THURSDAY
In their final Northern Sun divisional crossover game of the season, the University of Mary football team makes their first NSIC Thursday Night Game of the Week appearance on Midco SportsNet when the Marauders visit Upper Iowa University on Sept. 21. Kickoff between the Marauders and the Peacocks is 7:07 pm at Harms-Eischeid Stadium (3,500). 
 
THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 0-3 overall and in the Northern Sun... The Peacocks are 2-1 overall and in the Northern Sun. Neither team has yet played a divisional game. 
 
LAST WEEK
Facing a nationally-ranked team for the second time in two home games, the Marauders fell 38-7 to #7 University of Sioux Falls... The Peacocks went on the road and scored the final 24 points of the game in a 31-14 win at Northern State.
 
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 Peacocks finished 3-8 overall and in the Northern Sun and 2-5 in the NSIC South.  
 
NSIC THURSDAY NIGHT GAME OF THE WEEK ON MIDCO SPORTSNET
The Marauders-Peacocks game is UMary's "NSIC Thursday Night Game of the Week" debut. Midco SportsNet will air the game live throughout the region beginning at 7 pm on Thursday, Sept. 21, from Fayette, IA. David Brown will handle the play-by-play duties for Midco SportsNet while Thayer Trenhaile provides the color commentary... This is the first season the NSIC and MidcoSN have combined for a full slate of Thursday night games. In addition to one game each Thursday during the regular season, MidcoSN will also air another nine games on Saturdays... The Marauders play a second a second Thursday Night Game of the Week when UMary visits Northern State on November 2... Additionally the UMary home game vs. Minot State on Saturday, Sept. 30, will air live on MidcoSN. 
 
STAR LIGHT STAR BRIGHT
Among the Marauders first four games, UMary plays three night games starting at 6 pm or later, including this Thursday at Upper Iowa. Last Saturday's 1 pm start against Sioux Falls was the only afternoon game during this early stretch. Overall UMary plays four night games this year, including three times on a Thursday.
 
DRIVE TIME
The longest trip this season for UMary, the Marauders will travel 617 miles from Bismarck, ND, to Fayette, IA, for the NSIC game. 
 
EARLY DEPARTURE
Typically the Marauders will depart campus on a Friday for an away game. With this week's game on a Thursday, the Marauders left on a Wednesday, reducing typical preparations by a couple of days. 
 
CROSSOVER
After four weeks, this is the final weekend of divisional crossover games between the North and South Divisions in the Northern Sun. Beginning next week, conference teams will begin to play teams within their own division. The Marauders will open their divisional schedule at home against instate rival Minot State University on Sept. 30. 
 
FIVE NUMBERS TO KNOW
204 The Marauders are second in the Northern Sun in rushing offense with 204 yards per game, despite facing two of the top four run defenses in the conference (Sioux Falls and Minnesota State)
 
69 Redshirt freshman Jordan Beaty scored his first collegiate touchdown against the University of Sioux Falls, streaking past the Cougars defense for a 69 yard touchdown reception from Colton Farmer. Not your typical freshman, Beaty graduated high school in 2010 and is a veteran of the United State Navy. He also had a 7 yard run in the game.
 
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 will honor the members of the 1988 team - known as The Originals - the weekend of Sept. 30 when Minot State visits.
 
16 Noah Krebs made a game- and career-high 16 tackles and broke up a pass against Sioux Falls. His tackle total was the third-highest total in NCAA Division II last weekend. 
 
0 While the Marauders have thrown the fewest passes (23) in the NSIC this season due to the triple option offense, UMary is also the only team that hasn't allowed their quarterback to be sacked this season. 
 
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 7-29 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... A familiar face to long-time Marauders fans, Tom Shea enters his 9th season as the head coach of the Peacocks. Shea became the 15th Upper Iowa head coach in January 2009 and has a record of 33-58 with the Peacocks. This is sixth head coaching job in his career. Shea spent six seasons as head coach of the Marauders (1991-96) where he was 46-15-1 and led UMary to three NAIA playoff appearances and one NDCAC title. In the year prior to joining UMary, Shea led Peru State to the 1990 NAIA Division II national title. 
 
