THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University football program (0-0, 0-0 NSIC South) opens its 54th season on Thursday, Sept. 1, traveling to Duluth, Minn., to face the University of Minnesota Duluth (0-0, 0-0 NSIC North) at Malosky Stadium on the campus of UMD with kickoff slated for 6 p.m.
•Thursday's opener marks a new era for SMSU football as Scott Underwood begins his first season as head coach. Underwood, the 11th head coach in program history, was named to the position on Jan. 7, 2022.
•The Mustangs have 34 returning letter winners, including six starters on offense, three starters on defense and its punter/kicker from the 2021 team that finished 2-9, including 1-5 in the NSIC South Division. This season's roster features nine seniors, eight juniors, 24 sophomores, 23 redshirt freshmen and 16 freshmen.
•Minnesota Duluth, which is receiving votes in the AFCA preseason Top 25 poll, is coming off a 9-3 season in 2021, including 5-1 in the NSIC North. The Bulldogs claimed a share of the NSIC North Division title and advanced to the NCAA playoffs before losing to Angelo State (Texas), 48-14, in the first round.
•A preview on UMD is located on page 4.

BROADCAST INFO
•Thursday'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.

FOR OPENERS
•SMSU is 22-30 all-time in season openers after losing to MSU Moorhead at home in 2021. SMSU has lost its last four 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.

MUSTANG HISTORY
•The 2022 season is the 54th year of college football at SMSU dating to 1968.
•SMSU owns an all-time record of 203-342-5, including 141-248-5 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.

2022 OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
•Senior linebacker Onte Burns, a two-time All-NSIC South honoree, has led the NSIC in tackles the past two seasons (2019 and 2021). He finished with 108 tackles in 2019 and racked up 106 in 2021.
•Burns has amassed 157 career solo tackles ranking seventh in team history. Nate Rudolph (1996-99) holds the school record with 199 solo tackles. Burns also ranks 15th in team history in total tackles with 262.
•SMSU was shutout in its final two games of the 2021 season versus Minnesota State and Augustana. SMSU was held to 21 or less points in nine games a season ago and failed to score 20 points in the final six games.  
•SMSU won both of its games last season on the road defeating Concordia-St. Paul, 34-24, and Upper Iowa, 20-14.

SMSU HEAD COACH SCOTT UNDERWOOD
•Scott Underwood is in his first season as head coach after being named the program's 11th head coach on Jan. 7, 2022.
•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).
•A complete bio on Underwood can be found on page 20.

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.

2022 SMSU SEASON NOTES
•The Mustangs have 34 returning letter winners, including six starters on offense, three starters on defense and its punter/kicker.
•The SMSU offense returns it leading rusher and leading receiver from last season. Senior running back Jesse Sherwood ran for 787 yards and a team-high six touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Zeke Robinson led the team in receptions (24), receiving yards (276) and touchdowns (3).
•SMSU will have a new quarterback in 2022 with redshirt freshman, Justus McComb, and sophomore transfer, Zac Krause, atop the depth chart for week one.
•The SMSU offensive line returns three starters with senior center Khalif Spry, senior right guard Dylan Lauer and junior right tackle Bradley Gould.
•Senior linebacker Onte Burns, a two-time first team All-NSIC South honoree and 2019 third team All-American will lead the SMSU defense. He is a three-year starter and has led the NSIC in tackles the past two seasons with a combined 214 stops.
•Sophomore safety Hunter Bohannon played in every game with eight starts as a true freshman in 2021 and recorded 27 tackles and two interceptions.
•Senior defensive back Alan Giron made three starts a season ago, registering 21 tackles, one sack, and recovered one fumble.
•Sophomore defensive linemen Avery Johnson started seven of 10 games last season, closing with 15 tackles, including 2.5 for loss.  
•Sophomore kicker/punter Carter Dicker returns after recording a 41.4-yard punt average that ranked second in the league a season ago. He also made 18 of 21 PATs and connected on 4 of 5 field goal attempts.

THE 2022 SMSU ROSTER
•The 2022 SMSU roster (as of Aug. 29) features nine seniors, eight juniors, 24 sophomores, 23 redshirt freshmen and 16 freshmen.

MUSTANGS RANK AMONG TOP 60 IN 2021 NCAA STATS
•Senior linebacker Onte Burns ranked third in solo tackles per game (6.9) and 19th in total tackles per game (9.6).
•Sophomore Punter/kicker Carter Dicker averaged 41.4 yards per punt on 43 attempts ranking second in the NSIC and 15th in Division II last season. Dicker had eight punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line and eight punts of 50 or more yards. He was also 4 of 5 on field goals and 18 of 21 on PATs.
•Senior running back Jesse Sherwood, who missed the final two games last season due to injury, ranked 16th in yards per carry (6.3), 39th in rushing yards per game (87) and 62nd in rushing yards (787).

