Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University football team will open the 2018 home season tomorrow against Minot State in the MidcoSN Game of the Week. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Swisher Field in the 4^th Annual InsuraCrop Ag Bowl.
 
The Northern State University Wolves fell to Bemidji State 38-17 in the season opener a week ago. Mitch Tschakert, Gerald Maxwell, and Jacob Streit (Trautman) combined for the Wolves 17 points in the loss. Northern tallied 27 first downs to the Beavers 19, and converted on 11-of-25 third downs.  NSU combined for 173 yards rushing and 202 yards passing, for 375 yards of total offense. Streit led the Wolves receivers in his first career start with 86 yards, including a 26 yard long. Hunter Trautman threw for a game high 202 yards, completing 20-of-43 attempts, however gave up the only interception of the game. Chaka Kelly led the Wolves rushers with 72 yards, followed by Maxwell and Trautman with 66 and 46 respectively. Noah MacPherson led the Wolves defense with 14 tackles in the game, including eight solo stops. Preston Droessler tallied the lone pass break-up of the evening, and likewise, Josh Coyle notched the long sack for a total loss of 11 yards. Jacob Wiedrich punted for 238 yards, with a 47-yard long and 39.7 net punt average. Tschakert connected for 1-of-2 field goals, and hit both PATs.
 
Weather Forecast
                • Thursday calls for partly cloudy skies. A high of 76 and a low around 55, with east-northeast winds at 10-15 mph.
 
About the Beavers         
                • Minot State enters week two after a 49-3 home loss versus Minnesota Duluth.
                • The Beavers entered the 2018 season picked sixth in the NSIC North and 13th in the league overall, after a 3-8 record last year.
                • MSU returns five starters on offense led by Honorable Mention All-NSIC selection junior Lavante Bushnell at wide receiver.
                • Minot also returns Second Team All-NSIC cornerback Kiante Goudeau. Goudeau topped the Beavers with five interceptions and finished the season with 63 total tackles.
                • Bushnell led the receivers in the opener with two catches for a total of 14 yards.
                • Both Ben Bolinske and Andy Jones saw time at quarterback, combined for 49 total yards and nine completions.
                • Jemal Williams and Chris Rivers led the defense with seven tackles apiece, while Goudeau notched two interceptions for 65 returns yards.
                • The Beavers are led by head coach Mike Aldrich in his second season at the helm.
 
Last Match-Up
                • The Wolves defeated the Beavers 27-19 on the road in 2017, scoring all 27 points in the first half.
                • Nicholas Truen tallied two rushing scores, while Cameron Eisenhauer scored on a TD pass from Hunter Trautman and Noah MacPherson returned an interception 32-yards to the goal line.
                • Trautman threw for 204 total yards with one touchdown and a 35 yard long to Nick Kayl.
                • Josh Coyle led the Wolves defense with 11 tackles, followed by MacPherson with eight.
                • Northern is 15-5-1 all-time against Minot State, and currently on an 8-game win streak.
 
A Season Ago
                • The Wolves went 6-5 overall and 5-2 in the NSIC North Division in 2017, while the Beavers went 3-8 overall and 3-4 in the North.