MINOT, N.D. – A roadblock in the season does not change the mindset. Rather, last week's contest against MSU-Mankato serves as a learning curve for Minot State football. The Beavers are back in action on the home turf this week as head coach Ian Shields rallies the troops for another NSIC battle on the third annual 'Energy Day.'

Minot State fell for the first time in 2024 following a 40-6 loss against MSU-Mankato last week. For coach Shields and the Beavers, it was a time to reflect and learn. "It's just an opportunity to bounce back, play the game we love and the people we love. We are excited to get back home and have another opportunity to play together and we are capable of playing better than we did last week," Shields pointed out as the week of practice and preparation was of high importance.

This time, the Sioux Falls Cougars come to town with a similar feel to what the Beavers have going record-wise and pathway of the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 1pm this Saturday at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.

Even then, the Cougars have improved in their own right and have shown many differences from last year's group that finished 3-8.

"It's similar to the fact that Coach Glo (Jim Glogowski) is in year two, and so the culture is being established. They are playing how their staff wants them to play and they are playing excellent football. This is a really good football team we're playing; they are a handful.," coach Shields said as he gave the Cougars credit for their start to the season.

Sioux Falls (3-1, 2-1 NSIC) is unranked but sits right next to Minot State (3-1, 2-1 NSIC) in the standings. Following a three-game winning streak to open the first three weeks of the season, they came up short to Bemidji State in a 28-24 result.

The Cougars have matched well against the Beavers, sitting at 10-1 all-time against Minot State. The Beavers hope to reverse fortune following a 7-0 loss last year on September 23, 2023. Furthermore, the last two games for the Beavers have resulted in goose eggs on the scoreboard. Fans may be in for another dogfight on the gridiron once again, as both teams have gotten better, and the matchup showcases many similarities on both sides. One point of emphasis from coach Shields for this game especially is to get on the board and often to avoid a third-straight shutout.

"This team hasn't played against Sioux Falls yet this year, and Minot State I don't think has scored a touchdown in the last two meetings when we played Sioux Falls. To beat anyone, you have to score points. That's the challenge in front of us, they are thick up front, they are excellent at every level of defense, and they are exceptionally well-coached on defense," Shields said.

Sioux Falls can get it done both through the air and on the ground. They garner a three-headed monster with quarterback Camden Dean, running back Dylan Rudningen, and wideout Carter Slykhuis.

Dean is a dual-threat option, as he has run for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns along with passing for 735 yards, 8 touchdowns, and a 154.18 rating. Although, he has turned the ball over with four interceptions, which averages out to one per game.

Dylan Rudningen is the other top option for pounding the rock, with 208 yards total including 4 rushing touchdowns. The Beaver secondary will have to watch for Carter Slykhuis, as he has produced 300 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in all 4 games played.

Defensively, Matt Goehring is the tackle king with 26 to his name so far. Along with that, he has also picked up 2 interceptions which also paces the Cougars in that category. Isaiah Ward has spent time in the backfield with 3.5 TFL, and seven different pass rushers have pulled off 1 sack each, as that part of the game has been done by committee.

The leading rusher for Minot State continues to be Evan Lovett. As the feature back, he goes into this weekend with 325 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Following Lovett, a trio of Beavers sit at 100 rushing yards or more. Quarterback Carson Chrisman, Sam Buckhanan, and Erik Palmquist are reliable options to fit coach Shields' scheme for the ground game.

Kevin Speed has emerged as the new leading tackler on the defense with 20, including 14 solo tackles. Connor Raetzman and Julian Kameristy share the lead in TFL and sacks. Both carry 4 TFL and 1.5 sacks each. Nalu Cordeiro retains the top spot in interceptions with 3 as he looks to take advantage of a high-flying offense. As an overall unit, the group looks to bounce back following a tough loss to a strong Mankato team.

Fans are encouraged to come out in waves, as the gameday theme is 'Energy Day.' There will be specialized 'Energy Day' t-shirts handed out to the first 1,000 fans through the gates. "I think we're going to have one, but this squad deserves a big crowd here in the Magic City. We are sitting here at 3-1 and kind of in uncharted territory for our program. We're excited about being back at home. It's always great to be back in front of Beaver nation and this will be a celebration this Saturday," coach Shields remarked as the team has had success in front of the hometown fans so far this season.