Independent file photo SMSU’s Trey Sachs runs towards the end zone during their game against MSU Moorhead last Saturday. The Mustangs will wrap up their home schedule today against Winona State University.

MARSHALL – Southwest Minnesota State University (3-5, 1-3 NSIC South) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division play today, hosting Winona State University (6-2, 2-2 NSIC South) in the annual “Battle for the Sledge” at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.

•Today’s game is the final home game for SMSU in 2019 and begins a three-game stretch to close the season versus teams from the NSIC South Division.

•WSU is currently on a four-game winning streak and is ranked No. 9 in this week’s Super Region Four rankings released on Monday. The top seven teams from each of the four regions qualify for the NCAA playoffs.

•WSU has registered the most interceptions (17) in Division II this season and is ranked ninth in turnover margin.

Broadcast info

•Today’s game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with seventh-year SMSU play-by-play voice Ryan Rohlik.23882

•Live stats and video can be found at SMSUmustangs. com.

SMSU vs. WSU

series notes

Southwest Minnesota State and Winona State meet for the 50th time on Saturday with WSU leading 29-20 … the teams first met on Oct. 10, 1970 … WSU leads 3-1 since the “Battle for the Sledge” trophy game was started in 2015 … WSU has won the last three meeting after SMSU won three straight from 2013-15 … SMSU leads 12-11 in games played in Marshall … WSU won the last game played in Marshall, 45-7, on Nov. 4, 2017 … WSU has won 20 of the last 25 meetings overall since 1994 … WSU has scored 30 or more points in 16 of the last 18 games, including 40 or more 12 times … SMSU won seven straight in the series from 1987-93 … WSU won 13 of 14 games from 1994 to 2007.

SMSU vs. WSU

series information

Overall: WSU leads 29-20

In Marshall: SMSU leads 12-11

In Winona: WSU leads 18-8

Last SMSU win: Nov. 14, 2015 (33-28)

Last WSU win: Oct. 27, 2018 (38-26)

Largest win for SMSU: 33 (47-14, 1991)

Largest win for WSU: 56 (56-0, 1975)

Longest win streak for SMSU: 7 (1987-93)

Longest win streak for WSU: 7 (2001-07)

Current win streak: WSU, 3

Sauter vs. WSU: 3-6

Sawyer vs. SMSU: 18-5

Fifth meeting for the “Battle for the Sledge”

•Today’s game will be the fifth annual “Battle for the Sledge”, presented by BIG Athletics and Adidas.

•The trophy is a seven-foot tall Sledge Hammer. In addition to the sledge trophy, BIG Athletics will also be providing two MVP trophies to be awarded to a player on each team.

•Here is the history behind the naming of the trophy game, “Battle for the Sledge”: During the 2008 season, during warm-ups of the WSU/SMSU game on Oct. 4, a WSU player brought a sledgehammer to mid-field while SMSU players looked on. SMSU went on to earn a 35-28 victory over WSU, snapping the Warriors’ seven-game winning streak in the series. Following the game, SMSU players ran over to the WSU sideline and grabbed the sledgehammer, celebrating the victory at midfield. With emotions running high for both teams, a WSU player went over to the SMSU sideline to get its sledgehammer back. SMSU eventually gave the sledgehammer back and a rivalry was born.

SMSU “Battle for the Sledge” game MVPs

•2015, Davontay Stevens, RB

•2016, Max Simmons, RB

•2017, Alex Ney, LB

•2018, Shane Ratkovich, LB

Opening drive tidbits

•SMSU is 0-4 at home this season and will play its final home game on Saturday. The last time SMSU finished a season winless at home was in 1995 (0-5).

•SMSU is “even” in turnover margin this season and have been “plus” in four of the last five games.

•SMSU has outscored its opponents a combined 131-83 in the second and third quarters this season, but has been outscored 105-31 in the fourth quarter and overtime.

•Junior linebacker Adihia Bell set a career-high with three tackles for loss versus MSU Moorhead last week.

•Junior tight end Luke Narveson tied a career-high with four receptions last week versus MSU Moorhead, while freshman receiver Albert Lemon has his first three career receptions for 69 yards in the loss to MSUM.

•SMSU has registered five scoring drives of 80 or more yards this season.

•The SMSU defense forced a season-high four turnovers two weeks ago at St. Cloud State.

