THIS SATURDAY
•The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (1-6, 1-5 NSIC, 0-2 NSIC South) returns home and to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action taking on No. 5/10 ranked and undefeated Augustana University (7-0, 6-0 NSIC, 3-0 NSIC South) at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. •SMSU is coming off a 55-23 non-conference road loss to Northern State last Saturday in Aberdeen, S.D. The Mustangs have lost five straight and are searching for their first home victory since defeating Sioux Falls in the final game of the 2023 season. SMSU has lost nine straight home games.  
•SMSU ranks sixth in Division II in fewest yards per game (36.4) and 83rd in passing yards (204.4).  
•AU, ranked No. 5 in this week's AFCA Top 25 and No. 10 in the D2Football.com Top 25 poll, had an open week last Saturday and last played on Oct. 11 earning a 50-10 home win over Concordia-St. Paul. This will be AU's first game played outside the city of Sioux Falls since playing at Bemidji State on Sept. 20.
•The Vikings rank 10th in Division II in third down conversion percentage (50.6) and 17th in passing offense (284.3)

BROADCAST INFO
•Saturday's game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with 13th-year SMSU play-by-play voice Ryan Rohlik. 
•Live stats, radio broadcast and video can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

SMSU vs. AU Series Notes
Southwest Minnesota State and Augustana meet for the 28th time with Augustana holding a 24-3 advantage in a series that started on Sept. 8, 1990 ... the teams did not meet during the 2024 season ... Augustana has won nine straight and 24 of the last 25 since 1995 ... SMSU's win in 2013 snapped a 15-game losing streak in the series ... SMSU won the first two games of the series in 1990 and 1991 ... Augustana is 12-1 all-time in Marshall with SMSU's lone win in 1990 ... SMSU has been held to six total points in the last three games and has been held to nine or less points in 13 of the 27 games, while Augustana has scored at least 25 points in 24 of the 27 meetings.     
  
The Last Time - SMSU vs. AU
Augustana used a pair of big passing plays in the second half to help pull away and earn a 38-6 victory over SMSU in Sioux Falls on Oct. 7, 2023. The Vikings held a 17-6 advantage in the opening five minutes of the third quarter and faced a drive starting from their own 2-yard. Following a 31-yard run by Jarrod Epperson, the Vikings' Casey Bauman connected on a 67-yard touchdown pass to Jack Fisher to push the lead to 24-6. In the fourth quarter, Bauman connected on a 77-yard reception to Jack Fisher down to the SMSU 8-yard line before Jalani Jefferson forced a fumble on the play, but AU's Isaiah Huber picked up the loose ball at the 5-yard line and sprinted into the end zone for a touchdown. The Vikings finished the game with 465 yards of offense and 20 first downs and while converting 3 for 9 on third-down conversion attempts. The Mustangs closed the day with 221 yards of total offense and collected 13 first downs. Donald Austin rushed for a team-high 72 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Marcus Martin threw for 145 yards while completing 16 of 25 pass attempts for the Mustangs. SMSU ended the game 4 of 14 on third-down and was 1 for 2 on fourth-down conversions. 

SMSU vs. AU Series Information
Overall:    AU leads 24-3
In Marshall:    AU leads 12-1
In Sioux Falls:    AU leads 12-2
Last SMSU win:    Nov. 16, 2013 (34-24)
Last AU win:    Oct. 7, 2023 (38-6)
Largest win for SMSU:    18 (28-10, 1991)
Largest win for AU:    70 (70-0, 2001)
Longest win streak for AU:    2 (1990-91)
Longest win streak for AU:    15 (1995-2011)
Current win streak:    AU, 9
Underwood vs. AU:    2-7
Olszewski vs. SMSU:    9-1

SMSU HEAD COACH SCOTT UNDERWOOD
•Scott Underwood is in his fourth season as head coach with a record of 7-33. 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 4-1 record. SMSU's four victories in 2022 was its highest victory total since 2018. 
•Underwood compiled a record of 86-51 in 12 seasons as head coach at St. Cloud State (2008-19) and is now 93-84 overall in his 16th season as a head coach. 
•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 19. 

