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SATURDAY: The University of Mary puts its early season undefeated mark on the line when the Marauders travel to Marshall, MN, to face the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs in the 2012 Ag Bowl. Game time is set for 5 PM on Saturday, September 15, at Mattke Field.

THE RECORDS: U-Mary is 2-0 overall and in the Northern Sun. SMSU is 1-1 overall and in the NSIC.

LAST GAME: The Marauders opened their home schedule with a 31-25 win over Augustana. The Mustangs used a field goal on the last play of the game to win 34-32 at Northern State.

LAST YEAR: U-Mary finished 5-6 overall, 4-6 in the NSIC and 3-3 in the NSIC North… SMSU finished 2012 3-8 overall, 3-7 in the NSIC and 1-5 in the NSIC South.

HOMECOMING! Next week is homecoming at U-Mary (Sept. 21-22).

FOLLOW LIVE
MARAUDERS FOOTBALL IS ON THE RADIO! If you can't be at Saturday's game, there are several other ways to follow the Marauders. Rick Anthony and Jeff Groseclose will broadcast the game on KFYR 550 AM. The game is also streamed online at www.kfyr.com.

VIDEO STREAMING: Free video streaming of Marauders home and Northern Sun games is available at http://umary.nmtvsports.com/ or http://nmtvsports.com.

LIVE STATS: Live stats for this Saturday's game are available online at www.SMSUmustangs.com

MARAUDERS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS: Every Sunday, catch highlights of home and away games on Marauders Weekly. Originating from KFYR-TV in Bismarck, ND, the 30-minute Marauders Weekly will air Sunday nights at 10:35 PM following The Night Report across the NBC North Dakota Sports Network (KFYR-TV, KMOT-TV in Minot, KUMV-TV in Williston, and KQCD-TV in Dickinson). Hosted by Scott Westerberg, Marauders Weekly can also be viewed online at www.kfyrtv.com/video_marauders.asp.

MYRON SCHULZ SHOW: Each Wednesday morning at 9 AM during the football season, Marauders head coach Myron Schulz appears on the “Marauders Midweek Power Hour” with Rick Anthony on ESPN 710 AM. It can be heard live online at www.espn710am.com.

TICKETS: Game tickets for Marauders home games are available at the door. Adult tickets are $8 while seniors, college students and youth 18 years old and younger are $4. U-Mary students with their M-card and children 5 and under are free.

THE MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS SERIES/LAST MEETING: The Marauders are 3-2 all-time against the Mustangs in what has been an incredibly entertaining series over the last three meetings... In Myron Schulz's first game as U-Mary head coach in 1999, the Marauders marched to Marshall, MN, and left with a 28-7 win in the first meeting between schools... In 2006, U-Mary's first playing an NCAA Division II schedule, the Marauders again went on the road and left with a 20-0 win, U-Mary's first as a D2 school... The two teams first met in Bismarck, ND, on Sept. 29, 2007. In a day of big plays, the biggest occurred at the end of the contest. Trailing 22-16 with 1:35 left in the game and the ball 97 yards from the end zone, the Marauders converted one fourth down play before Blair Sandy connected with Mike Williams for an 85 yard scoring strike on third down with 23 seconds left in the game. In the game, SMSU scored touchdowns on a 100 yard interception return and a blocked punt. The Marauders outgained the Mustangs 425-247, including a 288-119 edge in passing yards. SMSU opened the scoring when Josh Shudlick scored on a QB keeper from one yard out. U-Mary evened the game on a Bayland Rippenkroger one yard run before Keith McCleary recorded a safety for UM. The Mustangs took a 22-7 lead on a TD off a blocked punt and an interception return by Tyler Reed with 11 seconds left in the first half. The Marauders rallied in the fourth with Williams scoring from 27 yards out before electrifying the crowd at the end... The Mustangs claimed their first victory over the Marauders in 2010, a 21-14 victory that featured four U-Mary turnovers and a goal line stand in the final minute of play by SMSU. Down by a touchdown, the Marauders drove to the Mustangs one yard line but failed to score with 56 seconds left in the game. U-Mary held a 351-257 lead in total yardage and Jamal Lomax ran for 113 yards and a score. SMSU's Ryan Ratekin passed for 194 yards… In an offensive shootout last year, the Mustangs defeated the Marauders for the second straight season, 48-45 in Marshall, MN. In a game that featured 1,133 yards of combined offense and eight lead changes, Warren Matthew scored the winning touchdown for the Mustangs with 2:16 remaining in the game. U-Mary drove to the SMSU 18-yard line but failed to convert a 35-yard field goal with 18 seconds on the game clock. The Marauders generated 583 yards of offense, including 403 passing yards by Craig Bagnell. He also threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score. Tyler Steffan caught five passes for 101 yards and Avan Leday had four for 104. Josh Murray ran for 90 yards. Tyler Peschong threw for 334 yards and three scores for SMSU and ran for 89 yards and two TDs. Matthews ran for 101 yards.