THE MARAUDERS-PEACOCKS SERIES HISTORY 
(Marauders lead series 4-2)
After the Marauders won the first four games in the series, the Peacocks captured the last meetings... The Marauders are 2-1 at home and 2-1 on the road. 2006: The Marauders won the opening meeting over the Peacocks 42-13 behind a stout defense and a strong running game. Led by Justin Fleck, who ran the ball 19 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns, the Marauders piled up 232 yards on the ground while limiting UIU to seven yards rushing. Bayland Rippenkroger caught a touchdown pass and also ran for a score. Jesse Laber had 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks to lead the defense. Dwayne Croker had eight catches for 98 yards to lead UIU... 2007: Erik Kruse caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Blair Sandy with 8:09 to play in a 19-14 Marauders road win. Rett Thibodeaux kicked two field goals and Jesus Gallegos also caught a scoring pass. Rippenkroger ran for 122 yards on 32 carries for UMary and TC Hicks had 105 for UIU. Shawn Melland led the Marauders defense with 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss. He also had an interception... 2008: The Marauders rallied from a 15 point deficit to defeat the Peacocks 34-31 on the road. Jamal Lomax ran for 106 yards and scored the winning touchdown with 2:35 left in the game. It was his third touchdown of the day. Jesse Kozak passed for 269 yards and two scores. Roman Penirian caught nine passes for 160 yards and a score. Chris Moody led the Marauders with nine tackles and James Patterson had 1.5 tackles for loss. Sam Epsteen led UIU with 152 yards rushing and three scores... 2009: Down ten points late in the first half, the Marauders ran off 28 straight points in a 48-31 home win over the Peacocks. Jamal Lomax sprinted 50 yards for one score and Brady Martin caught two touchdown passes as UMary rang up 570 yards of offense. Lomax ran for 199 yards and Terry Newsome caught five balls for 128 yards and a score. Henry Lau passed for 369 yards and four touchdowns. Ben Curran passed for 324 yards for UIU. Sean Ziehlke led U-Mary's defense with an interception and a forced fumble and Xavier Cleveland had 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception... 2013: The Marauders forced five Peacocks turnovers on a wet and windy day but couldn't capitalize in a 36-7 road loss. U-Mary scored first on a Craig Bagnell to Jeremy Mayfield 69 yard pass play to cap a 99 yard drive. The Peacocks then rattled off 36 straight points. UIU led 14-7 at intermission and scored 22 points in the 3rd quarter when UMary was forced to play into the driving wind. Bagnell completed 21-of-43 passes for 233 yards with one TD and two INTs. DJ Young caught four passes for 65 yards. Mayfield had three catches for 77 yards. He also had three kick returns for 118 yards, including a 90 yard return. Troy Guptill totaled 3.0 sacks, 12 tackles (9 solo), and forced a fumble. Grant Singer registered 15 tackles (9 solo), recovered a fumble and made an interception. Upper Iowa dominated the stat page. The Peacocks had advantages in first downs (31 to 15), yards rushing (256 to 67), yards passing (317 to 242) and total offense (573 to 309)... 2015: The Peacocks scored the first 31 points of the game (21 in 2nd quarter, 10 in 3rd) on the way to a 34-16 win It was Upper Iowa's first win in Bismarck. Jerrod Edmonds scored all three UIU touchdowns in the second quarter, covering 14-, 2-, and 31 yards from Dmitri Morales. The Marauders 1st score came on a 73 yd run by Coleman Olivas on a fake punt. Ben Jolliffe later caught a 3 yd scoring pass from Caleb Buck. UIU held a 515-338 lead in yards. Morales passed for 446 yards and 4 TDs. Edmonds caught 7-103-3 and Trey MacTaggart's line was 9-158-0. Buck passed for 216 yards. Nick Kottre caught 5-55-0, Jolliffe 7-52-0 and Brennan Doan 7-47-0. Shawn Fulwider had 1.5 sacks for UM. Danielle Whitaker broke up three passes. 
      