SMSU / UMD IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
•The following is where SMSU and UMD ranked in the final 2021 NCAA statistics.
•A full listing of SMSU in the 2021 NCAA statistics can be found on pages 20-21.
         (163 teams ranked)     SMSU     UMD
             Scoring Offense    145th     42nd
             Rushing Offense    116th      45th
             Passing Offense    127th     76th
             Total Offense    134th     59th
             Scoring Defense    138th     71st
             Rushing Defense    117th     20th
             Pass Defense    142nd     103rd
             Pass Efficiency Defense    154th     78th
             Total Defense    141st     39th
             Net Punting     40th     31st
             Punt Returns     33rd     108th
             Kickoff Returns     146th     62nd
             Turnover Margin     148th     33rd
             Fewest Penalty Yards/Gm.     86th     150th   
             Time of Possession     66th     29th
             3rd Down Conversions     112th     139th
             3rd Down Conv. Defense    127th     25th

SMSU VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
•SMSU is 1-25 versus Division II Top 25 teams since the 2008 season.
•SMSU's lone victory versus a ranked team came in the 2016 season opener versus No. 19 Minnesota Duluth (42-38) in Marshall.

SMSU VERSUS THE NSIC NORTH
•Since 2012, when the NSIC schedule had each team playing four inter-divisional games, SMSU has a record of 19-18 versus NSIC North Division teams, including 1-4 in 2021.
•SMSU finished 2-2 versus NSIC North opponents in 2019, 3-1 in 2018, was a perfect 4-0 in 2015, 3-1 in 2016 and 2-2 in 2017.  

SMSU IN NSIC SOUTH DIVISION PLAY
•Since the NSIC adapted divisional play prior to the 2008 season, SMSU is 25-61 all-time in South Division games, 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. 

GET IN THE 'ZONE'
•SMSU finished the 2021 season 20 for 29 in the 'red zone' with 16 touchdowns and four field goals.
•SMSU opponents closed the 2021 season 41 of 49 in the 'red zone' with 34 touchdowns and seven 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

BIG PLAY MUSTANGS
•SMSU recorded 42 offensive/defensive plays or kick/punt returns of 20 or more yards in 2021 with 24 coming from the offense (8 run, 18 pass).
•For a complete look at the 'long' plays go to page 18.
•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

TURNOVER MARGIN BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU finished the 2021 season 'minus-15' in turnover margin.
•Since the start of the 2004 season (188 games), SMSU has been a 'plus' in turnover margin in just 62 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 and four times in 2021).
•The Mustangs have been 'even' or 'minus' in turnover margin in 107 of their last 165 conference games.

BOHANNON EARNS NSIC AWARD
•Sophomore safety Hunter Bohannon was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week last season on Sept. 27 following his performance in SMSU's 34-24 Week 4 victory at Concordia-St. Paul.
•Bohannon, in his first career start, recorded an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown and also had a pass break-up and registered five tackles, including a half a tackle for loss.
•He was the first SMSU player to earn an NSIC weekly award since Oct. 8, 2018.

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.
•New turf was installed at the stadium in the summer of 2022.
•SMSU is 28-44 all-time at the stadium after finishing 2021 with an 0-5 record. It's the second straight season SMSU was winless at home after closing with an 0-5 record in 2019.
•SMSU has lost 12 straight home games with the last victory coming on Oct. 20, 2018, versus Northern State.  
•SMSU recorded back-to-back home winning seasons in 2015 and 2016 for the first time since having four straight winning seasons from 1989-92.
•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
•SMSU finished 2-3 on the road in 2022 and are 8-20 in road games since the 2016 season.
•SMSU is 22-37 in road games since 2010.

WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 4-8 all-time in overtime games since the NCAA added overtime in 1998.
•SMSU is 1-3 in multi-overtime contests.
•SMSU's last overtime game was a loss at Wayne State (19-13) on Sept. 14, 2019.
•SMSU's last overtime win came on Nov. 2, 2013, (51-44) 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' this season.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA DULUTH
•Curt Wiese is in his 10th season as head coach and has a record of 80-18 with five NCAA playoff appearances. He was head coach at Marietta College from 2006-07 prior to becoming an assistant coach at UMD in 2008.   
•Minnesota Duluth is coming off a 9-3 season in 2021, which included an NCAA playoff appearance.
•Senior quarterback Garrett Olson completed 47 of 81 passes for 692 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Sophomore Logan Graetz completed 62 of 104 passes for 813 yards and nine touchdowns. Both quarterbacks filled in for injured starter, John Larson.    
•Senior running back Wade Sullivan finished second on the team last season with 506 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
•The UMD offensive line is led by sixth-year standout, Brent Laing, who was named to the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl watch list. He is a two-time All-NSIC first team honoree.  
•Senior wide receiver Armani Carmickle caught a team-high 67 passes for 1,315 yards and 11 touchdowns.  
•Senior linebacker Brad Dati was named the 2022 NSIC Defensive Player of the Year. He led the team in tackles with 92 and was named All-NSIC North first team in 2021.