THIS WEEK: Minot State travels east on Highway 2 to take on Bemidji State Saturday with kickoff slated for 2 p.m.

RECORDS: Minot State is 1-5 overall, 1-5 in NSIC play and is 0-2 in the NSIC North Division. Bemidji State is off to a fast start and is 5-1, 5-1 and 2-0, tied for the top spot in the NSIC North Division.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State's head coach is Tyler Hughes, who is in his third season at the helm. He is 3-25 at Minot State and 23-29 overall as a head coach. BSU is led by interim head coach Brent Bolte, who took over the team in the preseason after longtime head coach Jeff Tesch was put on administrative leave. Bolte, who has been with the team for 18 years, is 5-1 in his short tenure.

FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The game is broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play. 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. MSU's play-by-play is anchored by Leif Bakken with Anthony Battle providing color commentary. Minot State Athletics also is active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube with all feeds accessible through the home page.

RANKINGS: Bemidji State checks in as the No. 22 ranked team in the latest American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll and were the 21st ranked team in the D2Football.com Top 25 this week. MSU was not ranked in either poll.

RECENT HISTORY: MSU's offense couldn't get on track as the Beavers lost 38-7 at home to Minnesota Duluth Saturday. UMD outgained MSU 516-181. The defense had three players in double figures in tackles as Donnell Vercher led the way with 13, Trevin Swensen 12 and Bryce Broome 11 in the loss. Jarvis Mustipher had the lone Minot score, racing 55-yards on a 4th-and-1. BSU edged Northern State on a field goal in overtime to win 31-28. The Beavers scored with just 27 seconds to play in the game to force overtime.

OVERALL SERIES: Minot State trails the all-time series 16-1 dating back to the "Beaver Bash" during MSU's NAIA days. BSU has a 13-game winning streak in the series with the last Minot State win coming in 2002 at Bemidji.

LAST TIME OUT: Bemidji State scored the game's first 15 points and the contest's last 17 in a 32-7 win over Minot State last year at Herb Parker Stadium. Tony Peterson had 106 yards rushing for BSU. MSU's Jose Escobar three for 125 yards to lead Minot State.

NOTING THE BSU BEAVERS: Bemidji State has a Minot State connection on its coaching staff as associate head coach Rich Jahner played for the Beavers in the mid-1980s… Balance has been the key for BSU as they have 1,487 rushing yards and 1,555 passing yards on the season…Jordan Hein has put together a great season, passing for 1,322 yards but did not play last week against NSU. He is listed as the starter this week… BSU had found the end zone on the ground in 2016, as they have 20 rushing TDs by five different players... Gunner Olszewski has been a mainstay on defense, leading the team with 48 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups.

NOTING THE BEAVERS: Minot State's pass defense has been solid all season, giving up just 174.8 yards per game, second in the NSIC, while allowing just nine passing TDs… Donnell Vercher has been a big part of that as he has 56 tackles, tops on the team and seventh in the NSIC in tackles per game… Aaron La Deaux is second in the NSIC in punting average at 44.7… Freshman Lane Torgerson is seventh in the NSIC in punt return average at 8.2… Trevin Swensen returned to his old form with 12 tackles Saturday as he moved up to fifth in the league in tackles-per-game at 9.6.