FULL PDF GAMEDAY NOTES

THIS WEEK: Minot State University renews an old rivalry as the Beavers play host to the University of Mary Saturday beginning at 6:07 p.m. The later start time is due to live coverage of the game on NBC North Dakota Sports Network.

RECORDS: MISU is 0-4 overall and 0-0 in the NSIC North Division. U-Mary comes into the weekend with a 3-1 record and is 0-0 in the NSIC North. This is the first NSIC North game for both teams.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's head coach is Paul Rudolph. Rudolph is 28-27 overall in five seasons with the Beavers and 71-74 overall as a head coach. Myron Schultz is in his 14th season as the head coach at U-Mary and comes into the contest with a 93-49 mark overall and with the Marauders.

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. Minot State Athletics also is active on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube with all feeds accessible through the home page.

RANKINGS: Neither team was ranked in the AFCA Coaches' Top 25 Poll or the DIIFootball.com Top 25 Poll this week.

RECENT HISTORY: The Beavers came close, but were derailed by turnovers in a 26-20 loss at Upper Iowa last week. The Marauders were denied a perfect season thus far with a 32-23 loss to Winona State at home.

OVERALL SERIES: Minot State trails the University of Mary 10-9 in the series dating back to 1988.

NOTING THE MARAUDERS: The University of Mary is enjoying its best start to a season since going 4-0 over the first four games in 2005… The Marauders will be without their starting quarterback Craig Bagnell who suffered an injury during the loss to Winona State. Bagnell, who isn't listed as either the No. 1 or No. 2 on the depth chart, has thrown for 1,286 yards so far this season and a Northern Sun-leading 14 touchdown passes. Redshirt freshman Zach Roberson is scheduled to make his first collegiate start… Scott Maldonado finished with 16 tackles in the loss to Winona State, his third game this season with double digits in tackles… U-Mary failed to score at least 32 points for the first time last week in the loss… With Bagnell throwing darts all over the place, the U-Mary rushing game has not been the focal point of the offense as the Marauders have only outgained Minnesota State Moorhead and Minot State on the ground… The Marauders' defense has given up an average of 455 yards of passing per game… Elby Pope is fourth overall in the conference in catches per game with 5.75.

TV TIME: The Minot State Athletic Department pushed the game-time back from 6 p.m. to 6:07 p.m. to accommodate NBC North Dakota Sports Network, who will call the game live. The Beavers have traditionally had one game live on NBC each season. Lee Timmerman and Scott Westerberg will provide commentary for the game. Minot residents can tune into KMOT-TV for coverage. The game is also being taped by Midco Sports for the channel's High-Def Game of the Week. It will be replayed Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. It is the second game this season on Midco and the Beavers are scheduled to be on one more time the week the Beavers travel to MSU Moorhead.

A LOOK BACK: Minot State's last game against the University of Mary was one of its biggest wins during the last few years of head coach Mike Sivertson's career as the Beavers knocked off U-Mary 14-10 at Minot in 2005. The Beavers defense held twice on fourth downs inside their own 10 to preserve the win. Jamar Culver was the hero of the day for the Beavers' offense as he was 21-for-30 with 256 yards passing and a touchdown. He hit Josh Kringen for a 10-yard TD in the fourth quarter for the eventual game-winner. Manny Gutierrez rushed for 56 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, while the Beavers held U-Mary to 81 yards rushing. MISU's Shaun Sideris paced the defense with 12 tackles.

CLOSING THE GAP: Minot State has been outgained in each of its four contests this season, but the gap is closing. After being badly outgained by Minnesota State in the opening weekend, 401-32, the Beavers have been much better. It was just 60 yards against Wayne State (338-278) and 20 yards against the University of Sioux Falls (371-351). Last week, MISU trailed Upper Iowa by just three yards, 431-428, and out passed the Peacocks 320-286.

FULL STURM AHEAD: Beavers redshirt freshman wide receiver Porter Sturm's (Roy, Mont.) young career is building steam as the season goes on. Sturm was shut out in the first game of the year against Minnesota State, but has been better each week since. He caught one pass against Wayne State College before a mini-bust out game, hauling in four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown at home against the University of Sioux Falls. Last week, however, was his coming out party as Sturm finished with 11 catches and 199 yards with two scores. His 199 yards receiving is the most by a Beavers wideout in at least 10 seasons.

RETURN SPECIALIST: Minot State went an entire season without a kickoff or punt return for a touchdown in 2011, after getting 10 from Beavers' great Johnny Lester from 2007-10. But the magic was back in the return game Saturday as Glyn Borel (Jr., WR, San Jose, Calif.) took the opening kickoff 98 yards to paydirt against Upper Iowa. Borel is second overall in the Northern Sun in kick returns, averaging 38.5 yards per return, amassing 308 yards in four games. He is also eighth overall in all-purpose yards with 205 receiving yards added into his return numbers for a 127.5 average per game.

A WEEK OF FIRSTS: The Beavers can finally say they have a sack and an interception. Minot State's Uepati Fatilua (Jr., LB, Vallejo, Calif.) earned the team's first sack of the season, corralling the UIU quarterback last week and Jeff Buchert (Jr., DB, Plainfield, Conn.) picked off the first pass of the season. Minot State also had its first kick return for a TD. MISU is looking for two big firsts this week as they have failed to record a rushing touchdown in 2012 and are looking for the first win and NSIC win.