Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University football team hits the road this Saturday for their final match-up of the 2017 season. The Wolves will face off against the Golden Eagles of Minnesota Crookston at 1 p.m. from Ed Widseth Field.
 
Northern is coming off a 66-21 win over U-Mary in the MidcoSN Game of the week, where Nicholas Truen rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns earning the NSIC Player of the Week honor. NSU tied the single game school record for points scored with 66 against the University of Mary in the home finale. NSU notched a game leading 406 yards rushing, 169 yards passing, and 575 yards of total offense, while averaging 9.0 yards per carry and 8.5 yards per completion. Defensively NSU held Mary to 165 yards rushing and 159 yards passing, with two sacks for a total loss of nine yards. Truen broke into the top-5 in the NSIC averaging 80.9 yards per game with 809 total yards. Zech Culbreath is second in the NSIC in kick returns, averaging 26.0 yards per return with 390 yards. Preston Droessler is fourth in the league averaging .55 sacks per game, while Noah MacPherson is fourth averaging .30 forced fumbles per game. Josh Coyle leads the league in fumbles recovered with three this season.
 
About the Golden Eagles
• Minnesota Crookston enters the final game of the 2017 season without a win, being out-scored by their opponents by 330 points.
• The Golden Eagles are averaging 12.1 points per game, with 51.5 yards rushing, 177.9 yards passing, and 229.4 yards of total offense.
• Adam Connette leads the receivers with 661 yards and eight touchdowns.
• Quarterback Joseph Nava has 1,214 yards passing this season, averaging 151.8 per game, with ten touchdowns.
• Cole Will leads the Golden Eagle defense with 82 total tackles, as well as three interceptions.
• Crookston is last in the NSIC in scoring, total offense, pushing, field goals, PAT kicking, sacks against, and conversion of first, third, and fourth downs.
• UMC is led by head coach Mark Dufner in his first season at the helm.
 
Last Match-Up
• The Wolves defeated the Golden Eagles 66-14 from Swisher Field, setting the single game scoring record.
• Seven Wolves scored in the victory including Christian McAlvain, Zech Culbreath, Stephan Erlandson, Chaka Kelly, Brady Thielges, Zachery Barber, and Nathan Shaw.
• NSU tallied 485 yards of total offense, while UMC notched just 193.
• Noah MacPherson led the Wolves defense with nine tackles, including a half sack for a total loss of four yards.
• Northern is 17-1 all-time against Minnesota Crookston, and 7-0 in the Dosch era.
 
A Season Ago
• The Wolves went 6-5 overall and 4-3 in the NSIC North Division in 2016. The Golden Eagles went 0-11 overall and 0-7 in the North a season ago.
 
Weather Forecast
• Saturday calls for sunny skies with a high of 31 and WNW winds at 10-15 mph.
 
#DayByDay
• Sam Altena (RB) and Isaiah Nolan (DL) were named the scout team players of the week for the Wolves.