THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (4-2, 1-1 NSIC South), coming off its first loss since Sept. 1, returns home Saturday, Oct. 15, to face Winona State University (4-2, 1-0 NSIC South) at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
•Saturday's match-up is a 'trophy game' as SMSU and WSU meet for the seventh annual "Battle for the Sledge" presented by Game One and Adidas.
•The game features two of top rushing offenses and rushing defensive units in the country. SMSU enters the game first in the NSIC and ninth in Division II in rushing offense (243.2), while WSU is 23rd in rushing defense (90.2).
•SMSU is also eighth in the country in fewest penalty yards per game (36.0).   
•WSU had a two-game winning streak snapped last week with a 42-21 road setback to Northern State.
•A preview of WSU is located on page 4.

BROADCAST INFO
•Saturday's game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with 10th-year SMSU play-by-play voice Ryan Rohlik.
•Live stats, radio broadcast and video can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

SEVENTH MEETING FOR THE "BATTLE FOR THE SLEDGE"
•Saturday's game will be the seventh annual "Battle for the Sledge", presented by Game One and Adidas. (Game one was formerly known as BIG Athletics.)
•The trophy is a seven-foot tall Sledge Hammer. In addition to the sledge trophy, Game One will also be providing two MVP trophies awarded to a player on each team.
•Here is the history behind the naming of the trophy game, "Battle for the Sledge": During the 2008 season, during warm-ups of the WSU/SMSU game on Oct. 4, a WSU player brought a sledgehammer to mid-field while SMSU players looked on. SMSU went on to earn a 35-28 victory over WSU, snapping the Warriors' seven-game winning streak in the series. Following the game, SMSU players ran over to the WSU sideline and grabbed the sledgehammer, celebrating the victory at midfield. With emotions running high for both teams, a WSU player went over to the SMSU sideline to get its sledgehammer back. SMSU eventually gave the sledgehammer back and a rivalry was born.

SMSU vs. WSU Series Notes
Southwest Minnesota State and Winona State meet for the 52nd time on Saturday with WSU leading 31-20 ... the teams first met on Oct. 10, 1970 ... WSU leads 5-1 since the "Battle for the Sledge" trophy game was started in 2015 ... WSU has won the last five games after SMSU won three straight from 2013-15 ... the series is tied 12-12 in games played in Marshall with WSU winning the previous two games ... WSU won last season, 26-14, in Winona ...  WSU has won 22 of the last 27 meetings since 1994 ... WSU has scored 30 or more points in 17 of the last 20 games ... SMSU won seven straight in the series from 1987-93 ... WSU won 13 of 14 games from 1994 to 2007.
 
The Last Time - SMSU vs. WSU
Winona State built a 13-0 halftime lead and held off a Southwest Minnesota State second half rally to earn a 26-14 victory on Oct. 16, 2021, in Winona, Minn. The Mustangs had numerous chances to cut into the Warriors second half advantage, starting drives at the WSU 38-, 40- and 33-yard lines, but failed to score each time. SMSU also started a drive in the second quarter at the WSU 44-yard line but turned the ball over via fumble one play later. Andrew Haidet completed 23 of 42 pass attempts for 183 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Mustangs, while completing passes to 11 different receivers. Jesse Sherwood rushed for a game-high 97 yards on 11 carries, which included a 67-yard run setting up SMSU's first touchdown of the game. Peter Osman caught a team-high four passes for 22 yards. SMSU cornerback Marshawn Reese registered a team-high eight tackles Owen Burke completed 17 of 31 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. WSU closed the game with 353 yards of offense with 20 first downs, while SMSU finished with 271 yards and 15 first downs.
 
SMSU vs. WSU Series Information
Overall:    WSU leads 31-20
In Marshall:    tied 12-12
In Winona:    WSU leads 19-8
Last SMSU win:    Nov. 14, 2015 (33-28)
Last WSU win:    Oct. 16, 2021 (26-14)
Largest win for SMSU:    33 (47-14, 1991)
Largest win for WSU:    56 (56-0, 1975)
Longest win streak for SMSU:    7 (1987-93)
Longest win streak for WSU:    7 (2001-07)
Current win streak:    WSU, 5
Underwood vs. WSU:    3-3
Bergstrom vs. SMSU:    0-0

OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
•Redshirt freshman quarterback Justus McComb was injured in the first quarter of last week's game at Sioux Falls. Sophomore John Romero came on in relief and completed 11 of 16 passes for 96 yards, while also rushing for a 3-yard touchdown.
•Sophomore running back Donald Austin rushed for a career-high 217 yards, the 10th highest single-game total in team history, on 31 carries with one touchdown in last week's loss at Sioux Falls. It's his second straight game rushing for more than 100 yards.
•Redshirt freshman linebacker Josiah Hedensten racked up a career-high eight tackles, including his first career sack last week.
•Junior defensive back Jordan Ellis had his first career interception and added five tackles in the loss.
•Senior running back Jesse Sherwood, who leads the NSIC in rushing at 176 yards per game and ranks 10th in Division II with 704 rushing yards, has missed the last two games with an injury.
•Sherwood has rushed for more than 140 yards in the last five games he has played in dating back to last season. He is the first SMSU player to reach 100-yards rushing or more in five straight games since Tyler Tonderum in 2016.  
•Senior linebacker Onte Burns, a two-time All-NSIC South honoree, has led the NSIC in tackles the past two seasons (2019 and 2021). Burns, who has started all 39 games of his career, has amassed 186 career solo tackles ranking second in team history. Nate Rudolph (1996-99) holds the school record with 199 solo tackles.
•Burns also ranks fourth in team history in total tackles with 320. The school record is held by Paul Litwicki (1974-75, 78), who amassed 485 tackles. Since 1979, Mike Roggenbuck (1982-85) has recorded the most tackles with 358, followed by Rudolph at 356 and Burns with 320.
•Burns has notched double-digit tackles in four games this season, while ranking second in the NSIC and 17th in Division II with 56 tackles (9.7).
•SMSU ranks 31st in Division II in third-down conversion pct. (44.4) and 22nd in third-down conversion pct. defense (28.8).
•The SMSU defense has forced 11 turnovers in its last five games.
•SMSU's four-game winning streak earlier this season was its longest since starting the 2015 season 4-0. The last time SMSU opened a season 4-1 occurred during the 2016 season.
•Justus McComb is the first SMSU redshirt freshman or true freshman to start at quarterback since Tony Rislov started all 11 games in 2005.
•SMSU has held two opponents (Concordia-St. Paul and Upper Iowa) to less than seven points. The last time SMSU limited two opponents to single-digit points in a single-season came in 2018. The last time SMSU held three opponents to less than 10 points in a season occurred in 2004.

SMSU HEAD COACH SCOTT UNDERWOOD
•Scott Underwood is in his first season as SMSU head coach with a record of 4-2. He was named the program's 11th head coach on Jan. 7, 2022.
•Underwood was the first SMSU head coach in team history (11 head coaches) to begin his SMSU coaching career with a 3-1 record.
•Underwood compiled an overall record of 86-61 in 12 seasons as head coach at St. Cloud State (2008-19).
•SCSU recorded 10 winning seasons with three NCAA playoff appearances during his tenure. SCSU won seven or more games seven times, including a school record 12 victories in 2013.
•SCSU made NCAA playoff appearances in 2010, 2011 and 2013 and won a share of both the NSIC North Division and NSIC overall championship in 2011.
•He was also an assistant coach at SCSU (2001-07), North Dakota (1997-2000), Sioux Falls (1993-96) and Augustana (1988-92).

SMSU LAST TIME OUT
•The No. 17-ranked University of Sioux Falls scored 28 first quarter points and never looked back in earning a 35-14 victory over SMSU last Saturday in Sioux Falls,S.D.
•Quarterback John Romero, in relief of injury starter Justus McComb, completed 11 of 16 passes for 96 yards and one interception.
•SMSU rushed for 207 yards in the game and amassed nearly 280 yards rushing among several ball carriers, but a pair of poor snaps led to nearly minus-70 yards off the team total.
•Donald Austin had a huge game for the Mustangs with a career-high 217 yards rushing and one touchdown on 31 carries.
•Blake Allen added 47 yards rushing on nine carries.
•Nathan Stearns caught a team-high four passes for 26 yards for the Mustangs.
•Josiah Hedensten had eight tackles, including his first career sack to pace the Mustang defense. Onte Burns, Thomas Mergen and Jordan Ellis each had five tackles with Ellis collecting an interception.
 
