SETTING THE SCENE
The No. 4-ranked Minnesota State football team returns to the road this week as it travels to the University of Sioux Falls for Homecoming for the Cougars at 1 p.m. CT.  The Mavericks enter at 4-0 overall and 3-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, while Sioux Falls is 3-1 overall and 3-0 in league play.
 
CALLING THE GAME / HOW TO WATCH
Aaron Worm and John Harrington will have the call of Maverick Football all season long on the official home of MSU Football The Fan KFSP 1230 AM and 103.1 FM, Mankato's #1 station for sports talk radio and local sports broadcasting.  Fans also can listen online at https://radiomankato.com. The game will be streamed live through Midco Sports Plus, the official streaming home of the NSIC this season and all Maverick football games will be streamed by Midco Sports Plus in 2026.   
 
THE NEW MIDCO SPORTS PLUS NETWORK
This fall a new era begins in streaming in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with Midco Sports Plus.  It will serve as the centralized home for NSIC digital content, delivering exclusive live and on-demand streaming coverage of all 16 member schools. Fans can get annual access starting at less than $7 per month, including full NSIC coverage plus the Summit League season. A monthly subscription is also available for $15.  The upgraded platform includes:
•    Real-time video clipping with the new My Clips feature, allowing fans to clip, save and share their favorite moments on social media
•    Improved navigation and scheduling tools, including sorting and favoriting capabilities
•    Expanded global access, making Midco Sports content available to fans around the world
•    Enhanced account management to create a more personalized experience
Fans can easily subscribe through:
•    MidcoSportsPlus.com
•    Midco Sports Plus mobile and tablet apps (iOS and Android)
•    Connected TV apps (Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku)  
 
RECAPPING THE NORTHERN STATE GAME
In a battle of the final two unbeatens in the conference, the upset-minded Northern State Wolves scored on its first drive of the game last week, marking the first time MSU had trailed all season.  From there, it was all Mavericks as the purple and gold scored 28 of the next 31 points all in the second quarter for a 28-10 lead at halftime.  Both teams scored touchdowns in the third quarter for the final margin of 35-17.  MSU was led by junior quarterback Mitchell Thompson who had 14 carries for 65 yards and two rushing scores, while he was 9 of 10 passing for 114 yards and a touchdown. The nation's second-leading rusher, Hank Kraft of NSU, had 13 carries for 154 yards and a score, while he had five catches for 32 yards. MSU forced NSU into three fourth quarter interceptions and the Maverick "D" stymied NSU for much of the game with four sacks and six tackles for loss.  
 
SIOUX FALLS LAST WEEK
The Cougars jumped out to a 34-3 lead at University of Mary with just over ten minutes remaining in the third quarter, but had to hang on for dear life as the Marauders stormed all the way back forcing overtime, erasing the 31-point deficit in just over 25 minutes of game time.  Mary scored 31-straight points and then in overtime, USF's Owen McCloud came up with an interception on the opening possession as USF's Bubba Tann III scored from 11-yard out for the game winner.  It marked the second-straight game Sioux Falls has needed extra time to win.  USF won 29-28 against MSU Moorhead in overtime the week before, choosing to go for two and the win in overtime.  Against Mary, USF held the Marauders to just 14 yards rushing, but the Marauders passed for 372 in the game to 153 for the Cougars.  USF had 154 yards on the ground and blocked a punt for a touchdown.  
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH SIOUX FALLS
Minnesota State leads the all-time series 11-4, dating back to Oct. 17, 1936.  The Mavericks have never lost in Sioux Falls in seven meetings there.  The teams have played the last two games in Mankato with MSU winning 38-12 last year, while USF won 40-36 in 2024.  The Mavericks have scored 30 or more points in each of the last seven meetings (5-2).  MSU head coach Todd Hoffner is 8-3 all-time against USF, while Cougar head coach Jim Glogowski is 1-2 against the Mavericks.  
 