SMSU OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
•SMSU closed last week's game at Northern State with 28 first downs and a season-high 168 yards rushing. The first down total was its highest since finishing with 27 versus UMary on Sept. 17, 2022. 
•Tryg Auten caught a career-high seven passes for a career-high 92 yards and two touchdowns last week at NSU.
•Ryan Kronbach scored his first career touchdown, a 2-yard run, in last week's setback at NSU. 
•SaMaury Alexander notched his first career interception last week at NSU. 
•True freshman kicker Landon Hubbard played in his first career game and was a perfect 2 for 2 on PATs. 
•Parker Knutson has six interceptions this season ranking first (0.86) in Division II, while ranking third in passes defended (1.57). He has 11 career interceptions ranking tied for fifth in team history. Carl Douglas (1988-90) and Blaine Schnaible (1986-88) hold the school record with 13 career interceptions. 
•Josiah Hedensten ranks third in team history with 183 solo tackles and sixth all-time with 307 total tackles. He needs eight tackles to tie Dan Lee (1978-81) for fifth all-time with 315 tackles. In this week's NCAA statistics, •Hedensten ranks 15th in Division II in solo tackles (5.5), 72nd in total tackles (7.9), while ranking and 10th in the NSIC in total tackles (7.0). He recorded a career-high 16 tackles with two for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass break-up two weeks ago versus Sioux Falls. He added 13 tackles with 11 solo stops at Northern State last Saturday. 
•Gideon Ervasti ranks tied for fifth in the NSIC in total tackles (7.7). 
•Colin Maher ranks 77th nationally in receptions per game (4.2) and 86th in receiving yards per game (60.4). He ranks eighth in the NSIC in receiving yards per game (66.5). Maher recorded his second 100-yard receiving game of the season two weeks ago versus Sioux Falls finishing with a career-high 124 yards on six receptions. Earlier this season he became the first SMSU player to reach 100 yards receiving in a single-game since the 2022 season. 
•Mason Carver ranks 66th nationally in punting with a 38.1-yard average.  
•Jacob Honstetter's 75-yard touchdown rush at Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 4 was SMSU's first 75-yard-plus run since Max Simmons scored on a 75-yard touchdown run during the 2018 season.  
•SMSU started a new quarterback in week one for the seventh straight season. Blake Gimbel was the last Mustang to start back-to-back season openers in 2017 and 2018. Steven Nava started week one in 2019, with Andrew Haidet in 2021, followed by Justus McComb in 2022, Marcus Martin in 2023 and Wyatt Oak in 2024. 

RECAPPING NORTHERN STATE
•Northern State scored on five straight possessions in the first half while also adding a blocked punt for a touchdown to build a 41-16 halftime advantage and go on to earn a 55-23 victory over SMSU last Saturday in Aberdeen, S.D.
•SMSU finished the game with a season-high 28 first downs and rushed for a season-high 162 yards, while closing with 362 yards of offense.
•SMSU senior linebacker Josiah Hedensten racked up a game-high 13 tackles and in the process became the eighth Mustang to reach 300 in a career. He has amassed 307 in 40 career games ranking sixth in team history.
•Macloud Crowton completed 19 of 37 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times. He also rushed for 41 yards. 
•Tryg Auten was his top target with a career-high seven receptions for a career-high 92 yards and two touchdowns.
•Jacob Honstetter rushed for a team-high 67 yards for the Mustangs, while Tariq Parker added 43 yards on the ground.

SMSU / AU IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
•The following is where SMSU and AU ranks in the latest NCAA Division statistics. 
             (157 teams ranked)     SMSU     AU
             Scoring Offense    146th     26th
             Rushing Offense    157th      75th
             Passing Offense    83rd     17th 
             Total Offense    150th     29th 
             Scoring Defense    150th     28th
             Rushing Defense    106th     102nd
             Pass Defense    155th     48th 
             Pass Efficiency Defense    153rd     33rd 
             Total Defense    154th     74th 
             Net Punting     95th     39th 
             Punt Returns     152nd     116th 
             Kickoff Returns     114th     39th
             Turnover Margin     140th     20th 
             Fewest Penalty Yards/Gm.     6th     82nd   
             Time of Possession     134th     88th 
             3rd Down Conversions     155th    10th
             3rd Down Conv. Defense    149th     33rd

THE 2025 SMSU ROSTER
•The SMSU roster (as of Oct. 21) features 18 seniors, 15 juniors, 20 sophomores, 25 redshirt freshmen and 32 freshmen. 

TEAM CAPTAINS FOR 2025
•The SMSU football leadership council and team members will select four game captains each week for the 2025 season.

TURNOVER MARGIN BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU is 'minus-7' in turnover margin through seven games.
•SMSU was 'plus-4' in the win at Jamestown on Sept. 13. It was the first time SMSU was 'plus' in turnover margin since the final game of the 2023 season when the team finished 'plus-4' in a victory over Sioux Falls.
•SMSU is 'minus' in four of its five losses this season. 
•SMSU finished 'minus-16' in turnover margin last season and was not 'plus' in turnover margin in any game.  

