THIS SATURDAY
•The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (1-1, 1-1 NSIC, 0-0 NSIC South) continues Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this Saturday, Sept. 20, hosting the University of Mary (1-2, 1-1 NSIC, 0-0 NSIC North) with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center. 
•SMSU snapped a 12-game losing streak last Saturday earning a 12-7 road victory over the University of Jamestown. It was SMSU's first win since defeating the University of Sioux Falls on Nov. 11, 2023.
•UMary, which opened the season with a non-conference home victory over Midland (Neb.), has lost two straight games, including a last-minute home loss to Augustana last Saturday afternoon. 

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. UMARY Series Notes
Southwest Minnesota State and UMary meet for the 14th time on Saturday with UMary holding an 8-5 advantage in a series that started on Sept. 4, 1999 ... UMary has won the last two meetings, including 15-6 last season in Marshall ... UMary leads 5-2 all-time in games played in Marshall, including holding a 3-2 record at The Schwan Regional Event Center ... the teams have split the previous six games ... UMary won the first three games in the series in 1999, 2006 and 2007.     

The Last Time - SMSU vs. UMARY
The University of Mary used a game-changing defensive touchdown late in the first half, while also adding a safety and two field goals to earn a 15-6 victory over SMSU on Nov. 2, 2024, in Marshall. SMSU was in control of much of the first half, holding a 6-0 lead with just over five minutes left in the first half, before facing fourth-and-one from the UMary 41-yard line. The UMary defense forced a fumble in the backfield and the Marauders' Maleik Bradford scooped up the ball and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown to give UMary a 7-6 lead. SMSU quarterback Wyatt Oak played much of the first half before leaving with an injury. He completed 5 of 10 passes for 42 yards, while rushing for a team-high 40 yards on eight attempts. Kendon Krogman closed the game completing 5 of 9 passes for 53 yards, while adding 29 yards rushing on eight attempts. The SMSU offense closed with 224 yards and 12 first downs and finished 8 of 15 on third-down conversions. UMary closed with 263 yards and 16 first downs with 110 of the yards coming in the fourth quarter. The Marauders were 2 of 9 on third-down conversions. Hedensten led SMSU with 12 tackles including one sack and the forced fumble. Gideon Ervasti collected eight tackles, while Avery Johnson and Thomas Mergen each added four tackles.

SMSU vs. UMARY Series Information
Overall:    UMARY leads 8-5
In Marshall:    UMARY leads 5-2
In Bismarck:    series tied 3-3
Last SMSU win:    Sept. 17, 2022 (31-28)
Last UMARY win:    Nov. 2, 2024 (15-6)
Largest win for SMSU:    30 (54-24, 2018)
Largest win for UMARY:    19 (43-24, 2012)
Longest win streak for SMSU:    2 (2010-11)
Longest win streak for UMARY:    3 (1999-2007)
Current win streak:    UMARY, 2
Underwood vs. UMARY:    13-2
Schillinger  vs. SMSU:    2-0

SMSU HEAD COACH SCOTT UNDERWOOD
•Scott Underwood is in his fourth season as head coach with a record of 7-28. 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 93-79 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). 

SMSU OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
•SMSU held Jamestown scoreless in the first half on Saturday afternoon. It's the first time SMSU has held an opponent scoreless in a half since Oct. 1, 2022, versus Upper Iowa. 
•Parker Knutson has four interceptions this season ranking first in Division II. He has nine career interceptions ranking 10th in team history. 
•Josiah Hedensten ranks 11th in team history with 151 solo tackles and is 16th all-time with 263 total tackles. 
•Tariq Parker rushed for a team-high 85 yards on 23 carries in the win over Jamestown. 
•Jerid Fearing recorded his first career touchdown in last week's victory, catching a 22-yard pass from Macloud Crowton.
•Cam Enright recorded a career-high five tackles last Saturday. 
•Mason Carver finished with a 44.2-yard punt average, including one 67-yard punt on Saturday. He finished with three punts inside the UJ's 10-yard line, booted a 25-yard field goal and made a PAT.
•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 JAMESTOWN
•SMSU snapped a 12-game losing streak with a hard-fought 12-7 victory over the University of Jamestown last Saturday in Jamestown, N.D.
•Parker Knutson led the Mustangs with a pair of interceptions, while punter/kicker Mason Carver had a fabulous game with a field goal, point after attempt and several punts that pinned the Jimmies deep in their own end.
•SMSU forced four turnovers in the game with Knutson's two interceptions, while Gideon Ervasti and Tyler Nebelung each recovered a fumble. 
•Macloud Crowton closed the game completing 10 of 17 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown. He completed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Jerid Fearing to give SMSU a 12-0 advantage late in the third quarter.  
•The SMSU rushing attack was led by Tariq Parker, who amassed a game-high 85 yards on 23 carries, while Zander Wolf added 15 yards on 10 carries. 
•Colin Maher caught a team-high three passes for 50 yards.
•Carver finished the game with a 44.2-yard punt average, including booting a 67-yard kick and finished with three inside the UJ's 10-yard line.
•Ervasti racked up a six tackles with Cam Enright and Knutson each adding five tackles.
•SMSU recorded 11 first downs and finished with 232 yards on offense with 79 on the ground. UJ ended the game with 358 yards of offense with 281 through the air and finished with 18 first downs.