PAST MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS MEETINGS
1999 U-Mary 28 SMSU 7 Marshall, MN
2006 U-Mary 20 SMSU 0 Marshall, MN
2007 U-Mary 23 SMSU 22 Bismarck, ND
2010 SMSU 21 U-Mary 14 Bismarck, ND
2011 SMSU 48 U-Mary 45 Marshall, MN

QUICK LOOK AT THE SMSU MUSTANGS: Former Minnesota Gophers and NFL QB Cory Sauter is in his third season as head coach of the Mustangs and has created an impressive offensive unit. Led by QB Tyler Peschong, SMSU averages 399.5 yards per game overall, 264.5 yards passing and 26.6 points. Defensively the Mustangs are allowing 380.5 yards a game, including 164.0 through the air. Peschong opened the season by throwing for 304 yards and accounting for two touchdowns in a 45-20 loss to #2 Minnesota Duluth. Lance Schuveiller was the hero for the Mustangs in their 34-32 win at Northern State last Saturday. The senior booted a 26-yard field goal as time expired. JR LB JJ Bobrowicz leads the Mustangs in tackles (17) and pass breakups (2). Mark Schollmeyer has 2.5 tackles for loss.

LAST WEEK: For the second straight week, the Marauders fell behind early, went on a run to take the lead and then held off the opposition for the win. Behind 409 yards passing from NSIC Offensive Player of the Week Craig Bagnell, U-Mary opened its home schedule with a 31-35 win over Augustana. The Marauders went on a 21-3 tear to build a 28-17 lead over the Vikings that featured two touchdown receptions by Tyler Steffan and one by Alby Pope. The Vikings would close to within 28-25 before Tyler Ryan converted a 34-yard field goal with 2:35 left in the game to double the Marauders advantage. The Marauders defense finished the game in fine fashion, sacking Vikings QB Josh Hanson twice in three plays, including Augie's last play of the game. Steffan caught ten passes for 154 yards to pace the Marauders. The Vikings gained 454 yards of offense while running 99 plays. The Marauders posted 428 yards of offense on 79 plays.

DOUBLE DIGIT DYNAMO: For the second straight game, Marauders safety hit double digits in tackles. The junior from Valley Springs, CA, posted 11 tackles (six solo) in the win over Augie. He also broke up one pass. A week earlier in his U-Mary debut, Maldonado made 19 stops, had an interception and knocked down a pass to win NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

BAGNELL NAMED NSIC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: A career-high passing performance while leading his team to victory earned U-Mary QB Craig Bagnell Northern Sun Offensive Player of the Week honors. The junior team captain threw for over 400 yards and four scores in a 31-25 win over Augustana. Throwing the ball on 49 of the Marauders 79 offensive plays, Bagnell completed 30 passes for 409 yards and four scores. He also had one interception. The U-Mary signal caller set personal single- game highs for yardage, attempts and completions and tied his best mark for touchdown passes. The Polson, MT, native completed passes to eight different receivers and his four touchdown tosses went to three different players.

BAGNELL CRACKS TOP 3 IN CAREER PASSING YARDAGE: Craig Bagnell became just the third Marauders quarterback to pass for more than 5,000 yards in his career. He is currently at 5,066. Two Marauders Hall of Famers are ahead of him. Chris Schwab is the school's career record-holder with 7,786 passing yards between 1996-99. Tim Garcia threw for 5,154 yards in two seasons (2002-03).

Name Comp. Att. Yards % TD INT
Chris Schwab (1996-99) 607 1136 7786 54 73 33
Tim Garcia (2002-03) 374 609 5154 62 58 11
Craig Bagnell (2010- ) 354 612 5068 65 38 13
Paul Cronin (1994-95) 360 680 4970 53 55 15
Blair Sandy (2003-07) 376 694 4451 54 38 18


CRAIG BAGNELL 300 YARD PASSING GAMES
409 ysrds vs. Augustana (9.8.12)
403 yards at Southwest Minnesota State (9.10.11)
372 yards vs. Winona State (11.5.2011)
359 yards at Concordia University (9.1.12)
319 yards at MSU Moorhead (10.29.11)
315 yards vs. Bemidji State (10.22.11)

