SATURDAY
The 2017 University of Mary football season comes to a close when the Marauders host Northern Sun North Division-leading University of Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, Nov. 11. Senior Day and Cancer Awareness Day for UMary, the Marauders-Bulldogs game kicks off at 12 noon at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, ND.

THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 1-9 overall and in the Northern Sun and 1-5 in the NSIC North... The Bulldogs are 8-2 overall and in the Northern Sun and 6-0 in the NSIC North.  

LAST WEEK
The Marauders fell 66-21 at Northern State University... The Bulldogs rolled over Minnesota Crookston 54-6 in UMD's final home game of the season.

LAST YEAR
The Marauders finished the 2016 season 1-10 overall and in the Northern Sun and 1-6 in the NSIC North division, placing 15th overall in the conference and sixth in the North division... The Wolves finished 10-2 overall, 10-1 in the Northern Sun to finish second and 7-0 in the NSIC North to win a ninth straight title.

SENIOR DAY SENDOFF
The University of Mary will honor its four senior football players on Saturday: SB Brennan Doan (Bismarck, ND), DB Jacob Parker (Las Vegas, NV), DL Brock Pittsley (Killdeer, ND) and DB Brady Zittleman (Mandan, ND). All four have played four years for the Marauders. This year's team captains, all four seniors are NSIC all-academic team members. Additionally Parker was named to the All-Northern Sun football team as a junior in 2016.

VETERANS DAY SALUTE
Saturday is Veterans Day. Three Marauders are veterans of the United States Navy and served together on the USS Anchorage, one of the country's newest vessels. Jordan Beaty and Daquavian Ross are redshirt freshmen this season after joining the Marauders last year. Chris Davis joined the Marauders this season. And while not a veteran yet, redshirt freshman linebacker Dylan Anthony is an active member of the North Dakota National Guard.

CANCER AWARENESS
The Marauders-Bulldogs game on Saturday is UMary football's Cancer Awareness game.
 
STAR LIGHT STAR BRIGHT
The Marauders game at Northern State was their fourth prime time contest under the lights this season. It was their third Thursday night game and the team's fourth that started at 6 pm or later. Before the season opener the Marauders hadn't played on a Thursday since the 2011 season opener.

FIVE + 1 NUMBERS TO KNOW
226.6 The Marauders are second in the Northern Sun and 18th in NCAA Division II  in rushing offense with 226.6 yards per game.

59 + 72 DeShawn Gay has both the Marauders longest run and longest pass reception this season. The freshman slotback has a 59 yard scoring run and a 72 yard pass reception.

30 This is the 30th season of Marauders football. After playing a junior varsity schedule in 1987, head coach Jim Driscoll led the 1988 squad to a 27-18 home win in the program's first varsity game. UMary honored the members of the 1988 team - known as The Originals - during the Minot State game.

18.2 UMary is third in the nation in yards per pass completion at 18.2. The Marauders have completed 41-of-104 passes for 744 yards and nine touchdowns.

17 Seventeen different UMary players have had a run or pass reception that has covered 10 or more yards this season. Six players - DeSwahn Gay, Brennan Doan, Paul Guptill, Jordan Beaty, Devin Hope and Chris Davis - have both runs and receptions covering double digit yardage. Last year just 13 Marauders accomplish that feat.

7 Over the last six weeks, senior defensive tackle Brock Pittley has picked up seven sacks, including 2.5 at Bemidji State and 2.0 on Homecoming against Minnesota Crookston. The native of Killdeer, ND, added one more against both SCSU and at MSU Moorhead. He is third in the Northern Sun in sacks and 39th in the country.

HEAD COACHES
Josh Kotelnicki is in his fourth season as the head coach of the University of Mary. He is just the fifth varsity head coach in school history as the team begins its 30th season. Kotelnicki directed the Marauders to a 5-6 record in his first season in 2014 and is 8-35 lifetime (four years). Kotelnicki joined Mary after serving as the associate head coach at NCAA FCS University of North Dakota for two seasons (2012-13) and as UND's defensive coordinator in 2013. A native of Litchfield, Minn., Kotelnicki won an NCAA Division II title as a player at North Dakota and has been on winning teams as a coach at the NCAA FBS, FCS, and Division II levels. After starting his coaching career at UND, he has also worked at Murray State, Truman State, and NCAA FBS Kansas State before returning to UND... University of Minnesota Duluth head coach Curt Wiese is in his fifth season guiding the Bulldogs and has produced a 51-10 overall record, three NCAA II playoff appearances, one overall NSIC title (with Minnesota State in 2014), four straight NSIC North Division crowns and a win in the 2015 Mineral Water Bowl. Weise joined UMD after two years as the head coach at Marietta College (2006-07) and was the Bulldogs offensive coordinator for five years (2008-12).

