SATURDAY
The University of Mary opens Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division play at home against instate rival Minot State University in the Battle of the Big Lake with possession of the Big Lake trophy on the line. The Marauders-Beavers kickoff is set for 2:35 pm on Saturday, Sept. 30, at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.  

BATTLE OF THE BIG LAKE
This is the 5th annual "Battle of the Big Lake" travelling trophy between the University of Mary and Minot State University. Currently the Marauders-Beavers battle remains the only annual football game in North Dakota between two NCAA members. Mary has played Minot State 25 times, more than any other school. The series began in 1988 when Mary joined the North Dakota College Athletic Conference and went on a hiatus in 2005 when the Marauders moved to NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun. After a seven-year break following the 2005 contest, the two schools resumed the series in 2012 when Minot State was admitted into the Northern Sun.

BIG LAKE TROPHY
The Marauders won the first two "Battle of the Big Lake" travelling trophy games;  45-10 at home in 2013 and 31-29 on the road in (2014). The Beavers claimed the trophy for the first time in 2015 with a 15-9 overtime road win. Minot State maintained the trophy with a 21-20 home win in 2016.

TWO TRAVELING TROPHIES
The Marauders play two games annually for travelling trophies and the contests have brought out the best in Mary. Combined the Marauders are 10-6 in trophy games. The Marauders are 8-4 in the "Battle for the Paddle" with MSU Moorhead and 2-2 in the "Battle for the Big Lake" against Minot State.

MARAUDERS-BEAVERS GAME AIRING ON MIDCO SPORTSNET
For the second straight game, UMary will appear on Midco SportsNet. Air time for the Marauders-Beavers game is 2:30 pm with kickoff set for 2:35 pm. In addition to a full slate of 11 "NSIC Thursday Night Games of the Week," the Northern Sun and MidcoSN air another nine games on Saturdays... In addition to last Thursday's game at Upper Iowa and Saturday's tussle with Minot State, the Marauders play a second Thursday Night Game of the Week at Northern State on November 2.

THE RECORDS
The Marauders are 0-4 overall and in the Northern Sun... The Beavers are 0-4 overall and in the Northern Sun. Neither team has yet played a divisional game.

LAST WEEK
Playing Thursday night, the Marauders fell 58-14 at Upper Iowa... The Beavers lost their homecoming game to Winona State 47-7.

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 Beavers finished 3-8 overall and in the Northern Sun and 2-5 in the NSIC North.  

DIVISION ADDITION
After facing teams from the NSIC South for the first four weeks, the Marauders now begin playing fellow NSIC North teams for the next seven weeks. .

FIVE + 1 NUMBERS TO KNOW
213 The Marauders are third in the Northern Sun in rushing offense with 213 yards per game, despite facing two of the top three run defenses in the conference (Sioux Falls and Minnesota State)

56 Redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyson Carney scored his first collegiate touchdown when he caught a 56 yard scoring strike from Colton Farmer on the third play of the Upper Iowa game. Later in the game fullback Devin Hope ran for 92 yards with a 12 yard scoring burst, his first touchdown with the Marauders.  

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.

25 Starting in 1988, the Marauders have faced the Beavers 25 times in school history, including twice in the NSIC playoffs

1 Jarad Zittleman made the Marauders first interception of the season again Upper Iowa. It was also the first career pick for the Mandan, ND, native.

13-3 The combined record of the Marauders first four opponents is 13-3. Two foes are nationall-ranked - #6 Minnesota State and #7 Sioux Falls.

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 7-30 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... Minot State University head coach Mike Aldrich is in his first season with the Beavers and is the 21st head coach in the program's nearly 100 years. He was the assistant head coach and defensive line/linebackers coach at Southwest Minnesota State the last two years, where he was the 2016 AFCA D2 Assistant Coach of the Year. Aldrich compiled a record of 22-13 from 2010-12 as head coach at Augie, leading the Vikings to a playoff appearance and an 11-2 mark in 2010.

