SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (4-2, 4-2 NSIC South) will host No. 23 Minnesota Duluth (5-1, 4-0 NSIC North) in a critical North-South match up at 1 pm, Saturday, Oct. 19  at Bob Young Field. The game will be broadcast on Midco Sports with David Brown as play-by-play announcer and former USF Athletics Hall of Fame quarterback and Sioux Falls Storm head coach Kurtiss Riggs handling analyst duties. Fans can also tune into the radio broadcast on KWSN with veteran announcer Tom Frederick and analyst Tim Hiatt with sideline reporter Chad Birger. Live video and stats will be available at USFCougars.com.
 
USF has opened the season at 4-2 with a 2-1 record at Bob Young Field. Entering play today USF has a 71-10 record at Bob Young Field since beginning play at the stadium, which is named for USF's career wins leader Bob Young, in 2007.

How game sets up 
 
The Cougars, which will be led by head coach Jon Anderson (20-9) enter the game with a two-game winning streak after a 52-14 win over Minnesota Crookston when senior quarterback Caden Walters set a career-high with 334 yards in total offense and accounted for five TDs while playing just one half of the game, which was played at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D. With the win over UMC, Anderson recorded his 20th career win at USF. Anderson is tied with Richard Sterup (1962-68) for the fifth most coaching wins with 20. USF is tied for second in the NSIC South while UMD leads the NSIC North.
 
UMD has a 5-1 record and lead the NSIC North with a 4-1 mark. The Bulldogs are ranked 23rd in the AFCA Coaches Poll and enter play fresh off a 21-7 win over Wayne State on homecoming at UMD. An interesting tidbit about this USF-UMD matchup. USF Head Coach Jon Anderson recorded his first win at USF with a 26-7 win over nationally ranked UMD in 2017. In 2013, UMD Head Coach Curt Wiese recorded his first win at UMD with a 32-7 win over USF.

Walters named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week - ranks 17th in DII in total offense 
USF quarterback Caden Walters, a senior from Dodge City, Kan., was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday, Oct. 14. Against UMC, Walters, who ranks 17th in NCAA DII in total offense and leads the NSIC at 277.5 yards per game, completed 16-of-18 passes for 277 yards and three TDs while rushing six times for 57 yards and two more TDs. Walters leads the NSIC in eight statistical categories including passing (231.8 ypg),  completion percentage (65 percent) and yards (1,391). A Dodge City, Kan., senior, Walters completed 16-of-18 passes for 277 yards and three TDs while adding six carries for 57 yards and two TDs as he totaled a career-high 334 yards in total offense. Walters directed an offense that accumulated 547 yards in total yards on 71 plays in rolling up a season-high in points.

Walters leads the NSIC in eight offensive categories including 231.8 passing yards per game, completion percentage at 64.7, passing yardage with 1,391 yards, total offense (277.5 ypg), most completions with 97, passing efficiency at 159.7 and is tied with two others with two interceptions. He has accounted for 15 TDs this season which ranks 30th in DII. With a 9.27 yards per pass attempt mark, he is ninth in DII while ranking 15th in completion percentage.

One of the league's top dual-threat signal callers, Walters has 53 carries for 274 yards (5.2 avg.) with six TDs this season. He has 103 carries for 419 yards and eight TDs in his career.  As for his career passing numbers, he is now 243-of-374 for 64.97 percent for 3,358 yards with 23 TDs and nine interceptions in his career. He ranks 11th in school history in passing yards and sits 13th in total offense with 3843 yards (527 plays, 7.3 yards per play – fourth all-time). He is just  106 yards behind Jon Eastman for 10th on the USF passing chart. Eastman threw for 3,465 yards in one season (2010) for USF. He helped lead the Cougars to the NAIA title game in 2010 when he completed 254-of-390 passes and threw for 45 TDs.
 
USF defense ranks leads the NSIC and is second in total defense in DII
Coordinated by third-year coach Nick Benedetto, USF's defense is one of the top units in NCAA DII. The Cougars rank second in total defense as they allowed just 217.7 yards per game. USF is ninth in DII and third in the NSIC in rushing defense with 75.5 yards per game (2.4 yards per carry) and ranked first in the NSIC and 12th in DII in passing yards allowed at 142.2 ypg. USF has recorded 241 yards in losses in the rushing game and have given up just five TDs. Additionally, USF ranks 10th in the nation in interceptions with 10 and sit fifth in DII (1st in the NSIC) in team passing defense efficiency at 84.22. The Cougars ability to get off the field has proven important as they have limited opponents to a 28 percent success rate on third downs (24-of-86).  As for the USF offense, the Cougars rank second in the NSIC and 34th nationally in rushing offense at 203.2 yards per game. The Cougars have a league's top scoring outfit at 34.3 points per game and rank first in the NSIC and 23rd in DII in passing efficiency. Also, USF, which has the nation's 9th best time of possession  at 33:36, ranks second in the NSIC and 27th nationally in total offense at 444.8 yards per game. Coordinator Jim Chapin's offense is also second in the NSIC at 241.7 yards per game as Walters lead the NSIC in passing and total offense individually.
 
