What Happened:  The Minnesota State football team wrapped up its 85th season with a 9-3 record.  The Mavericks represented the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference at the Mineral Water Bowl and were victorious by virtue of a 28-14 win over Northeastern State.

A Little History Lesson: The 2011 season marked the school's 85th season playing football.  The Mavericks are 321-375-28 (.504) in 785 games since their inception as a varsity sport in 1922.  Minnesota State is in its fourth season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and owns a 31-7 record in league action.  Over the course of its history, MSU has claimed 17 conference championships, including 15 NIC titles.

Clinchin' and Sharin': With Minnesota State's win over Southwest Minnesota State (11/5), the Mavericks won their third NSIC South Division title in the past four years.  Additionally, by virtue of St. Cloud State's 19-14 loss to Bemidji State  (11/5), the Mavericks clinched a share of the NSIC Overall Conference Championship, it's 18th in school history and the first league title by a Maverick team since it won the 1993 North Central Conference title.

In the Career Books:  Several Maverick made their mark on the school's career top-ten lists.  The Mavericks had individuals finish on the top of the following lists:  Average Yards per Rush (fourth, Dennis Carter, 7.26), Rushing Yards per Game (second, Andy Pfeiffer, 102.4), Pass Completions (tenth, Jon Daniels, 171), Passing Yards (ninth, Daniels, 2,205), Passing Touchdowns (ninth, Daniels, 20), Pass Completion Percentage (second, Daniels, 62.0), Pass Efficiency (second, Daniels, 146.5), Average Yards per Pass (third, Daniels, 8.0), Passing Yards per Game (fifth, Daniels, 183.8), Pass Reception Yards (seventh, Adam Thielen, 1,626), Pass Receptions  (tenth, Thielen, 124), Pass Reception Touchdowns (tied tenth, Carter & Thielen, 12), Total Offense per Game (fifth, Daniels, 190.2), Total Offense per Play (third, Daniels, 6.61), All Purpose Yards per Game (third, Carter, 120.1; fourth, Pfeiffer, 107.1), PAT Kick Percentage (tied-ninth, Daniel Padilla, 92.9), Field Goals Made (tied-eighth, Padilla, 16), Average Yards per Punt (third, Sully Luepke, 39.19), Punt Return Yards (seventh, Thielen, 343), Punt Returns (ninth, Thielen, 33), Kick Return Yards (fourth, Carter, 1,114), Kick Returns (tenth, Carter, 38), Average Yards per Kick Return (third, Carter, 29.32), Tackles for a Loss (fifth, Chris Schaudt, 30), Yards from Tackles for a Loss (second, Schaudt, 155), Quarterback Sacks (tied-ninth, Schaudt, 15.5) and Yards from Sacks (fourth, Schaudt, 122).

Single-Season List: The Mavericks made a lasting impression on several single-season top-ten lists, including:  Rushing Yards (third, Andy Pfeiffer, 1,229), Rushing Attempts (fifth, Pfeiffer, 243), Average Yards per Rush (seventh, Dennis Carter, 6.86), Rushing Yards per Game (fifth, Pfeiffer, 102.4), Pass Completions (ninth, Jon Daniels, 171), Passing Yards (ninth, Daniels, 2,205), Passing Touchdowns (tied-seventh, Daniels, 20), Pass Completion Percentage (third, Daniels, 62), Passing Efficiency (fifth, Daniels, 146.5), Average Yards per Pass (ninth, Daniels, 8.0), Total Offense per Play (ninth, Daniels, 6.61), All Purpose Yards (fourth, Carter, 1,622), All Purpose Yards per Game (fifth, Carter, 135.2), Total Points Scored (third, Daniel Padilla, 87; tied-tenth, Carter, 78), Touchdowns Scored (tied-third, Carter, 13), PAT Kicks Made (third, Padilla, 39), PAT Kicks Made (third, Padilla, 42), Field Goals Made (tied-first, Padilla, 16), Field Goals Attempted (first, Padilla, 20), Field Goal Percentage (fourth, Padilla, 80.0), Punt Return Yards (tied-seventh, Thielen, 217), Punt Return Yards (tied-seventh, Adam Thielen, 217), Punt Returns (tied-seventh, Thielen, 22), Kick Return Yards (fourth, Carter, 712), Kick Returns (tied-sixth, Carter, 25), Average Yards per Kick Return (fifth, Carter, 28.48), Tackles for a Loss (sixth, Chris Schaudt, 16.5), Yards from Tackles for a Loss (tied-third, Schaudt, 79), Yards from Sacks (eighth, Schadut, 53).

How About the Team:  Minnesota State etched its name into 24 top-ten lists.  Minnesota State finished tenth in pass completions (179), tied for ninth in passing touchdowns (20), first in pass completion percentage (.607), second in passing efficiency (141.1), fifth in average yards per pass (7.7), tenth in pass receptions (179), tied for ninth in pass reception touchdowns (20), sixth in total offense (4,293), fifth in touchdowns responsible for (68), seventh in total offense per play (5.48), seventh in all purpose yards (5,660), third in total points scored (381), fourth in touchdowns scored (48), third in PAT kicks made (43), tied for third in PAT kicks attempted (46),  tied for first in field goals made (16), first in field goals attempted (20), tenth in field goal percentage (80), tied for eighth in punt returns (27), tied for tenth in kick return yards (842), first in kick returns for touchdowns (3), fourth in average yards per kick return (24.76), fifth in interception return yards (273), fourth in unassisted tackles (434).

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