MANKATO, Minn. --- #1 Minnesota State will wrap its regular season road schedule on Saturday as it takes on the Wayne State Wildcats. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Our History: The 2018 season marks the school's 92nd season playing football. The Mavericks are 459-384-28 (.543) in 871 games since their inception as a varsity sport in 1922.  Minnesota State is in its 10th season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and owns a 97-13 (.881) record in league action. Over the course of its history, MSU has claimed 22 conference championships, including 14 NIC titles and five NSIC championships. The Mavericks also made their 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. MSU owns a 9-10 overall record in NCAA postseason play. 

Grabbing the Reins: The 2018 season marks the ninth season with Head Coach Todd Hoffner on the sidelines. During his nine seasons at Minnesota State, Hoffner has compiled an 87-20 (.813) record, including four NSIC Championships and five trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2017.

Against the Wildcats: Saturday's game between Minnesota State and Wayne State marks their 11th all-time with the Mavericks winning all 10 of the previous meetings, including a 48-27 win last season at Blakeslee Stadium. MSU owns a 5-0 record against Wayne State on the road.

Last season, the Mavericks tallied 580 yards of total offense against the Wildcats, including 397 rushing yards. WSC managed to 320 yards of offense, with 257 yards coming through the air.

Sophomore Justin Taormina rushed for 203 yards and three touchdowns against the Wildcats last season, while junior Ryan Schlichte completed 13-of-22 passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Both senior Trevor Nissen and junior Tyler Schmidt caught a touchdown pass.

Sophomore Cade Johnson recorded three tackles and defended a pass, while junior Jack Curtis recorded an interception. Senior Casey Bednarski also went 2-for-2 in field goal attempts from 43 and 24 yards out.

Last Week for the Mavericks: Minnesota State improved to 8-0 last weekend as it defeated the Bemidji State Beavers 47-20. MSU has now won its last 21 NSIC game dating back to week 10 of the 2016 season.

MSU tallied more than 500 yards of total offense against the Beavers, including 263 passing yards. This was the fifth time this season that the Mavericks have tallied more than 500 yards of offense in game. 

Junior Nate Gunn tallied a season-high 187 rushing yards and a touchdown. This is the fifth time this season and 15th time in his career that he has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game.

Junior Ryan Schlichte completed 10-of-21 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore JD Ekowa also threw a touchdown pass.

Junior Justin Arnold recorded more than 100 receiving yards in a game for the first time as he caught five passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Junior Shane Zylstra and Tyler Schmidt, along with sophomore Parker Gloudemans, each caught a touchdown pass as well.

Senior Casey Bednarski went 4-for-4 in field goal attempts as he connected on kicks from 31, 25, 38 and 55 yards out. He also went 5-of-5 in extra point attempts.

Junior Spencer Hermus led the Maverick defense with eight tackles, while junior Alex Goettl and sophomore Cole Schroedermeier each tallied seven.

Last Week for the Wildcats: Wayne State improved to 2-6 last weekend as it defeated Minot State 34-0 on the road. The win ended WSC's five-game losing streak.

As a team, WSC tallied 442 yards of total offense, with 224 coming via the run game. The Wildcats held the Beavers to 242 yards of offense, including 97 passing yards.

Aaron Bleil completed 10 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Lee Mason and Nate Rogers each caught four passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. Maliki Wilson caught a touchdown pass as well.

Wilson also posted a team-leading 145 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Tyler Thomsen led the Wildcat defense with 11 tackles, while Josh Taylor tallied three tackles for a loss and an interception. Emile Hope, J'Von France and Jamaal Conway-Smith each recorded an interception as well.

Concerning the Mavericks: Minnesota State improved to 8-0 last weekend as it defeated Bemidji State 47-20 on the road.

As a team, MSU has averaged 45 points and 483 yards of offense a game this season. The Mavericks have limited their opponents to 18.2 points and 300.6 yards of offense a game.

Junior Nate Gunn leads the MSU rushing attack with 889 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Sophomore Justin Taormina has notched 346 rushing yards and a touchdown, while sophomore JD Ekowa has added 263 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior Ryan Schlichte has thrown for 1,336 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He is averaging 167 passing yards a game and has completed 59.6% of his passes.

The Maverick receiving corps is led by a duo of juniors, Shane Zylstra and Justin Arnold. Zylstra has tallied 741 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches, while Arnold has caught 27 passes for 423 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior Alex Goettl leads the MSU defense with 46 tackles, including 9.5 for a loss and 3.5 sacks. Sophomore Chance Bowen has tallied 23 tackles, including 10.5 for a loss and 9.5 sacks as well. Sophomore Cade Johnson has also recorded 36 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss.

Concerning the Wildcats: Wayne State enters the weekend the owner of a 2-6 record, including a 34-0 win over Minot State last weekend.

As a unit, WSC is averaging 20.2 points and 360.6 yards of offense a game this season. Its opponents have averaged 23.6 points and 342.5 yards of offense a game this season.

Marlon Warren has tallied 378 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season. Maliki Wilson has posted 332 rushing yards and two touchdown carries as well.

Aaron Bleil has thrown for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. Nate Rogers leads the WSC receiving corps with 60 catches for 828 yards and nine touchdowns.

Tyler Thomsen leads the Wildcat defense with 83 tackles. Jacob Protzman has tallied a team-best 13 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks. Odessa Clark has notched 35 tackles and a team-best two interceptions.