USF leads UMD, 2-1, in series
The Cougars lead UMD, 2-1, including a 26-7 win at Duluth, Minn. , in 2017.
 
USF 26 UMD 7, Sept. 1, 2017, James Malosky Stadium
Led by a shutdown defense and a 100-yard rushing game by All-American Max Mickey (37-114-TD), the then #17 USF squad ended #8/10 Minnesota Duluth's 22-game home winning streak with a 26-7 road win. Led by senior linebacker Dennis Gardeck, USF limited UMD to 213 yards in total offense, including shutting down their rushing attack. In net rushing yards, the Cougars set a DII program defensive mark by holding UMD to a -19 yards on 30 attempts. It is the least amount of net rushing yards by a USF defense since the 2008 USF team held Northwestern (Iowa) to -22 yards (Nov. 1, 2008) when the Cougars won an NAIA national title. The Cougars defense set several DII program records, including sacks with eight and tackles for loss with 14. Plus, they forced UMD into four turnovers. Gardeck, who is now in his second year with the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL< led="" the="" way="" with="" 10="" tackles,="" including="" seven="" solo="" stops,="" five="" tfls,="" and="" a="" career-best="" five="" sacks="" with="" a="" forced="" fumble="" and="" fumble="">
 
USF 35 UMD 31, Sept. 19, 2015, Bob Young Field
Last time they met at USF, the Cougars took a 35-31 win in 2015. With #7/7 Minnesota-Duluth knocking at the door late, the #6/12 USF defense stepped up as cornerback Clifford Redmond knocked away a fourth-down pass in the end zone to preserve a 35-31 win at Bob Young Field before 2,453 in attendance. The win was USF's first-ever over a top-10 ranked program in the DII era (since 2011).
Redmond, who stepped in for all-league and honorable mention All-American cornerback John Tidwell, had five tackles, TFL and two pass breakups to lead a defense that allowed 432 yards but made the play late to help USF to a second straight 3-0 start to the season. Indeed. On the ensuing USF drive, quarterback Luke Papilion connected with Brady Rose, who wrestled the ball away from two UMD defenders for a 17-yard gain and conversion of a crucial third down. Then facing a 3rd and five with the clocking winding under two minutes, junior wide out Josh Angulo grabbed a nine-yard pass for a first down at the 40-yard line. After that play and UMD out of time outs, the Cougars went to victory formation and celebrated a key NSIC victory. While the USF offense was slowed a bit in the second half, they still rolled up 464 yards on just 58 plays for a season-best eight yards per play. In the first half, the Cougars churned out 347 yards as they took a 35-14 lead over the Bulldogs. Quarterback Luke Papilion, completed 15-of-28 passes for 218 yards and added seven carries for 125 yards and two TDs, including a career-best 56-yard TD. Running back Max Mickey totaled 124 yards on 21 carries with two TDs. The Cougars' receiving corps were led by Angulo with five catches for 53 yards while Mickey had five catches for 19 yards and Rose had three for 83 yards with senior Garrett Shutt grabbing two receptions for 63 yards. As for UMD, they finished with 84 plays for 432 yards, led by Logan Lauters with 33 carries for 114 yards and a TD. Quarterback Drew Bauer completed 13-of-27 passes for 198 yards and a TD. He also rushed for 30 yards and a TD. In some ways, this was a game of two-halves as the Cougars jumped to the 21-point halftime lead (35-14) against the Bulldogs, who had a 17-0 edge in the second half.
 