THOMPSON FOR THREE....AGAIN
For the second-straight week, MSU quarterback Mitchell Thompson finished the game with two rushing touchdowns and one passing score.  This past week he had 14 carries for 65 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while going 9 of 10 passing for 114 yards and a touchdown.  Against Bemidji State the week before, Thompson had a season-high 84 yards on the ground on 13 carries and two touchdowns, while going 5 of 12 passing for 71 yards and one score.  For the season, Thompson is 14th nationally in rushing touchdowns (5) for fifth in the league, while he is tenth in the league in total offense (167.0), 20th nationally in total touchdowns (5) for fifth in the league in seventh in the league in total points scored with 30 for 31st nationally.  He is 16th nationally in points responsible for with 60 points for third in the league.  
 
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE
Looking at key matchups in the NSIC this week as No. 13 Minnesota Duluth who is unbeaten in league play travels to MSU Moorhead, while MSU travels to USF in a battle of league unbeatens.  At the end of the weekend there will be at a maximum of two unbeatens in league play remaining.
 
DAULTON NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR PRESTIGIOUS WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL TROPHY 
Senior linebacker Jacob Daulton was one of 206 semifinalists (NCAA D1-D3, NAIA) and the only student-athlete from the NSIC for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy announced earlier this week.  Daulton is the fifth Maverick to be named semifinalist and is looking to become just the second MSU player (Alex Gottle) to be a finalist for the $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.  The award recognizes the nation's top scholar-athletes for excellence in academics, football performance and leadership.  Daulton is one of just 19 semifinalists from NCAA Division II institutions.
 
OVER THIRTY
The Mavericks have scored 30 or more points in each of the first four games of the season as they are 19th nationally in scoring offense at 37.8 points per game.  Conversely, the Mavericks have held each of the first four opponents to under 20 points per game as MSU is ninth nationally and tops in the NSIC in scoring defense, allowing just 12.8 points per game.  
 
WITH THE PICK
MSU had three interceptions against Northern State last week as it is tied for the national lead in interceptions this season with eight.  The Mavericks and Carson-Newman (Tenn.) each have eight interceptions on the year, while Emmanuel Spiyee and Jamal Spiyee each have two interceptions to lead the team this season. In all, six different players have an INT for the Mavericks this season.
 
IN THE ZONE DEFENSIVELY
The Mavericks are fourth nationally in red zone defense, holding teams to a 0.417 clip for the season.  Northern State was 2 of 3 in the red zone last week, but the Mavericks held Mary from scoring in the red zone earlier this season (O for 4).   
 
THE BOUNCE OF THE BALL
This season, MSU is sixth nationally in turnover margin to lead the league at a 1.75 clip, while it is fourth nationally in turnovers gained (10) to also lead the league.  MSU has turned the ball over just three times this season for 28th nationally.  
 
IN THE POLLS
The Mavericks remained at fourth this week in the latest AFCA Top 25, while they held steady at third in the D2Football.com Top 25.  Ferris State owns a 33-game winning streak and is atop both polls once again this week.  Harding remains at No. 2 in both polls, followed by Kutztown in the AFCA poll and MSU is third in the D2Football.com poll.  CSU Pueblo rounds out the top five in the AFCA poll, while Kutztown is fourth in the D2 Football poll and Northwest Missouri State is fifth in the D2Football.com poll.  Minnesota Duluth is 13th in AFCA, while Augustana is 20th and Northern State is receiving votes.  
 
NO POINTS IN THE FOURTH
The Mavericks have not scored in the fourth quarter in each of the last two games, but either has the opposition giving credence to good halftime adjustments by MSU.  MSU has outscored the opposition 28-7 in the final frame for the season.  In addition, the Mavericks have gotten off to quick starts this season, outscoring the opposition 45-7 in the first quarter and 61-23 in the second quarter, including scoring 28 points in the second frame a week ago against Northern State (9/19).
  
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
The Mavericks lead the nation in punting average at a 46.00 clip, while they are tops in the nation in tackles for loss allowed at just 2.00 per contest.  The Mavericks also are one of 35 teams who have not lost a fumble this season.  MSU has put the ball on the field three times, but has recovered each time.  Northern State also is tops with no fumbles and hasn't had a fumble at all this season, while also not throwing an interception.  The Mavericks are sixth nationally in turnovers gained (7), while they are 11th nationally in turnover margin at 1.67 to lead the league.  Conversely, NSU is one of eight teams to not have a turnover so far, while it has forced three turnovers this season. 
 
FIVE THINGS A WIN OVER SIOUX FALLS WOULD DO . . .