MINOT, N.D. – There is no place like the Herb. That is where Minot State football sees themselves for a 2-game window late in the 2024 campaign. We have reached the home stretch, literally and figuratively. After rounding things out on the road last week, more opportunity awaits the men in red and green on the gridiron as they anticipate a polarizing matchup.

Minot State (4-5, 3-5 NSIC) and MSU Moorhead (4-4, 4-3 NSIC) are set for a noon kickoff on Saturday at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.

Despite the slump, still in play for Minot State is a chance at a winning season. Something that has never been done before in the D2 era and would be the first time since the team went 6-4 back in the 2010 season in NAIA play.

Head Coach Ian Shields has stated amid all these challenging matchups with other conference opponents, it is time for them to take the next step. Yet, he likes what he sees in the direction the team has shown for staying close in one or two-score games versus the NSIC's best.

"It is a little bit of an uphill fight, but we are right there. We are competitive, we've closed the gap…that's progress, it's just painful progress. We are not satisfied with moral victories; we are playing to win. And we got to find ways to impact the scoreboard, so we end up with a point or more than the opposition," Shields said.

This time, when the Dragons come to town, it should set up for one of the more unique games on the schedule. It is a battle of contrasting playbooks, as the Beavers and their run-first offense see the Dragons, who employ a pass-heavy style on the field.

"Our defenses have a lot of similarities frankly, and our offenses are on polar opposites of the spectrum. Whether it is fire and ice, or it is like politics. You got the far left of the spectrum and the far right of the spectrum, which means you are both crazy if go too far on either end of the spectrum. And that's come out where we are both at in how we do things," Shields remarked in a savvy comparison.

History has not been kind for Minot State in the all-time series with MSU-Moorhead. Since their first meeting in October 27, 2012 in which the Beavers won, it has been all Dragons since then. Moorhead is 10-1 in 11 games played. The last time these two met, the Dragons garnered full control in a 56-14 win over Minot State back on September 9, 2023, in Moorhead.

Leading the Moorhead pass-first offense is quarterback Jack Strand, followed by a three-headed monster at wide receiver with Madden Thorson, Brady Perryman, and Velva, ND's own Gage Florence.

Strand has thrown a whopping 2,612 yards and 22 touchdowns in 8 games played. That is a 326.5-yard average per game that he throws, if that was not evident enough for signs of a prolific passing game.

"They bring the best passing quarterback in the conference, he's a great player. They complement him well at the receiver position, and their line is really efficient in what they do," Shields said describing what Moorhead brings to the table this weekend.

Thorson, Perryman, and Florence have combined for nearly 1,800 receiving yards as they bring all kinds of trouble lining up wide.

Madden Thorson has 603 of them with 3 touchdowns. Brady Perryman sits at 597. What stands out are his 10 touchdowns, making him an instant red zone threat. And for Gage Florence, he carries on 592 yards in his name as he seeks to hit 600 this weekend along with Perryman.

On the defensive front, the Dragons have some standout players. Williston native Denver Sheets leads the team in sacks with 3.5. Another disruptive force in the backfield has been Josiah Behm as he heads into the contest with 7.5 TFL. Gavin Jarchow paces Moorhead with 63 tackles, and Bismarck Century alum Cody Sorenson has 3 interceptions while defending the pass.

The run-heavy Beavers have a dynamic duo of rushers with Evan Lovett and quarterback Carson Chrisman. Lovett has carried the rock for a total of 618 yards and 4 touchdowns. Chrisman on the other hand, is looking to get himself in the record books. He sits tied in the NCAA Division II single season record with Ali Mohamed in rushing touchdowns (9). With 2 games to go, he looks to surpass that number set by Mohamed in 2021. Another fascinating stat heading into Saturday's game is that the Beavers four leading rushers (including Lovett and Chrisman) all have 4.1 yards per carry or more. As per usual, the Beavers also look to keep their No. 1 conference ranking in rushing.

As of late, no major changes exist stats wise from the defense as this unit remains steady for the Beavers. Julian Kameristy sits atop with 5.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks. Cody Raetzman is the leader amongst tacklers with 43, and Nalu Cordeiro will look to challenge the Dragons passing game as he heads into the weekend with 3 interceptions.

There is no better feeling right now for Minot State football, as they get to come home and play in front of the hometown fans twice to wrap up the season.

"There is no question I think we have a home-field advantage here at the Herb. We are excited to get back home, that was two long road trips back-to-back against two quality opponents. Like I said it's nice to get back home, we've played well at home by and large this season and we expect that trend to continue. I think there is a lot to play for still with this group. We are sitting in a good position," Shields said.

Minot State will begin a stretch of 2-straight home games to round out the 2024 season, starting this weekend with MSU-Moorhead.