SMSU / WSU IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
•The following is where SMSU and WSU rank in this week's NCAA statistics.
         (163 teams ranked)     SMSU     WSU
             Scoring Offense    83rd     58th
             Rushing Offense    9th      70th
             Passing Offense    150th     92nd
             Total Offense    68th     90th
             Scoring Defense    57th     51st
             Rushing Defense    114th     23rd
             Pass Defense    38th     139th
             Pass Efficiency Defense    87th     90th
             Total Defense    89th     67th
             Net Punting     138th     113th
             Punt Returns     144th     23rd
             Kickoff Returns     78th     22nd
             Turnover Margin     52nd     24th
             Fewest Penalty Yards/Gm.     8th     41st   
             Time of Possession     42nd     27th
             3rd Down Conversions     31st    132nd
             3rd Down Conv. Defense    22nd     136th

BURNS EARNS NSIC WEEKLY HONOR
•SMSU senior linebacker Onte Burns was honored on Sept. 26 as the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week after leading SMSU to a 27-20 overtime win over Minot State.
•Burns recorded a game-high 11 tackles, with four solo, along with two sacks and a pass break-up in the win.
•It's the first time Burns has earned the award in his career. He is also the first Mustang to receive the NSIC weekly defensive award since the 2017 season.

SHERWOOD TWICE HONORED BY NSIC
•SMSU senior running back Jesse Sherwood has twice been named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week this season. He earned the first honor on Sept. 12 after rushing for 196 yards and one touchdown in a win versus Concordia-St. Paul.
•He earned the award again on Sept. 19 after rushing for a career-high 205 yards and three touchdowns on a career-high 36 carries in a win at UMary. The 205-yard game is the 13th highest single-game total in program history.
•Sherwood is the first SMSU player since Blake Gimbel in 2015 to earn the NSIC weekly award twice in a season.

TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2022
•Four players will serve as team captains for the 2022 season with seniors Onte Burns, Alan Giron, Dylan Lauer, and Jesse Sherwood selected by the Mustang players. It's the third straight season Burns has been named a captain.

THE 2022 SMSU ROSTER
•The SMSU roster (as of Oct. 10) features seven seniors, 10 juniors, 23 sophomores, 23 redshirt freshmen and 16 freshmen.

SMSU IN NSIC SOUTH DIVISION PLAY
•Since the NSIC adapted divisional play prior to the 2008 season, SMSU is 26-62 all-time in South Division games, including 1-1 this season, while finishing in the top half of the division three times in 13 seasons.
•SMSU had its highest finish of second place in 2013 and has placed fourth three times, fifth once, sixth six times, seventh once and eighth once.  

SMSU VERSUS THE NSIC NORTH
•Since 2012, when the NSIC schedule had each team playing four inter-divisional games, SMSU has a record of 22-19 versus NSIC North Division teams, including 3-1 this season. SMSU has one more game (Bemidji State) versus an NSIC North team this season.
•With the departure of St. Cloud State and Minnesota Crookston, SMSU now plays five games versus NSIC North teams the past two seasons.
•SMSU finished 1-4 versus North teams a season ago, finished 2-2 in 2019, went 3-1 in 2018, was 2-2 in 2017, 3-1 in 2016 and was a perfect 4-0 in 2015.

GET IN THE 'ZONE'
•SMSU is 15 of 23 inside the 'red zone' this season with 13 touchdowns and two field goals.
•SMSU opponents are 13 of 17 inside the 'red zone' with nine touchdowns and four field goals.
•The following is SMSU in the 'red zone' since the 2010 season.
    Year    Red-Zone    TD    FG
    2010    22 of 30 (73.3)    22    0
    2011    35 of 41 (85.4)    29    6
    2012    30 of 37 (81.1)    25    5
    2013    49 of 57 (86.0)    40    9
    2014    35 of 43 (81.4)    26    8
    2015    39 of 50 (78.0)    36    3
    2016    38 of 45 (84.4)    37    1
    2017    24 of 37 (64.9)    18    6
    2018    28 of 37 (75.7)    23    5
    2019     22 of 29 (75.9)    19    3
    2021    20 of 29 (69.0)    16    4
    2022    15 of 23 (65.2)    13    2

BIG PLAY MUSTANGS
•SMSU has recorded 30 offensive/defensive plays or kick/punt returns of 20 or more yards in 2022 with 22 coming from the offense (11 run, 11 pass).
•Jesse Sherwood has the longest play from scrimmage this season with a 63-yard touchdown run versus Concordia-St. Paul.
•The longest pass play is a 32-yard connection from Justus McComb to Zeke Robinson versus CSP and a 32-yard pass from McComb to Peter Osman versus Upper Iowa.
•The following are SMSU's 'long plays' since 2010.
'Long' plays (20 yards or more) since 2010
    Year    No.    TD    Run    Pass    KR    PR    IR    FR
    2010    61    14    10    32    18    0    0    1
    2011    60    8    13    22    23    1    1    0
    2012    66    20    18    28    19    1    0    0
    2013    125    30    28    51    41    1    2    2
    2014    71    12    15    27    21    3    5    0
    2015    78    18    13    39    18    5    3    0
    2016    93    21    15    40    33    1    3    1
    2017    68    10    12    28    25    1    1    1
    2018    70    15    8    51    7    2    2    0
    2019    56    12    4    37    12    1    2    0
    2021    42    6    8    18    10    1    2    3
    2022    30    9    11    11    7    0    1    0