LOOKING FOR TIME IN THE 'ZONE'
•SMSU is 11 of 14 (78.5) in the red zone this season with eight touchdowns and three field goals. SMSU has three red zone trips stopped with an interception, a fumble and end of half. 
•SMSU opponents are 21 of 27 (77.7) in the red zone this season with 20 touchdowns and one field goal. The SMSU defense has stopped six red zone drives with an interception, two fumbles, two missed field goals and downs. 
•SMSU opponents finished last season 40 of 48 in the red zone with 29 touchdowns and 11 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    20 of 33 (60.6)    17    3
    2023    17 of 30 (56.6)    14    3
    2024    7 of 14 (50.0)    5    2
    2025    11 of 14 (78.5)    8    3

LONG PLAYS FOR THE MUSTANGS
•SMSU has recorded 36 offensive/defensive plays or kick/punt returns of 20 or more yards this season with 20 coming from the offense (2 run, 18 pass).
•Macloud Crowton's 42-yard pass to Colin Maher versus UMary is the longest pass play of the season.
•Jacob Honstetter's 75-yard touchdown run at Minnesota Duluth is the longest rush from scrimmage. 
•Tryg Auten's 37-yard return at Northern State is the team's longest kick return this season. 
•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    51    14    14    23    13    0    1    0
    2023    50    9    8    29    11    1    1    0
    2024    48    6    7    15    18    1    6    1
    2025    36    4    2    18    16    0    0    0

ALL-NSIC HONOREES RETURN IN 2025
•SMSU had a pair of players earn All-NSIC honors in 2024 and both return this fall. 
•Sophomore safety Parker Knutson was named All-NSIC first team in 2024. Knutson started all 11 games and finished the season with a team-high five interceptions, a team-leading 13 pass break-ups and recovered one fumble. He ranked fifth on the squad with 39 tackles including 2.5 for loss. 
•In the final 2024 NSIC statistics (10 league games only), Knutson led the NSIC in passes defended (15) and tied for first in interceptions (5). 
•Senior linebacker Josiah Hedensten earned All-NSIC second team honors for the second straight season. He started all 11 games and led the team in tackles for the second straight season with 83, while ranking first in tackles for loss (10) and finishing second in sacks (3).
•In the final NSIC statistics, Hedensten ranked fifth in total tackles (76) and tied for sixth in tackles for loss (9.5).

MUSTANGS AT HOME
•The 2025 season marks the 17th year that Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center has served as the home for SMSU football. 
•SMSU is 32-60 all-time at the stadium, including 0-3 this season. SMSU finished 0-6 last season. 
•New turf was installed at the stadium in the summer of 2022. 
•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
•Since the 2016 season, SMSU is 11-37 in road games, including 1-3 this season.
•SMSU's last season with a winning road record occurred in 2015 (5-1). 

2025 NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish 13th overall and seventh in the NSIC South Division in the annual 14-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. 
•Senior offensive tackle Tyler Nebelung and sophomore safety Parker Knutson were tabbed a 'Player to Watch' in the NSIC for the Mustangs.

SMSU VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
•SMSU is 1-32 all-time versus Division II Top 25 teams, including 0-1 this season after losing at Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 4. 
•SMSU's lone victory versus a ranked team came in the 2016 season opener versus No. 19 Minnesota Duluth (42-38) in Marshall.

WORKING OVERTIME
•SMSU is 5-8 all-time in overtime games since the NCAA added overtime in 1998.
•SMSU's last overtime game occurred on Sept. 24, 2022, with a 27-20 home victory over Minot State.
•SMSU is 1-3 in multi-overtime contests. 
•The program's last multi-overtime game was a 34-31 double overtime loss at Minnesota State on Oct. 13, 2012.

SEASON & HOME OPENER INFORMATION
•SMSU is 22-35 all-time in season openers after losing at home to MSU Moorhead this season. 
•SMSU is now 1-7 in its last eight home openers with the lone victory coming over Concordia-St. Paul in 2022. 

MUSTANG HISTORY
•The 2025 season is the 58th year of college football at SMSU and 57th season of competition (2020 was canceled) dating to 1968.
•SMSU owns an all-time record of 210-375-5, including 148-275-5 in conference play. 
•SMSU has recorded 10 winning seasons with two NAIA playoff appearances (1987 and 1991) and one Mineral Water Bowl appearance (2013). 
•The program earned its lone conference championship in 1990.

SCOUTING AUGUSTANA
•Jerry Olszewski is in his 12th season as head coach and has a record of 89-45. He has a career record of 121-63 in 17 seasons as a head coach after spending five seasons as head coach at St. Olaf College.
•The Vikings are 7-0 overall, 6-0 NSIC, following a 50-10 win over Concordia-St. Paul on Oct. 11.
•Freshman quarterback Rich Lucero Jr. has started the past two games and has completed 38 of 56 passes for 487 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He replaced starting quarterback Gunnar Hensley, who was injured on Sept. 27.  
•Redshirt freshman running back Breylon Blount has rushed for 277 yards and one touchdown, while sophomore running back Ryan Kenny has added 235 yards and five touchdowns.
•Senior wide receiver Isaiah Huber leads the Vikings with 41 receptions for 525 yards and three touchdowns. 
•The Vikings defense is paced by senior safety Logan Leonard's team-leading 42 tackles with two interceptions and seven pass break-ups.