SIOUX FALLS -- The #14 USF Football Team (3-0, 0-0 NSIC South), which ranks in the top 10 nationally in 14 statistical categories, will host #22 Bemidji State (3-0, 0-0 NSIC North) in a matchup of nationally ranked squads on Hall of Fame Saturday at Bob Young Field at  6 p.m. During halftime, USF will recognize its seven new inductees to the USF Athletics Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Class will be inducted on Friday in festivities at the McDonald Center, beginning at 5:30 p.m. In addition, SD Junior Football will perform at the half.

USF to induct six individuals and 2006 national champs in HOF ceremony Friday
    Six individuals with ties to the University of Sioux Falls will be inducted into the USF Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 23-24 during induction ceremonies at the McDonald's Center on campus. In addition, the 2006 national football champions will be inducted. The group of six raises the USF Hall of Fame list to 42. Inductees will include Luther Hippe (1983-87, men's basketball) of Chanhassen, Minn.; Nick Kortan (1999-02, football), Sioux Falls, S.D.; Dawn Morrison-Kloos (1990-1993), Montrose, S.D.; Chuck Morrell (player-1995-97,  coach, 1998-2009), Butte, Mont; Rich Greeno (1991-2004, track and field/cross country), Sioux Falls, S.D.; Lindsey Schneiderman-Smith, (2001-04, Basketball/Volleyball), Claremont, Calif. In addition, USF will recognize the 2006 National Championship Football Team.  The Hall of Fame dinner ceremony will begin with a social at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. and the induction event at 7 p.m. Long-time play-by-play announcer Tom Frederick will serve as master of ceremonies. USF President Mark Benedetto will welcome attendees and inductees. In addition, USF Director of Athletics Josh Snyder will update attendees on USF Athletics and present inductees with their induction gift.  For those attending, induction dinner/game ticket package will be available for $40. Individuals choosing to attend only the game can purchase football game tickets for $15 for general admission and $20 for reserved. Others wishing to attend only the banquet, may purchase a ticket for $25.
 
Game Breakdown -
      This matchup sets up as one of the games to watch in the NSIC and across DII on Saturday. The two nationally rank teams come into the game with 3-0 starts and are among the leaders in statistical categories across the board.

    USF is second in the league in scoring at 44.0 per game while BSU is third at 42.7. While USF leads the league and ranks seventh nationally in total offense at 547.3, the Beavers stand third in the league at 506.0. The Cougars rank fourth nationally and sit first in rushing offense at 371.7 yards per game while BSU is fourth in the NSIC in rushing at 210.0 per game and fourth in passing with 296.0.  On defense, both teams have 11 sacks to rank tied for third. The Cougars lead the NSIC in rushing defense at 93.0 per game and BSU is sixth, allowing 127.0 per game. Both teams have a lot at stake as USF and BSU are among three teams unbeaten and tied for the league lead. Last weekend, USF rolled past Minot State, 41-7, accumulating 328 yards rushing, which is its third straight game of 300 yards rushing or better this season. Meanwhile, BSU defeated Wayne State, 45-17, with 408 yards in total offense. With 453 yards in total offense against Minot State, USF has had 400 yards or more in total offense in 12 straight games.

Cougars move to 37-10 in NSIC games
     USF is 37-10 in NSIC games and 43-15 in all DII games since the transition in 2011. USF's 22 straight winning seasons is unmatched in D2 and the fifth-longest streak across all divisions. The string of success began with an 8-3 season for legendary head coach Bob Young in 1994. In the four seasons in the NSIC, USF has gone 9-2, 6-5, 11-1 (Mineral Water Bowl champs) and 9-3 in 2015.  

Series- USF 3 Bemidji State 1
Series – USF owns a 3-1 edge in the series with Bemidji State, dating back to the first game on Sept. 4, 1982 when the Cougars took a 14-12 decision in Sioux Falls. A year later, the Beavers won, 31-0, on Sept. 3 in Bemidji. In 2012, USF took a 21-5 decision.  The most recent contest was a 52-19 win by USF in Bemidji State in 2014.

