What Lies Ahead: The Minnesota State football team opens its 2011 campaign Thursday with a nonconference tilt at Northern Michigan.

A Little History Lesson: The 2011 season marks the school's 85th season playing football. The Mavericks are 373-372-28 (.501) in 773 games since their inception as a varsity sport in 1922. Minnesota State is in its third season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and owns a 23-7 record in league action. Over the course of its history, MSU has claimed 17 conference championships including 15 NIC titles.

What's in a Win: A win would mark the 38th time in school history that Minnesota State has opened the year with a victory...It would also give MSU its 374th win in school history...A victory would be the 26th victory for head coach Todd Hoffner at MSU and the 72nd victory of his career...A win would also mark the second straight road victory to open a season for MSU...A win would mark the third straight season-opening victory for the Mavericks under head coach Todd Hoffner...Finally a win would push MSU's record against the GLIAC to 14-10 and improve its record all-time against Northern Michigan (3-2).

Random Fun: Thursday's game marks the fourth consecutive season that Minnesota State has played a member of the GLIAC...In 2008, MSU lost a playoff game at Ashland (27-16) and dropped a home playoff game to Hillsdale (27-24, ot) in 2009...MSU is 13-10 in 22 games against members of GLIAC...Beginning with the 2012-13 season, Northern Michigan will join Minnesota State in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Scouting Northern Michigan: Northern Michigan is coming of a 2010 campaign where it finished with a 5-6 record, including a 5-5 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Wildcats return 13 starters from a year ago, seven on offense and six on defense. They are led defensively by Eddie Knoblock who was a First-Team All-GLIAC selection a year ago after recording 83 tackles, including seven and a half for a loss and five interceptions.

NMU is coached by Bernie Anderson who is in his fifth year with the program and owns a 21-30 record during his time in Marquette. Over his 24-year career, Anderson owns a 114-126 record. He is 0-1 against Minnesota State.

Series Notes: This year marks the fifth game all-time between the two squads...The two teams have split the all-time series, 2-2, including a 7-6 MSU win last year...Junior wideout Adam Thielen returns as the leading receiver for the Mavericks against Northern Michigan as he caught two passes for 35 yards and a touchdown last year...Junior linebacker Ross Jirgl is the leading returning tackler against NMU as he had five stops, four of which were solo, last year.

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