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All notes courtesy of SMSU athletics communications.
THIS WEEK
•The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (1-2, 0-2 NSIC) hits the road this Saturday, Sept. 19, with a match-up versus Minot State University (0-3, 0-2 NSIC) in Minot, N.D. The teams will kick-off at 2 p.m. at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.
•SMSU is coming off a 30-3 home loss to Northern State on Saturday night and will look to snap a two-game losing skid.
•MSU has dropped its first three games of the season by a combined 18 points, including a six-point season-opening home loss to Emporia State (Kan.) and a seven-point home loss to Wayne State. The Beavers are coming off a 38-33 road setback to Augustana on Saturday afternoon.
•The Beavers rank sixth in Division II in rushing offense (330.7) and sixth in first downs (76). Running back Brandon Hines Jr. ranks fourth in the country in all purpose yards (187.3) and fifth in rushing (142.3).
•A preview of MSU 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 8-39. 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 were 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 94-91 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
•Freshman Jayden Cooper caught a career-high six passes for 68 yards in the loss to Northern State.
•Junior David Ola-Kazeem caught a career-high seven passes for 52 yards in the setback to NSU.
•Kicker Landon Hubbard booted a career-long 38-yard field goal on Saturday night.
•For the season, freshman Josh Lancifort leads SMSU in rushing with 100 yards on 37 carries.
•Junior Tryg Auten has caught a team-high 14 passes for 140 yards.
•Junior Keegan Patterson leads the team with two interceptions.
•Redshirt freshman Hunter Hanegraaf has racked up a team-high 22 tackles with 4.5 for loss.
•Senior Avery Johnson ranks second on the team with four tackles for loss.
•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.
•The SMSU defense, which recorded a pair of interceptions in the win over Valley City State, 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.
•Senior Macloud Crowton started at quarterback in the season-opening victory versus VCSU. 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.
•Junior Aiden Planer and junior Keegan Patterson each recorded their first career interceptions in the win over VCSU.
SMSU & MSU IN THE 2026 NCAA RANKINGS
•The following is where SMSU and NSU rank in this week’s NCAA statistics.
•A full listing of SMSU in the NCAA statistics can be found on pages 16-17.
(159 teams ranked) SMSU MSU
Scoring Offense 155th 52nd
Rushing Offense 152nd 6th
Passing Offense 113th 149th
Total Offense 150th 30th
Scoring Defense 72nd 127th
Rushing Defense 41st 114th
Pass Defense 145th 111th
Pass Efficiency Defense 109th 126th
Total Defense 105th 127th
Net Punting 51st 46th
Punt Returns 61st 77th
Kickoff Returns 69th 137th
Turnover Margin 124th 78th
Fewest Penalty Yards/Gm. 38th 9th
Time of Possession 118th 23rd
3rd Down Conversions 159th 16th
3rd Down Conversion Defense 50th 113th
SCOUTING MINOT STATE
•Ian Shields is in his fourth season as head coach and has compiled a record of 9-27. Shields spent four years as the head coach at Division I FCS program Jacksonville University (Fla.), two years as the head coach at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), and two seasons as head coach at NAIA Eastern Oregon University.
•The Beavers have suffered three close losses to open the season, including two home losses.
•MSU has one of the top rushing offenses in the country averaging 331 yards per game and have racked up 76 first downs.
•Senior slot back Brandon Hines Jr. leads the rushing attack with 427 yards and five touchdowns on 55 carries.
•Sophomore quarterback Jett Lundeen has rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries, while completing 17 of 36 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
•Sophomore slot back Sam Buckhanan has amassed 198 yards rushing on 37 carries.
•Junior safety Calvin Moore leads the defense with a team-high 22 tackles.