Preseason Honors
Senior offensive guard Antonio Green has earned three preseason All-American honors, including first team honors by Lindy's Sports Magazine and second team recognition from Football Gameplan and HERO Sports. Meanwhile Westly Johnson has been named second team All-American by Football Gameplan and HERO Sports while also an NSIC Player to Watch.                  

USF ranks in top 10 nationally in 14 categories, including sitting third in rushing
    USF is ranked in top 10 nationally in 14 statistical categories. Led by its powerful rushing attack, USF ranks seventh in DII in total offense at 547.3 yards per game, including 371.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks third in DII. The Cougars have rushed for 300 yards in three straight games with 344 at. SCSU, 444 vs.. MSU Moorhead at Bob Young Field and 328 at Minot State.
    Junior running back Max Mickey ranks second in NCAA DII in rushing yards per carry at 11.86 and is eighth in rushing with 439 yards. Mickey's average of 146.3 yards per game is also eighth in DII. Of  note, USF has three of the top 10 rushers by per carry average. Aside from Mickey, senior quarterback Luke Papilion is fourth nationally and averaging 10.13 yards per carry (31-314-8 TDs) while senior running back Justin Fulks is 10th at 7.39 per carry (30-237-TD).
    Papilion is in the top-five nationally in four categories. He ranks second in the nation with eight TD runs while ranking third in points responsible for with 78 and fourth in points responsible for per game at 26.0. He is fourth nationally in scoring with 16.0 points per game.
    On defense, Clifford Redmond ranks third in fumbles recovered with two while senior linebacker Nathan Lucs is 10th in forced fumbles with two. In addition, Westly Johnson ranks 20th with 1.17 sacks (3.5) per game. In kicoff returns defense, USF is 15th (16.15) and 15th in kickoff returns (28.0). With five interceptions, USF ranks 10th with five while scoring defense ranks 19th at 16.0. The Cougars rank 14th in scoring offense at 44.0 per game. In team sacks, USF is 18th at 3.67 per game (11). USF's rushing defense ranks 22nd nationally at 93.0 per game.

On Bemidji State
The Beavers opened to 3-0 for the first time since 2011, which was also the last season BSU was ranked in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll. Bemidji State, ranked #24 in the AFCA Poll, finished with 408 total yards in a 45-17 win over Wayne State, the third consecutive game with at least 400 yards gained to open the season. BSU has a 45-17 win at Minnesota State and a 38-24 decision over Upper Iowa in their home season opener. Junior quarterback Jordan Hein has led BSU to 42.7 points per game and the league's #3 offense at 506 yards per game. He has completed 68-of-112 passes for 888 yards and six TDs. Hein is second in the NSIC with 362.0 yards per game. Gena Adams leads the ground game with 30 carries for 252 yards or 8.4 per carry. Hein has 29 carries for 198 yards while Tahi Nomane has scored six rushing TDs. Juwaan Richard leads the receiving corps with 13 receptions for 150 yards and two TDs. Gunner Olszewski leads the defense with 31 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Damon Benham has 24 tackles and two interceptions.