THE MARAUDERS-BEAVERS SERIES HISTORY
(MSU leads series 13-12)
An annual foe for the first 18 years of Marauders football (1988-2005), UMary trails the all-time series with Minot State 13-12...The Beavers have a 13-10 edge during the regular season but the Marauders have won the two playoff meetings (1993 and 2002)... Minot State won the first four match-ups with Mary but the Marauders captured nine of the last 14... 2004: The last Marauders-Beavers game in Bismarck until the 2013 season, Mary hosted Minot State on Oct. 2, 2004. Minot State scored first when Gabe Ellis returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown but the Marauders dominated the remainder of the game in a 13-7 win. Tom Kirchoffner scored on a 1 yard run to even the score late in the first quarter and Justin Lang kicked two field goals for the Marauders. Mary generated just 277 yards of offense but Minot State struggled more, compiling just 205 yards of offense. Kirchoffner completed 16-of-27 passes for 187 yards. Jake Pfau caught seven passes for 96 yards. Bobby Usher led the Marauders with eight tackles... 2012: Elby Pope exploded for 154 receiving yards and a touchdown and Zach Roberson threw for 328 yards in his first collegiate start, but the University of Mary was stunned in the fourth quarter of a 32-21 loss at Minot State University. The Beavers scored three touchdowns in the final stanza to pull out a victory... 2013: In its most dominating performance of the year, Mary scored 38 unanswered first-half points in a 45-10 homecoming win over Minot State University. The win was the 100th for Marauders head coach Myron Schulz. It was also the first "Battle of the Big Lake" travelling trophy. Mary forced four turnovers. One play after Preston Tescher blocked a punt Dariouse Gravely ran 42 yards for a TD. A 10 yard MSU punt led to a 2-yard Gravely TD. A Tescher fumble recovery of a MSU punt return turned into a Bagnell-to-Pope 18-yard TD pass. Bagnell later added two TD passes to Nick Jolliffe. CJ Drakeford closed the scoring on an interception return. Gravely ran for 84 yards and two TDs. Bagnell was 11-of-21 for 148 yards and three TDs. Jolliffe was 5-97-2. Grant Singer posted 2.0 tackles/loss and an interception. Troy Guptill had 1.5 TFL.. 2014: With Minot State facing 3rd-and-goal at the Marauders 5 with time running out, Seth Walton sacked Beavers QB Zac Cuhna and forced a fumble recovered by Grant Singer with 14 seconds left in the game to preserve a 31-29 Mary road win. The Marauders led 14-0 at intermission on two scoring runs by Ben Jolliffe. Two Leon La Deaux TD catches from Cuhna and a pickoff of a score game Minot State a 22-14 lead. A Dariouse Gravely scoring run, a touchdown pass by Ben Jolliffe to older brother Nick Jolliffe, and a Brody Riggs field goal midway through the fourth put the Marauders up 31-22. Ben Jolliffe ran for 75 yards and two scores and passed for 171 yards and a score. Nick Jolliffe caught 6-105-1. Singer had 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles and the fumble recovery. Guptill added 2.5 TFL. Cuhna threw for 370 yards and two scores and La Deaux was 6-124-2. Levi Freidt had 16 tackles... 2015: Jarvis Mustipher scored on a 2-yd run in overtime to lead the visiting Beavers to a 15-9 win over the Marauders. Zack Graves ran 36 yards for a TD in the 3rd quarter but the extra point attempt failed. A Charles Hall 1-yd TD run and a safety gave MSU a 9-6 lead but Cody Goetz forced overtime with a 27-yard field goal with :04 left in regulation. Caleb Buck passed for 214 yards and Graves ran for 67. Austin Bolton had 16 tackles. Mustipher ran for 154 yards... 2016 Zack Graves ran for 101 yards and threw a 58-yard scoring pass to Sam Saucedo, Cody Goetz made two field goals and Jacob Parker returned an interception for a touchdown but it was a late Minot State score that lifted the Beavers to a 21-20 win over the Marauders. The season finale, Ray Watkins caught a 1 yard scoring pass from Jose Escobar with 13:50 left in the game for Minot State to claim the win. All other points were scored in the first half. Danielle Whitaker had 14 tackles in his final game for UMary, including three for loss. Jarvis Mustipher ran for 96 yards and Escobar passed for 146 yards and two scores to lead MSU.

