THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (1-0, 0-0 NSIC) opens Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Saturday afternoon at Bemidji State University (0-1, 0-0 NSIC) with kickoff slated for 3 p.m. at Chet Anderson Stadium.
•The game is the first of 10 league games for the Mustangs with four versus North Division team. SMSU will have its first of six South Division contests on Sept. 26 versus Wayne State.  
•SMSU is seeking to snap a 10-game road losing streak at BSU with SMSU's last victory at Chet Anderson Stadium coming on Sept. 27, 1997. BSU has won 19 of last 20 overall meetings since 1998. 
•SMSU opened the season on Aug. 27 snapping an 11-game home losing skid, dating back to 2024, with a 10-7 win versus Valley City State. 
•The SMSU defense, which recorded a pair of interceptions, limited VCSU to 26 yards rushing. It was the first time SMSU held an opponent to less than 50 yards rushing since the final game of the 2009 season. 
•BSU opened its season last Thursday suffering 31-29 non-conference home loss to Michigan Tech. The Beavers, coming off a 4-7 overall, 4-6 NSIC record in 2025, were selected to finish seventh overall and third in the North Division in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll. 
•A preview of BSU is located on page 4. 

BROADCAST INFO
•Saturday's game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with 14th-year SMSU play-by-play voice Ryan Rohlik. 
•Live stats, radio broadcast (free) and video ($) can be found at SMSUmustangs.com.

SMSU HEAD COACH SCOTT UNDERWOOD
•Scott Underwood is in his fifth season as head coach with a record of 8-37. 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 86-52 in 12 seasons as head coach at St. Cloud State (2008-19) and is 94-89 overall in his 17th 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 had seven players on defense and three on offense make their first career collegiate starts in the victory over Valley City State on Aug. 27. 
•Senior Macloud Crowton started at quarterback in the season-opening victory. It was the first time since 2018 that SMSU had the same quarterback start the season opener in back-to-back seasons. Blake Gimbel was the last Mustang to start back-to-back season openers in 2017 and 2018. 
•SMSU held a 'plus-7 minute' time of possession advantage in the win over VCSU, but was just 3 for 15 on third-down conversions and was 2 of 5 in the red-zone.  
•Redshirt freshman Josh Lancifort, making his first career start, rushed for a game-high 67 yards on 19 carries, while also catching four passes for 24 yards. 
•Junior running back Shaun Walrath collected his first career rushing touchdown in the victory. 
•Junior Tryg Auten caught a game-high six passes for 68 yards.
•Junior Aiden Planer and junior Keegan Patterson each recorded their first career interceptions in the win over VCSU.
•Redshirt freshman Hunter Hanegraaf, making his first career, led the SMSU defense with 10 tackles including 2.5 for loss.
•Senior Avery Johnson, who was injured in week one last season and missed the rest of the season, started at defensive end and recorded six tackles with 2.5 for loss. 
•Redshirt freshman Jack Meier tied a career-high with six tackles in the win.

SMSU IN THE 2026 NCAA RANKINGS
•The following is where SMSU and BSU rank in this week's NCAA statistics.
•A full listing of SMSU in the NCAA statistics can be found on pages 16-17. 
             (113 teams ranked)     SMSU    BSU     
             Scoring Offense    95th    50th
             Rushing Offense    67th    47th    
             Passing Offense    36th    51st    
             Total Offense    59th    56th     
             Scoring Defense    7th    66th
             Rushing Defense    4th    64th 
             Pass Defense    79th    48th 
             Pass Efficiency Defense    29th     84th
             Total Defense    31st    49th     
             Net Punting     84th    95th 
             Punt Returns     31st     31st
             Kickoff Returns     101st    12th    
             Turnover Margin     26th     45th
             Fewest Penalty Yards/Gm.     72nd      14th     
             Time of Possession     27th    57th 
             3rd Down Conversions     94th    47th
             3rd Down Conversion Defense    10th    53rd

2026 NSIC PRESEASON POLL
•SMSU was picked to finish 14th overall and seventh in the NSIC South Division in the annual 14-team NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. 
•Mustang senior quarterback Macloud Crowton and senior  defensive lineman Avery Johnson were tabbed a 'Player to Watch' in the NSIC.

