MANKATO, Minn. – No. 10 Winona State University and No. 3 Minnesota State battle in a clash of 8-0 teams Saturday in Mankato. The remaining undefeated team when the dust settles on Saturday will have a firm grasp on first place in the race for the NSIC South (and overall) Championship.
Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
Winona's University Programming Activities Committee (UPAC) is hosting a $5 fan bus (ticket included) for students to travel to Mankato. Availability is first come first serve to the first 55 students. More details, here.
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REGIONAL ROUNDUP: Winona State is ranked No. 1 in the first edition of the NCAA Super Region 4 rankings, released earlier this week. Fellow NSIC members Minnesota State (No. 3), Sioux Falls (No. 6) and Minnesota Duluth (No. 10) also made the first release. Super Region 4 is made up of teams from the NSIC, Lone Star Conference (LSC), Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). Seven teams from each of the four super regions will advance to the NCAA Playoffs, with the top seed earning a first-round bye.
CHART CLIMBERS: Winona's No. 10-ranking is the program's highest since checking in at No. 8 in Week 12 of the 2004 campaign. The Warriors were unranked in the preseason poll and promptly beat then-No. 25 Bemidji State to begin the year. Winona was receiving votes from Weeks 1-3 in the poll before cracking the Top 25 in Week 4, at No. 25. WSU then made a marginal move to No. 22 before rocketing up the poll to No. 13 following a 31-13 upset of then-No. 6 Sioux Falls on the road. WSU was ranked No. 11 last week.
EIGHT IS GREAT: The Warriors are off to their best start since the 1998 squad began its season 9-0. That team and this year's group are the only teams in program history to open the season at 8-0. WSU is in the midst of its first eight-game winning streak at any point of the season since 2007 (nine straight). This is the sixth time in program history a Warrior team has recorded at least an eight-game winning streak – each has been coach by Tom Sawyer. Two times WSU has won nine straight and only once posted a 10-game streak (2001). The Warriors and Mavericks are each 10-0 dating back to last season.
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: Although Saturday marks the first Top-10 regular season matchup for Winona in program history, the Warriors have been here before in regard to facing a higher-ranked Maverick team. WSU has won the last two meetings against a ranked Mankato squad, including a 31-27 upset on the No.1-ranked Mavericks' field in 2015. Winona will look to add another blemish on Saturday to Mankato's impressive 53-10 home record since joining the NSIC in 2008. Last year, the Warriors were a 34-31 winner over No. 19 Mankato in Winona compliments of a last-second field goal by Carter McCauley.
RUSH TO CONCLUSIONS: Running backs Eric Birth and Javian Roebuck comprise Winona's dynamic 1-2 punch out of the backfield. WSU averaged a pedestrian 71.3 rushing yards/game over the first three weeks of the season, but since has been one of the best ground attacks in the league. The Warriors are averaging 268.4 yards rushing over the past five games, including five straight 200-plus yard efforts. WSU rushed for a season-best 335 yards at Minot in Week 4. Birth and Roebuck have eclipsed 100 yards rushing three times each this year. Roebuck ranks third in the NSIC in yards/game (80.9) and is seventh in yards/carry (6.7). He's scored six total touchdowns (5 rushing). Roebuck was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week (10/16) after rushing for a career-high 170 yards at CSP. The Winona native, Birth, ranks third in the conference with seven rushing touchdowns.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?: Cornerback Adonis Brown was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week following WSU's 42-19 homecoming triumph over Wayne State. The senior recorded his first pick-six of the year while adding two pass breakups. Brown also forced a fumble while posting five tackles, including four solo efforts and one for a loss. He ranks third on the team with 38 total tackles. Nick Pridgeon (35 tackles/6 TFL/2.5 sacks/3 INTs) and Andrew Spencer (60 tackles/4.5 TFL/2 sacks/5 INTs) have also won Player of the Week honors for the ferocious Warrior defense this season.
SOMETHING SPECIAL: Sophomore Jake Balliu leads the NSIC with a 12.5 yard average in punt returns this season. His 325 total yards also lead the conference as he closes in on Carson Walch's single-season record of 478 yards (1998). He was named the NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week after Week 4 after posting 114 punt returns yards, including a 53-yard touchdown scamper. Balliu set WSU's single-game record of 190 punt return yards last year vs. Crookston.
SOUNDS LIKE A BROKEN RECORD: Senior Carter McCauley has re-written both the school and conference record books this season. The Owatonna, Minnesota native set a new WSU single-game record for kicking points (17) at Minot State earlier this season. McCauley became Winona's career record holder for field goals in Week 5, and last week became the NSIC's all-time leader (49).
NO MARGIN FOR ERROR: The Mavericks lead the NSIC in scoring offense (45.0 YPG), total offense (515.9 YPG) and rushing offense (326.1 YPG) this season, but will face their toughest test of the season against the stout Warrior defense. Winona's 23 total turnovers gained and 15 interceptions each rank third in the country. WSU's +12 turnover margin ranks fourth in DII. The Warrior defense is allowing just 12.5 points per game this season which ranks seventh in the nation.
TAKE NO OFFENSE: Not to be overshadowed by Winona's smothering defense, the offensive unit has held its own this season as well. The Warriors rank third in the NSIC in scoring offense (36.4 PPG) and have scored at least 40 points on three occasions. QB Darren Beenken ranks second in the league in completion percentage (58.3) and is third in passing efficiency (142.3). Senior WR Isaiah Frandsen ranks fourth in yards/catch (18.8) and is fifth in the NSIC with six receiving touchdowns.