TURNOVER MARGIN BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU is 'plus-2' in turnover margin following the first six games of the season.
•SMSU finished the 2021 season 'minus-15' in turnover margin.
•Since the start of the 2004 season (194 games), SMSU has been a 'plus' in turnover margin in just 65 games (three in 2004, two in 2005, one in 2006, two in 2007, three in 2008, three in 2009, two in 2010, three in 2011, seven in 2012, six in 2013, twice in 2014, five times in 2015, five times in 2016, six times in 2017, twice in 2018, six times in 2019, four times in 2021 and three times in 2022).
•The Mustangs have been 'even' or 'minus' in turnover margin in 110 of their last 171 conference games.

MUSTANGS AT HOME
•The 2022 season marks the 14th year that Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center has served as the home for SMSU football.
•SMSU is 31-44 all-time at the stadium, including 3-0 this season.
•New turf was installed at the stadium in the summer of 2022.
•SMSU lost 12 straight home games from late in the 2018 season through 2021. SMSU was winless at home in both 2019 and 2021 (2020 season was canceled).  
•The $16 million facility opened in the fall of 2008 with the first college football game played on Aug. 30 versus Minnesota Crookston.  

MUSTANGS ON THE ROAD
•After recording its last winning road record in a season in 2015 (5-1), SMSU is 9-22 in road games since the 2016 season, including 1-2 this season.

WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 5-8 all-time in overtime games since the NCAA added overtime in 1998, including 1-0 this season after defeating Minot State, 27-20, on Sept. 24.
•SMSU is 1-3 in multi-overtime contests.
•SMSU's previous overtime home win came on Nov. 2, 2015, versus Winona State.
•The program's last multi-overtime game was a 34-31 double overtime loss at Minnesota State on Oct. 13, 2012.

2022 NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish 13th overall and seventh in the South Division in the annual 14-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
•Senior running back Jesse Sherwood and senior linebacker Onte Burns were named 'Players to Watch'.

SMSU VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
•SMSU is 1-26 versus Division II Top 25 teams since the 2008 season following a loss to No. 17 Sioux Falls on Oct. 8.
•SMSU's lone victory versus a ranked team came in the 2016 season opener versus No. 19 Minnesota Duluth (42-38) in Marshall.

MUSTANG HISTORY
•The 2022 season is the 54th year of college football at SMSU dating to 1968.
•SMSU owns an all-time record of 207-344-5, including 145-250-5 in conference play.
•SMSU has recorded 10 winning seasons, two NAIA playoff appearances (1987 and 1991) and one Mineral Water Bowl appearance (2013).
•The program earned its lone conference championship in 1990.

FOR OPENERS
•SMSU is 22-31 all-time in season openers after losing to Minnesota Duluth in the 2022 season-opener. SMSU has lost its last five season lid-lifters.
•SMSU's last season-opening victory came on Sept. 1, 2016, versus No. 19 Minnesota Duluth (42-38) in Marshall.
•SMSU has lost its last four home openers with the last victory coming on Sept. 1, 2016, versus Minnesota Duluth.  SMSU opens the 2022 home season on Saturday, Sept. 10, versus Concordia-St. Paul.

SCOUTING WINONA STATE
•Brian Bergstrom is in his first season after being named head coach in December of 2021. He was an assistant coach at South Dakota State from 2017-21. Bergstrom was also an assistant at Augustana and Gustavus.  
•WSU is coming off a 42-21 road loss to Northern State last Saturday. The Warriors held a 14-7 advantage midway through the second quarter but the Wolves reeled off 35 straight points to pull away for the victory.
•Junior quarterback Trevor Paulsen completed 14 of 23 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown in the loss to NSU and for the season has completed 69 of 124 passes for 784 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for three touchdowns.
•Sophomore running back Ty Gavin rushed for a game-high 59 yards last week and leads the Warriors in rushing at 636 yards with three touchdowns on 96 carries.  
•Senior running back Sam Santiago-Lloyd has amassed 237 yards and three touchdowns on 59 attempts.  
•Sophomore wide receiver Cooper Nelson has caught 18 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown on the season.
•Junior linebacker Clay Schueffner has racked up a NSIC-leading 59 tackles with two interceptions.
•Junior defensive back Mitch Snitker has recorded 37 tackles with 2.5 for loss.
•The Winona State kickoff return team ranks first in the NSIC at 25.8 yards per return.