THE MARAUDERS-BULLDOGS SERIES HISTORY
(Bulldogs lead series 10-0)
In a series that began in 2006, the Bulldogs have won all ten meetings. The first meeting was Sept. 9, 2006 and ended with a 42-14 UMD win. The Marauders had more 1st downs (20-18), more total yards (375-372) and more passing yards (314 to 246) but the Bulldogs jumped out to a 21-0 lead... In 2008, Minnesota Duluth claimed a 44-7 win at home. RB Isaac Odim scored three TDs and DJ Winfield caught ten balls for 172 yards and a score. Jamal Lomax scored the lone Mary touchdown and ran for 63 yards... In 2009, UMD won 35-7 win as Odim ran for four touchdowns and 187 yards on 14 carries. Overall UMD ran for 259 yards but passed for just 64 yards as Chase Vogler was only 5-of-12 for 53 yards. The Marauders managed 249 yards, led by Lomax with 109 yards rushing on 29 carries... In the 2010 meeting in Duluth, MN, #2 UMD won 49-0 despite playing without All-American Isaac Odim. The Bulldogs rolled up 531 yards of offense, including 327 on the ground. The Marauders were limited to 235 yards offensively. Jamal Lomax ran for 65 yards to pace the Marauders. Craig Bagnell completed 18-of-27 passes for 152 yards and Bryan Sandy caught six balls for 47 yards. Marcus Parence led the defense with eight tackles. For UMD, Brad Foss ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns... 2011: Tyler Steffan caught a school-record four touchdown passes and Josh Edwards threw for 318 yards but the Marauders lost to #9 UMD 41-28. UMD ran for 410, including a 75-yard TD run by Austin Sikorski on the second play of the game. He finished the day with 185 yards and three scores on 19 carries. The Marauders matched the Sikorski score on their first offensive play when Edwards hit Steffan on a 64-yard  touchdown pass just 1:07 into the game. UMD then scored the next 27 points. Edwards was 28-of-40 passes for 318 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions... 2012: #9 UMD ran for 270 yards and passed for 294 in a 53-14 home win over Mary. Evan Gross ran for 67 yards to lead UM. Grant Singer had a game-high 14 tackles, Chase Vogler was 19-of-24 for 260 yards and 3 TDs for UMD... 2013: A dominant 3rd quarter by #5 Minnesota Duluth lifted the Bulldogs to a 32-14 win over the Marauders. Mary used a 37 yard Elby Pope touchdown catch from Zach Roberson and a Roberson 4-yard run to trail 17-14 at intermission. Aaron Sikorski and Logan Lauters both ran for UMD scores in the 3rd quarter  to take command of the game as the Bulldogs outgained the Marauders 160 yards to -6 in the stanza. UMD ran for 321 of its 348 yards of offense while U-Mary posted 226 yards. Roberson completed 20-of-33 passes for 189 yards. Pope caught six passes for 89 yards and a TD and Vince Ferrante ran for 55 yards. Grant Singer posted 13 tackles, including two sacks and three tackles for loss, and an interception for Mary. Sikorski led UMD with 113 yards rushing... 2014: Zach Roberson passes for 408 yards and four touchdowns and Elby Pope caught 10 passes for 183 yards and two scores but the Marauders were unable to overcome a 27-point halftime deficit in a 53-35 loss at #2 University of Minnesota Duluth. Down 34-7 at half, the Marauders scored three of the next four touchdowns to get within 41-28. Austin Bolton made 14 stops (6 solo) and Troy Guptill had 2.0 tackles for loss. Logan Lauters ran for 147 yards and two scores to lead UMD. Beau Bofferding ran for 4 TDs and 44 yards on seven carries. Drew Bauer ran for 70 yards and passed for 250 yards and two scores, completing 23-of-34 passes...  2015: UMD scored 28 points in the second quarter on the way to a 45-0 win at Mary. Drew Bauer passed 280 yards and four TDs on nine completions and ran for a score. Andrew Brees closed the scoring with a 57 yard field goal. Patrick Ryan had 11 tackles for UM and Landon Smith had three tackles behind the line... 2016: Brothers Zack Graves and Connor Graves scored the Marauders two touchdowns but the Bulldogs found the end zone early and often in a 75-14 UMD home win. Beau Bofferding scored the frst two touchdowns of the game, including a 79 yard score. UMD led 40-0 before Zack Graves caught a 4 yard touchdown pass. After another UMD score, Connor Graves returned a kick 87 yards just before halftime. Drew Bauer threw for three TDs and 173 yards on 13-of-17 passes. Bofferding ran nine times for 109 yards and two scores. UMD held a 610-249 edge in yards. Zack Graves ran for 62 yards and caught passes for 20 yards.