TEAM CAPTAINS FOR 2026
•The SMSU football leadership council and team will select four game captains each week for the 2026 season.

THE 2026 SMSU ROSTER
•The SMSU roster (as of Sept. 1) features 113 players with eight seniors, 20 juniors, 19 sophomores, 30 redshirt freshmen and 36 freshmen. 

TURNOVER MARGIN BY THE NUMBERS
•SMSU is 'plus-1' in turnover margin following the week one victory over Valley City State with a pair of interception. 
•SMSU finished 'minus-9' in turnover margin last season.
•The SMSU defense forced a least one turnover in every game last season and forced two or more in six games.

MUSTANGS IN THE 'ZONE'
•SMSU has scored on 2 of 5 trips (40.0) inside the red zone this season with one touchdown and one field goal. •SMSU has three red zone trips end via a missed field goal in week one. 
•SMSU opponents are 0 of 0 (0.0) in the red zone this season 
•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    19 of 25 (76.0)    15    4
    2026    2 of 5 (40.0)    1    1

LONG PLAYS FOR THE MUSTANGS
•SMSU has recorded four offensive/defensive plays or kick/punt returns of 20 or more yards in 2026 with two coming from the offense (0 run, 2 pass).
•Macloud Crowton's 31-yard pass to David Ola-Kazeem versus Valley City State is the longest pass play of the season.
•Josh Lancifort has the longest rush from scrimmage, 13 yards, versus Valley City State. 
•Aiden Planer's 37-yard interception return versus Valley City State is the longest play of the 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    55    5    2    34    19    0    0    0
    2026    4    0    0    2    1    0    1    0

MUSTANGS AT HOME
•The 2026 season is the 18th year that Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center has served as the home for SMSU football. 
•SMSU is 33-62 all-time at the stadium, including 1-0 this season. SMSU's 2026 season opening win over Valley City State snapped an 11-game home losing streak. 
•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 11-39 in road games, including finishing 1-5 last season.
•SMSU's last season with a winning road record occurred in 2015 (5-1). 

SMSU VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
•SMSU is 1-34 all-time versus Division II Top 25 teams, including 0-3 last season after losing at Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 4 at home to Augustana on Oct. 25 and at Minnesota State on Nov. 1. 
•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 now 23-35 all-time in season openers after defeating Valley City State to open the 2026 campaign. 
•SMSU is 2-7 in its last nine home openers defeating VCSU this season and Concordia-St. Paul in 2022. 

MUSTANG HISTORY
•The 2026 season is the 59th year of college football at SMSU and 58th season of competition (2020 was canceled) dating to 1968.
•SMSU owns an all-time record of 211-379-5, including 148-279-5 in conference play. 
•SMSU has recorded 10 winning seasons with two NAIA playoff appearances (1987 and 1991) and one Mineral Water Bowl appearance (2013). SMSU's last winning season came in 2015. 
•The program earned its lone conference championship in 1990.

SCOUTING BEMIDJI STATE
•Brent Bolte, the 2021 NSIC Coach of the Year, is in his 11th season as head coach after taking over the position as interim head coach in 2016. He has a career record of 75-34. The victory total ranks second in team history. Bolte has been on the BSU staff for 26 seasons.
•BSU opened the season at home last Thursday night suffering a 31-29 loss to Michigan Tech. BSU trailed 31-14 heading into the fourth quarter before recording a field goal and two touchdowns in the final 11:38 of the game. 
•BSU finished the game with 374 yards of offense with 157 rushing yards.
•Junior quarterback Connor Carver led the Beavers with 58 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 12 carries.  
•Senior running back Jayden Washington rushed for 33 yards on 10 carries. 
•BSU used three quarterbacks in the game with sophomore Bart McAninch completing five passes in 13 attempts for 150 yards and two touchdowns. 
•Senior wide receiver Zavery Guerra caught three passes for 119 yards including a 57-yard reception from McAninch.
•Sophomore wide receiver Lucas Peterson caught a game-high six passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns. 
•Senior linebacker Ray Iglesias led the defense with nine tackles.