UMD 32 USF7,  Sept. 7, 2013, James Malosky Stadium
UMD won, 32-7, in 2013 at UMD. Austin Sikorski rushed for 104 yards and the Bulldogs scored after two of USF's three first half turnovers in a 32-7 win before a home crowd of 5,317 at James S. Malosky Stadium in Duluth, Minn. The victory was the first UMD head coach Curt Weise and extended the Bulldogs' NSIC home win streak to 41 in a row. UMD also outgained its guest 381-144 in total yards and held the Cougars to just 11 net yards total on the ground. UMD opened the scoring after Sikorski capped a six-play, 65-yard drive with a 19-yard score at the 12:05 mark of the first quarter. The Cougars fumbled on their first possession and dodged a bullet with a solid defensive stand. They were marching after the ensuing punt but Papilion was picked off at the UMD 39-yard line and the Bulldogs booted a 40-yard field goal to take a 10-0 lead. USF fumbled on the first play of the their next drive, giving UMD the ball on the Cougars' 46-yard line, paving the way for a UMD 29-yard field goal. Freshman quarterback Drew Bauer dashed in from 15 yards out with 4:53 left in the second half to give UMD a 19-0 lead at the break after a failed two-point conversion. USF went three-and-out on its first possession of the second half, and a short punt put the Bulldogs at the Cougars' 33 to start their next drive. This time, UMD called five straight running plays and Sikorski scored from two yards out to give the home team a 25-0 advantage. Papilion was 6-for-7 for 40 yards on USF's next possession and got additional help from 35 yards in Bulldog penalties. He put the Cougars on the board with a one-yard lurch to make it a 25-7 game with 7:56 left in the third quarter. UMD assembled an 82-yard drive immediately thereafter, eating up more than six minutes. Backup quarterback Eric Kline hit Zach Zweifel over the middle with an 18-yard touchdown pass and the Bulldogs led 32-7 after three quarters. The Cougars held UMD to just 28 yards in the fourth quarter and looked to score when Broughan Jantz recovered a Bulldog fumble with 5:43 left. But a pair of sacks hurt the drive — and the Cougars' chance was ended by an incompletion on 4th and 13. UMD mishandled the ball again with 41 seconds left but the Cougars simply ran out of time. Papilion finished 13-for-27, netting 108 yards with one interception in his collegiate debut. Young was 3-for-4 for 25 yards throwing the ball. Cougar QBs were sacked five times.
 
Johnson leads USF in catches and yards while Collier is making impact 
In the receiving corps, USF has two of the top six pass catchers in the league. In his first year at USF, junior Karnell Collier has accumulated 25 catches for 395 yards or 15.8 per catch and 65.8 yards per game, which ranks him sixth in the NSIC. He had his first career 100-yard receiving game in the win over Winona State with seven catches for 108 yards. Against SMSU, he had one catch for a career-best 91 yards. He set his career-high catch total with eight receptions for 89 yards against Augustana. Senior Nate Johnson has had a big run of catches and yardage over the past three weeks when he has accumulated 23 and 350 yards plus four TDs. He ranks fourth in the NSIC with 32 catches for 495 yards and four TDs. He averages 15.5 yards per catch and 82.5 yards per game. In his career, Johnson has 54 in his  career for 902  yards and eight  TDs. He had a season-career high 10 receptions for 82 yards against Augustana on Sept. 26. Against U-Mary he tied his career high with three TDs (SMSU, 2018) and set a career-best with 186 receiving yards, which is the most at USF since 2003 when Grant Brecher had 10 catches for 187 yards. Johnson's total ranks sixth best all-time at USF.  In addition, Johnson has 635 all purpose yards this season (495 receiving, 118 punt returns, 22 kick off returns) for a team-high 105.8 yards per game.
 
Grantham and Nieman leading USF's defense
On defense, senior Brody Grantham leads USF with 34 tackles. He has 21 solo stops, 4.0 TFLs, an interception and a pass breakup in his five games on the balanced defense employed by defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto. In his career, he has played 34 games with 136 tackles which included 72 solo stops. He has accumulated 13.5 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Senior Ryan Nieman registered his sixth career interception  and first-ever defensive TD against U-Mary with a 37-yard return in the second quarter of a 39-0 win. He has three picks this year and 0.5 interceptions per game which ranks 20th in NCAA DII. So far, he has three interceptions for 129 yards or 43.0 yards per carry. For his career he has 138 yards in interception returns on those six picks. He has 23 tackles this year with 11 solos. He has 50 tackles with 33 solos in his career. Junior defensive end Joey Wehrkamp has 17 tackles with a team-high 8.0 TFLs, four sacks and now has totaled 72 tackles with 19 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in his career. Also for USF, junior linebacker Harvey (Michael) Enalls has 104 career stops, 9.5 TFLs and seven sacks. He has 24 tackles, four TFLs and four sacks in 2019. Senior safety Tucker Stout has 20 tackles and 14 solo stops with an interception in 2019 as he has built his career numbers to 101 tackles with 71 solo stops an interception and a fumble recovery.   
 