PAST MARAUDERS-BULLDOGS MEETINGS (UMD lead 10-0)
2016            #18 Minnesota Duluth 75     Mary 14                            Duluth, MN
2015            #21 Minnesota Duluth 45        Mary 0                                Bismarck, ND
2014            #2 Minnesota Duluth 53            Mary 35                            Duluth, MN
2013            #5 Minnesota Duluth 32            Mary 14                            Bismarck, ND
2012    #9 Minnesota Duluth 53    Mary 14        Duluth, MN
2011    #9 Minnesota Duluth 41     Mary 28        Bismarck, ND
2010    #2 Minnesota Duluth 49     Mary 0        Duluth, MN
2009    Minnesota Duluth 35     Mary 7        Bismarck, ND
2008    Minnesota Duluth 44     Mary 7        Duluth, MN
2006            Minnesota Duluth 42                 Mary 14                            Duluth, MN

QUICK LOOK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH BULLDOGS
Already guaranteed at least a share of their 10th straight NSIC North title, the Bulldogs are on the edge of making the NCAA playoffs. Minnesota Duluth was ranked eighth in the last NCAA Super Region Four rankings and the top seven teams qualify. UMD was the lone team among the ten listed in the regional rankings with multiple losses. The Bulldogs have won seven straight games. UMD has forced 30 turnovers, the most in the country this season, and is an NSIC-leading +11 in turnovers. So. QB Ben Everhart ic completing 59 percent of his passes and has thrown eight TDs to two interceptions. John Larson has passed for nine TDs and two interceptions. Jason Balts has caught 47 passes for 830 yards and seven scores. Dominic Bonner has 34 catches for 423 yards and six scores. Anthony Wood has ran for 625 yards and eight TDs. Zach Bassuener had 4.0 of UMD's 25 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. He has also recovered three fumbles. Karl Finkel has 10.0 tackles for loss.  

WEEK 10 REWIND
QB Garrett Weissinger ran for two TDs and connected with Jace Horman on a scoring pass but the visiting Marauders couldn't keep pace with Northern State University. The Wolves tied a school scoring record in a 66-21 win over the Marauders. Weissinger ran for a team-high 56 yards with scoring runs of 2 and 30 yards. He completed 8-of-13 passes for 132 yards and a score, connecting with Harmon on a 30 yard touchdown strike. Paul Guptill added 54 yards rushing for the Marauders, including a 26 yard burst. Brennan Doan caught four passes for 46 yards with a long of 40. Luke Little had two grabs for 30 yards. Defensively Chris Kraft registered a team-best nine tackles. Jarad Zittleman had a tackle for loss, recovered a fumble and broke up two passes. The Wolves ran for 406 yards and totaled 575 yards of offense and 30 first downs. Nicholas Truen ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Kelly added 109 yards and two touchdowns.

BIG LITTLE
True freshman WR Luke Little saw his consecutive catches for touchdowns streak end at Northern State. The first three catches Little made this season were all for touchdowns. Against the Wolves Little had two catches for 30 yards, including a 23 yard grab. Also a Wolves defender was called for pass interference while covering Little, resulting in a 15 yard penalty to the 3 yard line to set up the Marauders first score.

RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME
For the second time in three weeks, Fr. DB Jarad Zittleman broke up multiple passes in a game. After knocking down three passes against SCSU, he had two against NSU. All six of his breakups this season have come in the last three weeks.    

PINPOINT PRECISION
Soph. P Bailey Meyer is third in the NSIC in punting at 41.1 yards/attempt. Thirteen of his 50 attempts have been downed inside the 20 with just four rolling into the end zone for touchbacks. There have been nine fair catches called and eight punts over 50 yards. He is 1-for-2 passing with a 15 yard completion against the Dragons.

BIG HITTER - OFFENSE
Freshman DeShawn Gay leads the Marauders in rushing with 458 yards and three touchdowns in 74 carries, a stellar average of 6.2 yards/carry. He had a season-high 144 at Wayne State College, including a 59 yard scoring burst. Gay has three receptions for 148 yards, including two for scores (72 yards v BSU, 61 yards v SCSU).  

BIG HITTER - DEFENSE
Noah Krebs is 6th in the NSIC in tackles with 84 (47 solo). He had a career-high 15 tackles and forced a fumble against SCSU.

YOUNG
Eight of the top eleven tacklers this season are underclassmen for UMary, led by sophomore Noah Krebs (84), freshman Jarad Zittleman (60) sophomore Chris Kraft (54), freshmen linebackers Dylan Anthony (40), Casey Uhler (42) and Pat O'Connell (27) and sophomore linemen Daniel Hudrlik (28) and Luther Missoh (24). Senior defensive backs Jacob Parker (40) and Brady Zittleman (41) are 5-6 in tackles and Brock Pittsley is 10th.

BROTHERS Senior defensive back Brady Zittleman and his younger brother, redshirt freshman Jarad Zittleman, have played along side each other all season. This is the first time the two Mandan, ND, natives have played together.

BROTHERS PART TWO  In addition to the Zittleman brothers, the Marauders have three other brother combinations on the team. Sophomore LB Coleton Ford and R-Fr. SB Jaxon Ford are brothers from Bismarck, ND, sophomore LB Grady Blewett and freshman Will Blewett are brothers from Belgrade, MT, and junior PK Cody Goetz and FR WR Cameron Goetz are brothers from Eden Prairie, MN.