PAST MARAUDERS-BEAVERS MEETINGS (MSU leads series 13-12)
1988        Minot State 42        Mary 22                            Bismarck, N.D.
1989        Minot State 28        Mary 24                            Minot, N.D.    
1990        Minot State 26        Mary 7                                Bismarck, N.D.    
1991        Minot State 21        Mary 7                                Minot, N.D.
1992        Mary 26                        Minot State 23             Bismarck, N.D.
1993        Minot State 27        Mary 24                            Minot, N.D.
1993        Mary 31                        Minot State 20            Minot, N.D. (NAIA Playoff game)
1994         Minot State 31        Mary 24                            Bismarck, ND
1995        Mary 14                        Minot State 7                Minot, ND
1996        Minot State 23        Mary 7                                Bismarck, ND
1997        Minot State 21        Mary 7                                Minot, ND
1998        Mary 36                        Minot State 12            Bismarck, ND
1999        Mary 41                        Minot State 10            Minot, ND
2000        Mary 45                        Minot State 6                Bismarck, ND
2001        Mary 43                        Minot State 38            Minot, ND
2002        Minot State 35        Mary 21                            Bismarck, ND
2002         Mary 21                        Minot State 18            Bismarck, ND  (NAIA Playoff game)
2003        Mary 27                        Minot State 6                Minot, ND
2004        Mary 13                        Minot State 7                Bismarck ND
2005        Minot State 14        Mary 10                            Minot, ND
2012        Minot State 32        Mary 21                            Minot, ND
2013        Mary 45                        Minot State 10            Bismarck, ND
2014        Mary 31                        Minot State 29            Minot, ND
2015        Minot State 15        Mary 9 (OT)                Bismarck, ND
2016         Minot State 21        Mary 20                            Minot, ND

QUICK LOOK AT THE MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY BEAVERS
The Beavers join the Marauders and Minnesota Crookston as the three teams in the Northern Sun still searching for their first win... Minot State has faced one nationally-ranked team. Now #25 Winona State stopped MSU 47-7 to ruin the Beavers homecoming... QB Zac Cunha is in his sixth season at MSU as the starting quarterback. He missed the past two seasons due to injury and received a medical hardship in addition to using a redshirt season. He is averaging 186 yards passing/game and has five TDs and five interceptions... MSU is 12th in the NSIC in scoring offense (11.8 points/game) and 11th in scoring defense (31.8 ppg)... Larry Overstreet has a team-high 141 yards rushing and one TD... Lavante Bushnell has 15 catches for 198 yards and three TDs... Kiante Goudeau has two interceptions, returning one 42 yards for a score... Matt Marler has 4.5 tackles for loss.. Donnell Vercher and Bryce Broome both have 40 tackles.

WEEK 4 REWIND
The University of Mary scored the first and last touchdowns of the game but Upper Iowa University owned the middle. The Marauders committed five turnovers and couldn't slow a big play Peacocks offense in a 58-14 UMary road loss to UIU in the Northern Sun Thursday Night Game of the Week. Tyson Carney scored the games first TD on a 56 yard strike from Colton Farmer. Devin Hope closed the scoring with a 12 yard run in the fourth quarter. In between UIU scored 55 consecutive points. Carney caught two passes for 62 yards. Hope ran for 92 yards and a TD. Daniel Huderlik posted eight tackles and broke up two passes. UIU QB Brent Lammers completed 15-of-22 passed for 288 yards and three TDs and ran for 37 yards and 2 TDs to earn NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Jarred Edmonds caught 8 passes for 160 yards and 2 TDs.

PINPOINT ACCURACY
Soph. P Bailey Meyer downed four of his five punts against Upper Iowa inside the 20 yard line. He also had a long of 47 yards. For the year nine of his 22 punts have pinned opponents inside the 20 yard line.

RUSH HOUR
Soph. DL Daniel Hudrlik leads the team in sacks with 2.0 and in tackles for loss with 2.5. He also has broken up two passes. For the year he has 17 tackles.  

INFRACTION REDUCTION
The Marauders are risk adverse to taking penalties, ranking first in the NSIC in fewest penalty yards/game at 42. Additionally UM opponents are averaging 35 penalty yards per game, also the lowest mark.

TOWARDS TOP OF THE T.O.P.
UMary is second in the NSIC in time of possession at 34:02 per game. St. Cloud State leads at 37:41.

BIG HITTER
Freshman DeShawn Gay leads the Marauders in rushing with 215 yard. He has one touchdown and is averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He had a season-high 144 at Wayne State College.  

BIG HITTER 2
Noah Krebs is 10th in the NSIC in tackles with 34 (18 solo).

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.

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.