play three of its final five games at home. WSC had its two-game winning streak snapped at home last week with a 59-10 loss to No. 7 Sioux Falls. A preview of Wayne State is located on page 4.

    A VICTORY FOR SMSU ON SATURDAY WOULD...:
    •Give SMSU its best start after six games since the 1991 team started 6-0.
    •Be its second straight win at Wayne State and lift its record to 4-9 all-time in Wayne, Neb.
    •Move head coach Cory Sauter into a tie for second place in career victories at SMSU with 26.
    •Lift SMSU's all-time record to 184-301-5, including 122-207-5 in conference play.

    SMSU & GAME STORYLINES:
    •SMSU ranks eighth in Division II in third-down conversions at 52 percent (48 of 93).
    •SMSU ranks second in Division II in first downs with 140. Angelo State (Texas) leads the country with 141.
    •SMSU has outgained its opponents rushing in four of five games this season.
    •The 70-yard touchdown pass from Blake Gimbel to Nate Huot was the longest play from scrimmage this season for SMSU. The pass from Gimbel to Huot was the duo's second 70-plus pass play in their careers. Last season the two connected on a 71-yard touchdown pass at Winona State.
    •Senior Davontay Stevens tossed his first career touchdown pass last week at Augustana. He tossed a halfback pass to sophomore Nate Huot to give SMSU a 7-0 lead.
    •Junior Tyler Flud tied a career-high with 13 tackles last Saturday versus Augustana.
    •Freshman Alex Ney amassed a career-high six tackles in the loss at Augustana.
    •Sophomore Cameron Parus had career-highs in both receptions (7) and receiving yards (86) last week.
    •Senior AJ Page ranks first in the NSIC and 13th in Division II in tackles for loss per game (2.0) and is 17th in the country in sacks (1.0).
    •Sophomore Blake Gimbel ranks fourth in the NSIC in passing yards (257.4).
    •Sophomore Nate Huot ranks sixth in the NSIC in receiving yards per game (72.4).
    •Junior Ty Steffensen ranks fifth in the NSIC in receptions per game (5.8).
    •SMSU is a "plus-2" in turnover margin this season and has been even or plus in four of five games. A season ago SMSU was a "plus" in turnover margin just twice and was even in two other games. SMSU finished 3-1 in the four games.
    •SMSU has scored 30 or more points in 22 of its last 40 games dating back to the final game of the 2011 season.
    •SMSU is 2-2 all-time when playing on Oct. 10. SMSU lost in 1970 and 2009, but won in both 1987 and 1992.

    BEST START SINCE 1991: This season's 4-0 start was the program's best since the 1991 team won its first eight games in route to a 9-1 season. It's was just the second time a Mustang team had started a season 4-0. It was also just the third time in program history (1990 & 1991) that an SMSU team had started conference play with a 4-0 record.

    SMSU HIGH IN THE NSIC THROUGH FIVE WEEKS: Southwest Minnesota State ranks high in several team statistical categories through five weeks. SMSU ranks first in first downs (140), second in total offense (470.8), second in time of possession (31:24), third in third-down conversions (51.6), fourth in passing offense (271.2), fourth in rushing offense (199.6) and sixth in turnover margin (+2).

    MUSTANGS AMONG AT THE TOP IN RUSHING: Senior Davontay Stevens is tied for first in the NSIC and ranks 32nd in Division II in rushing through five weeks with 105.8 yards per game on a league-high 116 attempts. Junior Ashanti Payne ranks ninth in the conference in rushing with 396 yards per game on 81 carries.