MANKATO, MN – Minot State football continues its road stretch with one of the toughest challenges of the season, as the Beavers travel to take on nationally ranked Minnesota State, Mankato on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Blakeslee Stadium.

The Beavers (0-1) opened the 2025 campaign last Thursday with a 27-7 setback on the road at Emporia State. While the final score was not in their favor, the Beavers showed strength in the run game, piling up 216 rushing yards and outgaining the Hornets by 109 yards on the ground.

Head Coach Ian Shields acknowledged the disappointment in the result but pointed to signs of growth for his young team.

"Certainly disappointed in the result as would be expected. Give credit to Emporia State – they are an excellent squad and controlled the contest. Their defense was physical, ran well, and executed better than our offense did. We need to collectively improve fundamentally and play with more physicality," Shields said. "There were positives though. We had some young players making their first college football appearances, and I thought several of them showed flashes. That experience will help us improve. This is part of the growth process, and now we have another tremendous challenge on the road against one of the best teams in the country."

Evan Lovett (62 yards, 5.2 avg.), Carson Chrisman (62 yards, 4.8 avg.), and Devan Daniels (60 yards, 4.3 avg.) powered a three-headed rushing attack that carried the Beavers to their 216-yard ground total. Freshman Blake Espino capped off a nine-play, 51-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, the first score of his college career. On defense, Vila Jozama came up with an interception, giving the Beavers their only turnover of the game. Linebacker Brayan Augustin paced the defense with seven tackles.

Coach Shields emphasized that the focus remains internal as the Beavers prepare for a nationally prominent Mankato program.

"As tough as it is to lose that way, I think we're going to grow from it. Emporia challenged us with their tempo and efficiency, and that was a learning experience for our defense. Offensively, we weren't as physical at the point of attack as we need to be, but we had four linemen making their first collegiate starts. That's trial by fire, and they'll get better. I thought Carson executed well overall, Evan ran hard, and Vila's interception was a big moment. There were encouraging signs," Shields said. "Now, we move on to Mankato. They're as consistent and talented as any team in the country, and they've got tremendous depth and coaching continuity. The challenge is obvious, but for us it's about playing with great effort, being physical, and competing the whole way. We need to focus on getting better, playing hard, and having fun with this opportunity."

Minnesota State, Mankato (1-0) enters as one of the nation's top-ranked programs and a perennial contender in the NSIC. The Mavericks return a roster loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, including All-Conference performers and key transfers who bolster an already deep unit. Shields noted their consistency and coaching stability as major strengths.

Saturday marks the Beavers' eighth all-time meeting with the Mavericks. For a young team that saw 59 rushing attempts and four first-time starters along the offensive line in Week 1, the trip to Mankato presents not only one of the toughest challenges of the season but also a chance to accelerate growth against one of the nation's best.