Reisdorfer is tied for the league lead in scoring 
In the backfield, redshirt sophomore Thuro Reisdorfer has 79 carries for 402 yards and six TDs or 67.0 yards per game, which ranks seventh in the NSIC in rushing yards per game. However, he is tied for the league lead (Nate Gunn, MSU) with nine TDs for 54 points or 9.0ppg. So far, this season, he has 13 carries for 92 yards against CSP and 20 carries for 82 yards and his first two career TDs in the 34-12 win over Winona State. He had a career best 113 yards and a career-high four TDs with a personal-best 50-yard TD run on 13 carries. Against Augustana, he had 17 carries for 50 yards and caught a career-first 50-yard TD reception. Against UMC he had 135 all purpose yards which included three catches for 20 yards and a three-yard TD pass and an 80-yard kickoff return for a TD. The return was his first-ever kickoff return TD. Ja'Tai Jenkins is 11th in the NSIC in rushing at 57.8 yards per game He has 59 carries for 347 yards for 5.9 per carry and has two TDs with a long of 51.  Two weeks against SMSU, he had a career best 102 yards rushing on 10 carries with a career-best 51-yard TD run. Against U-Mary, he led USF in rushing with 80 yards on 13 carries and a TD. This season he has two receptions for 16 yards and a TD. He added 14 carries for 92 yards against Minnesota Crookston.
 
Esparza ranks ninth in scoring in the NSIC
USF's junior placekicker Daniel Esparza earned his first career Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honor after making a career-best 50-yard field goal against Winona State. Esparza, originally of Dallas, Texas, scored 10 points as the USF Football Team earned a 34-12 victory over Winona State in a key NSIC South contest at Bob Young Field on Saturday (Sept. 14).

In his first year at USF, Esparza is perfect on his kicking as he made five of four field goals of 17, 19, 38, 50 and 36 yards and is 23-of-25 on extra points.  Against U-Mary, there was a strong cross wind that played havoc with the kicking games both in kickoffs and extra points/field goals. Against Winona State, he made a career-best 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, which was the longest kick since former USF standout Stu Vanden Heuvel connected from 50-yards on Sept. 9, 2017 also at Bob Young Field.  With his 38 points, he ranks ninth in the NSIC in scoring at 6.3 points per game.
 
USF punter Thomas Chapin is averaging 38.1 yards per punt with a long of 54 yards and seven kicks placed inside the 20-yard line. He has two punts over 50 yards and 21 punts for 792 yards. In his career, he has placed 20 punts into the 20 yard line and has nine punts of 50 yards or more with a long of 72 yards. 

UMD leads the NSIC North at 4-0 and stand 5-1 overall 
Head Coach Curt Wiese has UMD sitting at the top of the North Division at 5-1 overall and 4-0 in North play. Ranked No. 23 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, the Bulldogs are perennially one of the best teams in the NSIC. Since his arrival, Wiese has led the Bulldogs to a 68-13 record. Last week, UMD defeated Wayne State, 21-7, as they held WSC to 106 total yards and had seven sacks. UMD scored a pair of four quarter TDs to break open a 7-7 game.  On Oct. 5, UMD dropped a 52-7 decision to No. 3 Minnesota State at Blakeslee Stadium. UMD also has a 42-7 win over Bemidji State, 20-14 decision against St. Cloud State, a 48-20 decision over MSU Moorhead and a 52-7 win over Minot State. Like USF, the Bulldogs have featured a strong defense and rank No. 22 in DII at 273.5 yards per game. They give up 109.5 rushing yards for 35th in DII (5th, NSIC) and 161.0 yards through the air which is No. 21 in the nation. Offensively, UMD averages 31.7 ppg for third in the league and allows 17.8 ppg for sixth in the league. UMD sits just behind USF in total offense at 384.3 yards per game. They average 181.3 yards on the ground which is third in the league and their passing attack is fifth in the league at 203.0 yards per game. Quarterback John Larson, who didn't play against Wayne State, ranks third in the NSIC in total offense at 242.2 yards per game. He has 914 passing yards and 297 on the ground. On defense, Nate Pearson leads UMD with 1.17 sacks (seven total) in six games.
 
USF stands with 67 wins since joining NSIC  
The University of Sioux Falls is  67-21 (.786) since joining the NSIC (65-18 in league games)  and 72-25 (.746) all-time in NCAA DII. USF is 39-13 (.750) mark against South opponents and 26-4 (.867) vs. the North.  

Cougars have scored in 167 straight games
Since moving to DII in 2011, the Cougars have scored 3,379 points in 97 games or 34.85 ppg. USF has scored in 167 straight games, which dates to a 55-0 loss to Carroll College in the final game of the 2005 season. USF recorded 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.