SMSU / UMARY IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
•The following is where SMSU and UMary ranks in the latest NCAA Division statistics. 
             (157 teams ranked)     SMSU     UMARY
             Scoring Offense    152nd     115th
             Rushing Offense    153rd      69th
             Passing Offense    102nd     62nd 
             Total Offense    147th     61st 
             Scoring Defense    97th     94th
             Rushing Defense    39th     70th
             Pass Defense    155th     49th 
             Pass Efficiency Defense    122nd     83rd 
             Total Defense    140th     40th 
             Net Punting     11th     53rd 
             Punt Returns     131st     83rd 
             Kickoff Returns     108th     152nd
             Turnover Margin     33rd     143rd 
             Fewest Penalty Yards/Gm.     40th     126th   
             Time of Possession     129th     18th 
             3rd Down Conversions     126th    54th
             3rd Down Conv. Defense    114th     46th

THE 2025 SMSU ROSTER
•The SMSU roster (as of Sept. 15) features 18 seniors, 16 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 'plus-2' in turnover margin following two games in 2025.
•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 finished 'minus-16' in turnover margin last season and was not 'plus' in turnover margin in any game during the 2024 season. 

LOOKING FOR TIME IN THE 'ZONE'
•SMSU is 2 of 3 (66.7) in the red zone this season with two field goals. SMSU has one red zone trip stopped with an interception. 
•SMSU finished 7 of 14 (50.0) in the red zone last season with five touchdowns and two field goals. SMSU failed to score seven times in the red zone registering two interceptions, three fumbles, a missed field goal and a turnover on downs. 
•SMSU opponents are 5 of 8 in the red zone this season with four touchdowns and one field goal. The SMSU defense has stopped three red zone drives with an interception, a fumble and missed field goal. 
•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    2 of 3 (66.7)    0    2

LONG PLAYS FOR THE MUSTANGS
•SMSU has recorded nine offensive/defensive plays or kick/punt returns of 20 or more yards this season with five coming from the offense (0 run, 5 pass).
•Macloud Crowton's 40-yard pass to Colin Maher at Jamestown is the longest pass play of the season.
•Drew Kluender's 13-yard run versus MSU Moorhead and Tariq Parker's 13-yard at Jamestown are the longest rushes from scrimmage. 
•Tryg Auten's 30-yard return versus MSU Moorhead 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    9    1    0    5    4    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. 
•Knutson's five interceptions is the most by a Mustang player since the 2010 season and ties for the fifth highest in program single-season history.
•In the final 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 32-58 all-time at the stadium, including 0-1 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 11-34 in road games, including 1-0 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 1-31 all-time versus Division II Top 25 teams, including 0-1 last season after losing at Bemidji State. 
•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 210-370-5, including 148-271-5 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 UMARY
•Shann Schillinger is in his third season as head coach at UMary with a record of 5-20 . He played four seasons in the NFL (2010-13) with Atlanta and Tennessee. He was an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska and the University of Montana. 
•UMary, 1-2 overall, is coming off a 21-20 home loss to Augustana last Saturday with the Vikings scoring the game-winning touchdown with 17 second remaining. Augustana scored two touchdowns in the final 4:32 of the game to rally for the victory. 
•Behind running back redshirt freshman Xavier Brackenridge and freshman quarterback Hudsen Sheldon, along with the passing of Sheldon and Quin Hafner, the Marauders created 408 yards of offense and 22 first downs against a Vikings defense that was holding teams to under 300 yards per game.
•Brackenridge closed with 133 yards rushing. 
•Sheldon ran for 108 yards and a touchdown and also completed 7-of-11 passes for 100 yards. Hafner completed 5-of-8 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.
•The Marauders defense held Augustana to 23 yards on the ground and to 274 yards total, while recording five sacks.
•Jack Henninger booted a pair of field goals in the win.
•Luke Bodine has caught a team-high 18 passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Marauders in three games.  
•Christopher Federico has amassed a team-high 21 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss to pace the UMary defense.  
•The Marauders have played four different quarterbacks in three games.