SETTING THE SCENE
The No. 5 Minnesota State football team closes out the month of October on Halloween at Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minn.  The Mavericks enter 8-0 overall and 7-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, while Southwest Minnesota State is 1-7 overall and 0-7 in league play.     
 
CHANGE OF RADIO STATION THIS WEEK
For this week only, fans can hear the call of the game on KTOE 1420 AM.  Fans can also listen online through Radio Mankato. Saturday's game will be streamed live on Midco Sports Plus, the exclusive streaming home of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Every Minnesota State football game during the 2026 season will be available through Midco Sports Plus.
 
THE NEW MIDCO SPORTS PLUS NETWORK
The NSIC enters a new era of digital coverage this season with the launch of Midco Sports Plus. The platform serves as the centralized streaming home for all NSIC athletic events, providing live and on-demand coverage from each of the conference's 16 member institutions. Fans can purchase annual access for less than $7 per month, which includes NSIC and Summit League content. Monthly subscriptions are also available for $15.  The upgraded platform features improved navigation, expanded content access and enhanced viewing capabilities for fans throughout the conference footprint.
 
RECAPPING LAST WEEK
The Mavericks broke a scoreless tie with a 15-yard interception return for a touchdown with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter from Jason Dandridge and the team never looked back in a 35-0 win over No. 22 Wayne State for Family Weekend.  In arguably the most complete game of the season, especially on defense, the Mavericks stymied the high-powered rushing attack of Wayne State, holding the Wildcats to just 61 yards on the ground on 34 carries (1.8 per carry), while WSC had just 177 yards of offense for the game.  Offensively the Mavericks rushed for 259 yards on 51 carries (5.1 per carry) with 129 yards passing for 388 yards for the game.  Quarterback Mitchell Thompson had two rushing touchdowns for 88 yards on 19 carries, while Carter Henderson had a great 63-yard touchdown late in the game.  The Maverick "D" feasted in the backfield with ten tackles for loss for 42 yards with two sacks for 21 yards.  MSU registered its third pick-six of the season and had the second blocked kick of the year as Jack Hawkinson blocked a field goal attempt with ten seconds remaining in the contest to preserve the shutout.  
 
NPI RANKINGS
Newly instituted for 2026, the NCAA Power Index (NPI) will determine this year's NCAA Championship tournament field, replacing ranking committees and previously used selection criteria. The NCAA will release NPI rankings each Sunday throughout the remainder of the regular season leading up to the NCAA Selection Show Sunday, Nov. 15. In the latest NCAA NPI rankings, Minnesota State remained third in Super Region Three and seventh nationally. Slippery Rock led the national rankings, followed by Ferris State, Harding, Northwood, Emporia State and Colorado State-Pueblo. Minnesota State and Kutztown rounded out the top eight, with Davenport ninth and Kentucky State 10th.
 
IN THE POLLS
Minnesota State held steady at No. 5 in this week's AFCA Division II Top 25 Poll and remained No. 3 in the D2Football.com Top 25. Minnesota Duluth is 20th in the AFCA poll, while it is 16th in D2Football.  Augustana is the first team among others receiving votes in the AFCA poll, while it is 25th in D2Football.com.  Wayne State and Northern State also are receiving votes in the AFCA poll.
 
MSU MOORHEAD GAME CHANGE OF VENUE
The Mavericks' final regular season game, at MSU Moorhead, scheduled for Nov. 14 has moved to the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D.  
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
The Mavericks lead the all-time series 22-0 and are 9-0 all-time in Marshall, Minn.  MSU has scored 888 points against SMSU in series history and has scored no fewer than 24 points (24-10, 10/27/79) in the series and averages 40.4 points per game against the Mustangs, while allowing 14.4 per game with four shutouts.  The Mavericks won 48-7 last season on Nov. 1, 2025.  This marks the first trip to Marshall for the Mavericks since a 52-0 win on Nov. 6, 2021.  
 
BALL (HAWKING) HAWKINSON
MSU defensive lineman Jack Hawkinson has had a heck of a season as he is third nationally in sacks per game at a 1.0 clip with eight on the season for 44 yards.  He has 11 tackles for loss for 50 yards to lead the team, while he has 30 total tackles for the season with one pass breakup, three hurries and one blocked kick.  He is 15th nationally in tackles for loss per game at a 1.38 clip.   
 
160
Head coach Todd Hoffner won his 160th game on Saturday at the helm of the Mavericks.  He is 160-41 in his 17th season in Mankato.  Recently Hoffner won is 200th career game and is 202-69 all-time in his 24th season of coaching.  He is one of two active NCAA Division II coaches with over 200 career wins.  The 160 wins at MSU are most by a coach in program history.  
 
ON HALLOWEEN
The Mavericks are 6-4-2 all-time on Halloween and last played on this date in 2015 ironically also at Southwest Minnesota State in a 55-17 victory.  MSU is 3-3-1 on Halloween on the road and 3-1-1 at home on Oct. 31.  
 
TOP TEN NATIONALLY FOR THE MAVERICKS

No opponent has scored more than 17 points against Minnesota State this season, and all six Maverick victories have come by double-digit margins, while MSU has not scored less than 28 points in a game this season.
 
THIS WEEK IN THE NSIC
Heading into November, the Mavericks are the lone unbeaten team both overall and in league play at 8-0 overall and 7-0 in NSIC play.  MSU is 4-0 in the South Division, while Augustana is 3-1 in South Division play and 5-2 in league play, while the Vikings are 6-2 overall.  In the North Division, Northern State leads the way in league play at 5-2 and is tied with MSU Moorhead in North Division play at 3-1.  MSUM is 4-3 in league play and 5-3 overall.  Looking at the games this week, MSU travels to SMSU, while Jamestown visits Minnesota Duluth, MSU Moorhead heads to Bemidji State and Concordia-St. Paul visits Wayne State.  Sioux Falls travels to Winona State, while Mary  heads West to Minot State and Augustana visits Northern State on Saturday evening in a huge matchup with postseason implications.    
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the game Saturday, MSU returns home to host Augustana for Senior Day next Saturday at 12 p.m. at Blakeslee Stadium in a key NSIC South clash.