The Game
No. 17 Sioux Falls (8-1) travels to Mankato, Minn. Saturday to face unbeaten No.6 Minnesota State Mankato at Blakeslee Stadium. Following a 75-year hiatus, the third matchup ever between USF and No. 6 MSU in football will likely determine both the 2012 NSIC South Champion, and play a significant role in the NCAA Regional Rankings. The series is tied 1-1 all-time, with the Cougars claiming a 7-6 victory in their last meeting held in Mankato October 20, 1937.
For a full version of this week's notes, Minnesota State's notes or the NSIC weekly release, please see the related links box.
The Broadcast
Live Stream: Minnesota State will provide a free live stream of Saturday's NSIC South matchup at http://nmtvsports.com
Radio: KWSN (AM 1230) will air Saturday's game. Player interviews and the Jed Stugart pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Tom Frederick and Tim Hiatt will team up to call the play-by-play.
Links to live audio, stats and video stream can be found online on the football schedule here
First and 10
• MSU and USF rank No. 2 and No. 9 in the latest Super Region 3 poll.
• USF has scored on its first possession in four straight games, and has yet to allow an opening drive TD.
• USF is 1-1 in road contests versus teams with winning records this season (St. Cloud State, Winona State)
• After recording only three rushing TDs through first seven games, the Cougars own five rushing scores in their last two outings.
• The Mavericks 213 rushing average is complimented by 176 passing yards per game.
• Coming off a career-high 162 yards and 1 TD performance, Jeremiah Oates is now the conference's outright leader with 12 receiving TDs.
• The Cougars enjoyed their third consecutive week in the AFCA DII Poll, earning their highest ranking this season 17th overall, yet dropped from No. 8 to ninth in this week's regional rankings.
• USF and MSU represent the 13th and 15th-most penalized teams in the 16-team conference.
• The Cougars have forced 3 or more turnovers 19 times under third-year head coach Jed Stugart
• USF has blocked one or more kicks in five times this season. With four blocks in their last two outings, the Cougars have seven blocks on the year.
Career Milestones (see pg. 13-15 for complete season/career totals)
Braden Wieking (49) is USF's career-leader in FGs made and is third in scoring (380) all-time, four points shy of Dvoracek (384) in second... Kristian Porter (2052 yds.) ranks 8th on all-time rushing list and will appear in his 50th career-game Saturday... Taylor Perkins (3030) moved up to 10th all-time in passing yards... Oates (72) is three catches short of the 75 career-reception mark