Bemidji State Interim HC Brent Bolte
Brent Bolte is serving as interim head coach for Bemidji State. In his 18th season on the BSU coaching staff, Bolte received a promotion to full-time assistant coach in August 2003. He was named Co-Defensive Coordinator in 2005 before moving into the head job this fall. The team has finished in the top seven nationally in rush defense three times, including leading the country in 2006, and top-20 five times. In the last eight seasons, the Beavers have finished in the top 20 in total defense on four occasions: 2006 (16th), 2009 (14th), 2010 (18th) and 2012 (15th). Bolte spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons as BSU's wide receivers coach. Before joining the BSU staff, Bolte spent 1999 coaching wide receivers and quarterbacks at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Born in Waterloo, Iowa, Bolte started and lettered four years as a linebacker at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. He helped the program capture the 1995 Midwest Athletics Conference championship and the 1996 Southern Division crown. He received All-MAC honors and left as the school's career leader in tackles (since broken). He graduated in 1998 with a double major in psychology and physical education. Bolte and his wife Kim have a son, Caden and daughter, Beth. They reside in Bemidji.
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Numbers to Watch -
Luke Papilion ranks 3rd all-time on NSIC Total Offense Chart
Senior quarterback Luke Papilion already ranks as one of the school's all-time greats. Here is a breakdown of some of the milestones that Papilion has reached or is approaching. He already owns seven school marks.
~With nine 100-yard rushing games, he owns the mark for the most by a  quarterback at USF. This season, Papilion has two 100-yard rushing games in three contests, going for 149 and four TDs in a week two win over St. Cloud State. Then, he added 101 on just seven carries with two TDs in a victory at Minot State. With one more 100-yard game,  he will move into fifth and a tie with Terry Austin, 10, 1992-95 and Ryan Lowmiller, 10, 2006-09.   
~ Needs 462 yards to set USF's all-time total offense record held by Dax Michelena (1997-2001) with 10,410. Papilion has 9, 949 yards in total offense and ranks 2nd all-time at USF.
~ Ranks second on the NSIC all-time chart in total offense with 303.8 yards per game, trailing only  Jeff Loots of Southwest Minnesota State at 343.2.
~ With 2,710 yards, needs 46 yards rushing to go past Dax Michelena (1997-2001, 2,755 yards) to rank as the all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks. He is eighth all-time overall at USF just behind Michelena .  
~ Needs six passing TDs to pass Dax Michelena (72, 1997-2001) for 2nd all-time at USF. Kurtiss Riggs, 1993-96, is the career leader with 85 passing TDs.
~ With 7,239 yards passing, he needs 91 yards to move into second all-time at USF, currently held by USF Hall of Fame quarterback Kurtiss Riggs at 7,329.  The all-time lead is Dax Michelena (1997-2001), 7,665 yards.

Angulo moving up charts
With one reception for 18 yards vs. Minot State,   senior wide-out Josh Angulo (7-99-3 TDs, 2016) has 157 career receptions and 2,214 receiving yards, which both rank fifth all-time at USF. Angulo has three TDs this season and ranks fifth all-time with 24 career TD receptions.

Rose continues to climb receiving charts
Senior H-back Brady Rose had a career day in the win over SCSU on Sept. 1, both catching and throwing a TD.  Rose had seven catches for 163 yards and a 64-yard TD reception. He also threw a 39-yard TD pass to Kyle Groeneweg. Rose, who had five catches for 60 yards against MSUM on Sept. 10 and three catches for  62 yards and a TD, now has team-highs with 15 catches and 285 yards  receiving. He now has 147 career receptions, which places him seventh all-time, just eight from sixth (Trey Erickson, 151, 2004-07). Rose is sixth on the career yardage chart with 1,976 yards. With 24 yards, Rose will reach 2,000 yards and become the sixth receiver in USF history to reach that milestone.  He has 18 receiving TDs, including two this year, as he sits 10th all-time at USF, just one away from Zach Rutten, who had 19 from 1997-2001.

USF's "lightning fast" offense
During 2015, USF's spread offense was a quick-strike offense.  In 2016, USF is continuing that fast break offense. In a week one win over SCSU, USF had six TDs with drives taking three minutes or less. Of that six TDs, five came in two minutes or less and two in under a minute. Against MSUM, five of the six scoring drives were under three minutes, including two in less than 20 seconds. USF added three more scoring drives in three minutes or less against Minot State. This year USF has produced five TDs  in 40 seconds or less. In 14 of the 18 scoring drives, USF has taken less than three minutes.A year ago, USF had 44 TD drives of three minutes or less drive time with 33 in under two minutes and 16 in one minute or less.  In the past two years  years USF has had 99 TD drives in three minutes or less. In the past two seasons, USF has 21 scoring driving in under one minute and 42 in under two minutes of time.

Cougars sit 55-5 all-time at Bob Young Field
Despite a loss at home on Oct. 24, 2015, USF has a home record at Bob Young Field of 54-5 (.915). The Cougars, which has won 10-of-12 home games, including 1-0 in 2016, were victorious the first 32 games at the stadium and have since taken 24-of-29 at the friendly confines of Young Field. Overall, including play at Howard Wood Field (through 2006), the Cougars have won 75 of the past 80 games and 65-of-69 home conference games, including 47 in the GPAC (NAIA) and 19 (19-4) as an NSIC member in NCAA DII.  Since 2000, USF is 93-10 at home.   

