MANKATO, Minn. --- The #3 Minnesota State football team enters the week looking for its third straight win as it hosts the Minot State Beavers on Saturday, at Blakeslee Stadium. The opening kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Our History: The 2014 season marks the school's 88th season playing football. The Mavericks are 408-377-28 (.519) in 813 games since their inception as a varsity sport in 1922.  Minnesota State is in its seventh season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and owns a 55-9 (.859) record in league action. Over the course of its history, MSU has claimed 19 conference championships, including 16 NIC titles. Last season, the Mavericks won the NSIC Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Top of the Heap: MSU completed its second straight undefeated regular season, en route to an NSIC regular season championship and its fifth NSIC South Division championship after finishing its regular season with an 11-0 record.  

Grabbing the Reigns: The 2014 season marks the fifth season with head coach Todd Hoffner on the sidelines. During his five seasons at Minnesota State, Hoffner compiled a 36-13 (.734) record, including a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 and 2009.

Mutual History: Saturday's meeting between the Mavericks and the Beavers marks the second meeting between the two dating back to the 2012 season. In their first meeting, it was Minnesota State that came away with the 44-10 road win during the season opener of the 2012 season.

Junior Connor Thomas notched 81 rushing yards and a touchdown in MSU's win over the Beavers, while junior Tyler Henderson tallied two tackles and defended one pass.

Concerning the Mavericks: The Minnesota State Mavericks opened their 2014 road schedule with a convincing 69-13 win over the MSU Moorhead Dragons. MSU's 69 points are the fourth most points scored by the Mavericks in a single game.

In total, the MSU offense put up a total of 611 yards of total offense against the Dragons, including 350 rushing yards. Junior Connor Thomas led the Maverick rushing attack with 89 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while senior Andy Pfeiffer and senior Anthony Lewis each notched a rushing touchdown as well.

Through the air, MSU completed 12 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Dorian Buford established a new Minnesota State single-game record with four touchdown catches, to go along with 117 receiving yards.

On the season, MSU has tallied 1,004 yards of total offense and has outscored its opponents 100-13 through two games. Thomas leads the Maverick rushing attack with 204 rushing yards, while Buford leads the MSU receiving corps with 130 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Mavericks kept the Dragon offense in check through most of the game as they allowed just 13 points and 271 total yards of offense.

Sophomore Jordan Campbell led the Mavericks with 11 total tackles, while junior Josh Gordon tallied six tackles, including two for a loss. Senior Nathan Hancock and sophomoreColt Nero each came away with a fumble recovery as well.

On the season, the MSU defense has allowed just 13 points and 506 total yards of offense through two games.

Junior Tyler Henderson leads the Mavericks in tackles with 16, while Gordon has a team-leading three tackles for a loss. The Mavericks also have forced six turnovers, including four fumble recoveries.

Concerning the Beavers: The Minot State Beavers enter the weekend the owners of a 0-2 record, including a 49-3 loss last weekend to Upper Iowa in Minot.

So far, the Beavers has tallied 430 yards of total offense and have been outscored 90-17 through the first two weeks of the season.

Jarvis Mustipher leads the Minot State rushing attack with 97 rushing yards. Glyn Borel and Leon La Deaux have tallied 79 receiving yards each, with Borel hauling in a touchdown pass.

Casey Weinmann leads the Minot State defense with 20 tackles, while Aaron James leads the Beaver with 3.5 tackles for a loss.

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