PAST MARAUDERS-PEACOCKS MEETINGS 
(Marauders lead series 4-2)
2006       UMary 42             UIU 13                   Bismarck, ND
2007       UMary 19             UIU 14                   Fayette, IA
2008       UMary 34             UIU 31                   Fayette, IA
2009       UMary 48             UIU 31                   Bismarck, ND
2013       UIU 36                   UMary 7                                Fayette, IA
2015       UIU 34                   UMary 16             Bismarck, ND
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY PEACOCKS
Peacocks are 2-0 on the road and 0-1 (vs. #20 Minnesota Duluth) at home... Forced three turnovers and held a 410-154 advantage in total yards in 31-14 win at Northern State... Limited the Wolves to 52 yards rushing... Keith Schwickerath has three blocked punts this season for UIU and was the NSIC special teams player of the week for week 1. He is also 11th in the NSIC with a team-high 26 tackles... JR QB Brent Lammers is second in the NSIC in total offense at 268.3 yards per game. He is completing 59.6 percent of his passes for 214 yards/game and has three touchdown passes and three interceptions... Antoine Connor has 173 yards and two TDs rushing... Jarred Edmonds (19-261-1) and Brandon Tulloch (18-188-1) are 4th and 7th in the NSIC in receptions, respectively...Jordan Rommes has two interceptions... JoJo Simpson has three sacks and five tackles for loss.
 
WEEK 3 REWIND
Facing the nation's top run defense, the University of Mary ground game outperformed the 7th ranked University of Sioux Falls Cougars two  previous opponents but the results remained the same as the Marauders  dropped a 38-7 decision to visiting  USF. Sioux Falls limited their first two opponents this season to a combined -17 yards rushing and one  touchdown in each game. The Marauders, second in rushing  in the Northern Sun, churned out 104 yards on the ground but couldn't  consistently  sustain  drives. While focused on the ground, the UMary lone Marauders touchdown of the game came  through  the  air.  Trailing  21-0  late in  the  second  half,  Colton  Farmer  found Jordan Beaty streaking down the slot and hit  the  redshirt  freshman  in  stride  for  a 69  yard  touchdown. It is the first  career touchdown  for  the  United  States  Navy veteran. UMary  generated 188  yards of offense. Farmer ran for 46 yards and completed  2-of-3  passes  for  84  yards. Beaty had  a  69  yard  reception  and  DeSahwn Gay  caught  one  pass  for  15  yards. Noah Krebs  led  the  Marauders  defense  with  a game-high 16 tackles. He also broke up a pass. Jarad Zittleman had nine tackles and Dylan Anthony eight. Ryan Naki broke up two passes. 
 
STAR LIGHT STAR BRIGHT
Among the Marauders first four games, Saturday's tilt against the Cougars is the only afternoon contest for the Marauders. The other three games, including a Thursday night game at Upper Iowa on Sept. 21, starts at 6 pm or later. Overall UMary plays four night games this year.
 
RUSH HOUR
Soph. DL Daniel Hudrlik leads the team in sacks after posting a pair of sacks in the opening game of the season against Minnesota State. He has half the Marauders season total of four. 
 
TRAFFIC STOP 
While the Marauders defense already has four sacks this season, UMary quarterbacks have not yet been taken down while attempting to throw. The Marauders line will be challenged by an Upper Iowa defense that is second in the NSIC in sacks with 10.  
 
INFRACTION REDUCTION 
The Marauders are risk adverse to taking penalties, ranking fifth in the NSIC in fewest penalty yards/game at 48.3. Only two league teams have committed fewer penalties than the 14  UMary has been whistled for. 
 
TOWARDS TOP OF THE T.O.P.
UMary is second in the NSIC in time of possession at 33:19 per game. St. Cloud State leads at 37:15.
 
BIG HITTER
Freshman DeShawn Gay is sixth in the NSIC in rushing yards at 66/game. He is averaging 6.4 yards/carry, lugging the ball 31 times for 198 yards. He had a season-high 144 against Wayne State College.  
 
EFFICIENCY EXPERT
Colton Farmer leads the NSIC in passing efficiency with a mark of 210.7. He is 10-of-15 for 218 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. 
 
BROTHERS
Senior defensive back Brady Zittleman and his younger brother, redshirt freshman Jarad Zittleman, both started in the defensive backfield against Minnesota State. It was the first time the two Mandan, ND, natives have played together in a varsity contest. They are 2-3 on the team in tackles this season; Jarad has 20 and Brady 16.  
 
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.