By the numbers under Stugart
USF is 54-3 when leading at halftime in the Coach Stugart era.  They are 1-11 when trailing at halftime and 1-2 when tied at halftime. USF is 45-5 when scoring first and when opponents score first, the Cougars stand 14-11.

Scoring streak hits 128 games
Since moving to DII in 2011, the Cougars have scored 2,104 points in 58 games or 36.27 ppg. In 2015, USF averaged 39.33 points per game for third in the league and 24th nationally. It has been 128 games since USF has failed to score, which was a 55-0 loss to Carroll College in the final game of the 2005 season. USF had a DII-best 73 points vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead (Sept. 27) in 2014. The previous high was in 2011 when the Cougars defeated the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 71-0. USF has opened the 2016 season with 132 points or 44.0 per game.

Cougars are 65-0 all-time when scoring 50
When the Cougars reach 50 points, they are 65-0 all-time and 25-0 when scoring over 60 points. They are 7-0 all-time when breaking the 70-point mark. When the Cougars have scored over 40, USF has a 154-1 mark, including 24-1 in DII. When they have scored over 30 points, USF is 227-8. The only time USF has lost when scoring over 40 points was a 45-40 setback to Winona State on Oct. 12, 2013 at Bob Young Field.

Offense lighting it up
With 1,116 points in the past 27 games (start of 2014 season), USF is averaging 41.4. In the past 27 games, the Cougars have scored 151 TDs or 5.6 per game.  USF has averaged more than six yards a play in 15 of the last 20 games.  With 585 yards on 64 plays, against SCSU on Sept. 1, the Cougars averaged 9.1 yards per play, which is its best mark at the NCAA DII level and the best since averaging 11.4 yards per play (638 yards on 56 plays)  in a 66-13 win over Doane College on Sept. 18, 2010.

Max Mickey producing big in the backfield
Junior running back Max Mickey has had a big start in his junior season at USF. The standout from Holden, Mo., ranks second NCAA DII in rushing yards per carry at 11.96 and ranks second in rushing yards per game at 181.5 per game while sitting second in rushing yards with 440 (37 carries). He is part of a backfield and an offense that leads the NSIC and ranks third nationally in rushing yards at 371.5 per game. The Cougars have rushed for 343 yards (SCSU), 444 yards (MSUM) and 328 (Minot State) in back-to-back-to-back games this season. Mickey had 13 carries for 178 yards and a TD in the win over SCSU and then produced 15 carries for 185 yards against MSUM before totaling 77 vs. Minot State on just nine carries. Interestingly he has done it off the bench as senior Justin Fulks has started both games. Fulks (103 vs. SCSU) and Mickey (178) both had 100-yard rushing games against SCSU on the road and then Mickey (185) and Luke Papilion (149) busted out for 100-yard rushing games against MSUM.  Papilion added 101 yards rushing last week vs. Minot State. So, USF, which had just five 100-yard rushing games all last year, already has five through three games this year. Mickey now has 262 carries for 1,458 yards rushing. Mickey, who now has six career 100-yard rushing games, has scored 15 career TDs, including two this year., both against Minot State. His game total of 185 yards against MSUM is the most by a USF back since Nephi Garcia had 225 in the regular season finale of 2014 against Wayne State in a snowstorm.  Senior Justin Fulks, who earned the start in the opener, has two 100-yard rushing games at USF, has 30 carries for 237  yards and a TD. He now has 156 carries for 799 yards and five TDs USF. Fulks, who has been on a playoff team three straight years (twice with Northwest Missouri State, who won a national title his freshman year), is approaching 1,000 career rushing yards with 193 carries for 1,002 yards and six TDs in his time at USF and NMSU.  

Defense off to solid start
The USF defense ranks third in the league in defense scoring at 16.0 per game and second in sacks with 11.  USF has produced 25 tackles for loss, five interceptions, including a pick six, and two fumble recoveries.  Michael Mehling has 25 tackles, 3 TFLs and recorded his first career defensive TD, with a 36-yard interception return for a score vs. Minot State. Josh Butler, who had 104 tackles a year ago, has 22 tackles and an interception. Westley Johnson leads  USF with 3.5 sacks and 5.5 TFLs.