THIS WEEK: Minot State gets another crack at the University of Sioux Falls as MSU plays the first of two season double-headers traveling to USF for a 1:30 p.m. matchup Saturday.

TRADITION IN TRANSITION: Minot State is in its third season of a four-year transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. MSU advanced to Year Three Provisional status in July and is expected to complete the transition in July 2012. Minot State was selected to join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in 2012-13.

RECORDS: Minot State is 2-5 on the season – all nonconference due to MSU's transition to NCAA Division II. Sioux Falls, which is also in its NCAA Provisional season, is 4-3 overall

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's head coach is Paul Rudolph. Rudolph is 28-20 overall in four-plus seasons with the Beavers and 71-67 overall as a head coach.USF is coached by Jed Stugart's who is in his second season at USF. He is 17-4 at the school and 43-11 overall.

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The game is broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play and former Minot State standout Brendan Weidler on color commentary. Live audio can be accessed online at kcjb.com. MSU provides live video and live stats as well as links to the live audio at msubeavers.com. The game will be broadcast regionally on MidCo Sports Network.

RANKINGS: Neither team was ranked in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll.

RECENT HISTORY: MSU knocked off South Dakota Mines 38-7 two weeks ago, running its modest winning streak to two games. USF also beat up on Mines in its last outing, hammering the Hardrockers 71-0 last week in Sioux Falls.

OVERALL SERIES: Sioux Falls grabbed the advantage in the series with their win over the Beavers earlier this season. USF holds a slight 2-1 lead.

NOTING THE COUGARS: The University of Sioux Falls has won four straight games dating back to the first meeting with MSU, a 38-23 win. Three of the four have been at home… USF has outscored its opponents 149-30 in its past three home wins… The Cougars Michael Hicks has returned two punts and one kick for a score this season. Hicks is averaging 18.5 yards per punt and 29.3 yards per kick return… Sioux Falls has not played a close game this season as its average winning margin has been 33.5 and its average loss has been 22.6.

BYE, BYE, BYE: Minot State is coming off its second bye week of the year and will have one more before the end of the season in San Antonio, Texas. MSU is 1-0 after the bye week this year and is 4-2 overall under head coach Paul Rudolph.

GOING FORWARD: Minot State junior running back Blake Eggl (Minot, N.D.) does not have a rush for loss this season. In 20 attempts, Eggl has rushed for 96 yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He is second on the team in rushing this season with the 96 rushing yards, but is only fifth in attempts.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Minot State's redshirt freshman quarterback tandem of Bryce Jorgenson (West Fargo, N.D.) and C.J. Evans (Havre, Mont.) has MSU throwing more than 200 yards per game through seven games. The Beaver signal callers have hit a total of 11 different receivers, including five who have caught at least 10 passes and five who have 100 yards or more on the season. Leading the way is senior Jabari Taylor (WR, Hollywood, Fla.) who has 31 catches for 459 yards and six touchdowns. Zac Rudolph (Sr., WR, Sauk Rapids, Minn.) is second with 23 for 253, Kirk Mason (Maple Creek, Saskatchewan) has 18 for 310, Nate Christianson (So., WR, Havre, Mont.) 16 for 236, Tyson Schatz (Sr., RB, Minot, N.D.) 11 for 46 and Brent Sorensen (R-Fr., WR, Hazen, N.D.) 8 for 105. Sorensen has the longest TD catch of the season, a 71-yard strike against S.D. Mines.

STEADY AS IT GOES: MSU has not been as dynamic in the kick return game as it was last year with NAIA All-American Johnny Lester, but has been steady with every returner. MSU is averaging 18.2 yards per return this season and has five different players within at least three yards of that. Freshman Eric Kuntz (DB, Rugby, N.D.) leads the team in total return yards with 374 (19.7 average). Brian Sorensen (Jr., LB, Hazen, N.D.) is averaging 19.1, Nate Christianson averages 20 per return and Tyson Schatz gained 25 yards on one return.

TURNOVER TURNAROUND: Through the first five games of the season – all losses – the Beavers were a minus-(13) in the turnover margin, throwing 14 interceptions. In the past two games – both wins – MSU is a plus-(4), intercepting the ball four times. MSU has intercepted nine passes so far this season, with John Denne (Jr., DB, St. Cloud, Minn.) and Levi Freidt (R-Fr., DB, Minot, N.D.) leading the way with three each.