STEFFAN CLIMBS THE CHARTS: All-American WR Tyler Steffan is climbing up the career record charts for the Marauders. After setting a single-season touchdown reception record last season after pulling in 17 scoring strike, Steffan is second all-time at U-Mary in touchdown receptions (25), fourth in receptions (128), third in receiving yardage (2,105) and fifth in career touchdowns (25).
ALL-TIME MARAUDERS CAREER LISTS
Receptions Receiving Yards
Seth Meier (1996-99) 191                  Jake Pfau (2001-04) 2682
Jake Pfau (2001-04) 161                   Seth Meier (1996-99) 2421
Neil MacDonald (1995-96) 132        Tyler Steffan (2009- ) 2105
Tyler Steffan (2009- ) 128                   Neil MacDannald(1995-96) 2020
Chris Buchholtz (1990-93) 114         Chris Buchholtz (1990-93) 1857

Touchdowns Receiving Touchdowns
Bobby Wagner (1992-93) 37                         Jake Pfau (2001-04) 34
Jake Pfau (2001-04) 34                                  Tyler Steffan (2009- ) 25
Brian Kimball (1998-2001) 30                       Seth Meier (1996-1999) 23
Jamal Lomax (2007-10) 30
AJ Street (1999-2000) 25
Tyler Steffan (2009- ) 25
Chris Buchholtz (1990-93) 24

FAST START: The Marauders have opened the season with two straight wins for the first time since 2005.

SOUTHSIDE: For the first time since the 2003 regular season, the Marauders home side is the south bleachers at the Community Bowl. The Marauders moved to the north side before a 2003 playoff win over Azusa Pacific and remained there ever since. U-Mary was forced to move to the south side this season due to the $8 million renovation to the Community Bowl, which has included the demolition of the north side press box.

HOME WHITES: The Marauders donned their white jerseys at home for what is believed to be the first time ever in the win over Augustana. U-Mary gave its 2011 senior class their game jerseys after last season and the replacement jerseys had not yet arrived.

YIN AND YANG: The Marauders lead the Northern Sun in passing with an average of 384 yards per game. The Marauders are last in rushing in the NSIC, averaging 10 yards per game. Overall U-Mary is 8th in total offense (399.5 YPG).

SEEING RED: The Marauders red zone offense is fifth in the NSIC through two weeks, scoring 7-of-8 times after reaching the opponent's 20 yard line. U-Mary is fourth in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score 6-of-9 times.

MY BALL: In two games the Marauders have collected eight turnovers. The Marauders defense recorded five takeaways against Concordia University and three against Augustana. U-Mary has collected six interceptions and recovered two fumbles. U-Mary won the takeaway battle in both games and is plus three on the season.

SHARE THE WEALTH: The Marauders offense knows how to spread the ball around. In the opening game of the year, seven different receivers caught passes and four caught scoring strikes. Even more players were involved in game two against Augustana as eight Marauders caught passes. Three different players accounted for the four touchdown passes.

STINGY: The Marauders run defense is allowing just 2.8 yards per carry, the 4th-lowest average per carry in the NSIC.

AHEAD BY A CENTURY: Craig Bagnell is averaging 384 yards passing per game, tops in the NSIC. Next on the list is Josh Hanson of Augie at 283 yards passing/game.

25: Marauders football opens its 25th season this weekend. The first varsity season for U-Mary was played in 1988 and the team went 2-7. In its first 24 seasons, the Marauders have a combined record of 161-89-1, posted 16 winning seasons, advanced to national playoffs 10 times and claimed six conference titles.

HELMET LOGO: After about two decades of wearing plain shiny blue buckets, the Marauders will sport a new look this fall. The new orange and white helmet logo features a side-by-side block U and M inside an oval, with the U just slightly elevated above the M. The bright royal blue Marauders helmets provide great contrast to the orange and white of the letters. This is just the third different helmet sported by U-Mary. Beginning in 1987, the Marauders original football helmet was white with the signature University of Mary “M” in blue and orange. In the early 1990s, former head coach Tom Shea switched the Marauders look to the royal blue helmet worn by U-Mary through 2011. The three-color UM logo will also be used elsewhere on campus as a secondary logo to the orange and black Marauders head. Designed by Laura Scott, U-Mary's Coordinator for Graphic Design and E-Communications, the new UM replaces the thin interlocking UM.

TRIUMVIRATE: After the first two weeks of the season, the Marauders have captured all three of the NSIC Player of the Week honors. Scott Maldonado and Tyler Ryan earned defensive and special teams honors, respectively, for week one. Craig Bagnell earned the offensive honor last week.

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