•Senior Boyer Bouman set career-highs for passing yards (338) and touchdown passes (4) at St. Cloud State.

•Bouman ranks second in the NSIC in passing yards (214.7) and second in total offense (216.5).

•Senior Daniel Davis ranks second in team history averaging 7.3 receptions per game in 19 games.

•Davis, who has 138 career receptions in 19 games, ranks first in the NSIC in receptions (59) and is second in receiving yards (795).

•Davis also ranks fourth in the NSIC in scoring (non-kickers) at 6.8 points per game and seventh in all purpose yards (109.1)

•Davis has 10 career 100-yard receiving game ranking tied for fifth in team history.

•Freshman Adien Belt ranks tied for third in the NSIC averaging 40.8 yards per punt. Belt’s 64-yard punt in week three versus Sioux Falls was the longest by an SMSU punter since Mike Wenk had a 74-yarder versus Concordia-St. Paul on Nov. 1, 2014.

•Sophomore linebacker Onte Burns (75) rank second in the NSIC in tackles with 9.4 per game.

•Junior safety Garrett Chapman (71) and senior safety Davaeon Johnson (64) rank fourth and fifth respectively in the NSIC in tackles.

SMSU high-octane

offense

•Following a shutout loss on Nov. 5, 2011, SMSU has since scored 30 or more points in nearly half of its games.

•Dating back to the final game of the 2011 season through eight games this season, SMSU has scored 30 or more points in 38 of its last 87 games.

•In that time, SMSU has scored 40 or more points 22 times, 50 or more points 11 times and 60 or more points once.

•SMSU hasn’t been as prolific scoring in the last two-plus seasons, having reached the 30-point plateau just six times in its last 34 games since Oct. 20, 2016, which includes three last season and twice this season.

SMSU coach Cory Sauter said the defensive line of the Warriors can create pressure with just a few players on the line and they’ll need to find ways to limit their mistakes on offense.

“Winona’s defense is a very talented group; their defensive line certainly can create some issues. We gave up a lot of sacks last week and obviously we want to minimize those as much as we can so protecting our quarterback will be a premium,” Sauter said. “Every week, trying to find ways to run the football is always going to be on our priority list and Winona is a team that forces you to take snaps and they’re banking on you making a mistake and they’re there to capitalize on it. We’ve got to be smart in terms of our approach and understand the risks and rewards.”

Scouting Winona State

•Tom Sawyer is in his 24th season as head coach with a record of 188-83. He has led the Warriors to six 10-win seasons, six NCAA playoff appearances and three Mineral Water Bowl games.

•WSU has won four straight games and is ranked ninth in the first NCAA region rankings.

•WSU is coming off a 38-17 home victory over St. Cloud State last Saturday.

•Senior kicker/punter Paul Ortiz was named the NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday. He made a 49-yard field goal, was 5 of 5 on PATs and averaged 41.5 yards on four punts.

•Junior quarterback Owen Burke has completed 123 of 211 pass attempts for 1,531 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

•Junior running back Sam Santiago-Lloyd has a team-high 810 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 156 carries. He ranks 18th in Division II in rushing yards.

•Junior wide receiver Jake Balliu has caught 30 passes for 376 yards and six touchdowns.

•Junior wide receiver Tyler Anderson has 15 receptions for 246 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

•Senior linebacker Nick Pridgeon has racked up a team-high 39 tackles with team-leading 7.5 for loss.

•Redshirt freshman linebacker Clay Schueffner has registered 34 tackles and has a team-leading four interceptions.

On the defensive end, Sauter added they’ll need to create pressure and force turnovers early and they’re excited for the challenge against a confident WSU team.

“Winona is a young, but very talented offensive line and they can create some seams and their backs have some size and they’re able to break tackles and get an extra yard or two. Over the course of a game, those things add up and you might not see it early on but a lot of times in that third or fourth quarter, they start to break people’s will,” Sauter said. “We certainly need to get people to the ballcarrier; they’re a very efficient offense and we’re going to have to find a way to create a turnover on their end. If we do, then we’re going to have a chance, we’re playing a team that’s 6-2 and is playing really confident football right now but this is a rivalry game for us and our kids are excited about the challenge and hopefully we can get out to a much better start than we did last week. We just need a better start, play a complete ballgame, keep our fans and players into it and I’d love to have an opportunity to win that Sledge back.”

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications