GAME ELEVEN || Saturday, November 15, 2014 || 1:00 PMMankato, Minn. || Blakeslee StadiumUpper Iowa University at Minnesota State University, Mankato
LIVE OPTIONS
LIVE STATS | LIVE WEBCAST | NSIC SCORES | AM 950 KOEL
WEEKLY NOTES
UPPER IOWA | MINNESOTA STATE | NORTHERN SUN | TWO DEEPS
THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa is on the road this week for their final game of the 2014 season. The Peacocks will take on the top team in the nation when they line up against the Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Upper Iowa is coming off a 45-21 loss on the road at the University of Sioux Falls; the #17 Cougars took a 38-0 lead into the third quarter before UIU scored 21 of the game's final 28 points. Minnesota State is undefeated this season with a perfect 10-0 record overall and a 6-0 mark against the south division. The Mavericks defeated Wayne State College 49-0 last Saturday and remain the #1 team in the latest NCAA Super Region 3 Poll. Upper Iowa will see 25 young men end their career in the Peacock blue and white this Saturday in Mankato.
THE SERIES... The Mavericks have won all eight meetings in the series which began in 2004 and 2005 when Upper Iowa was moving up to NCAA Division II and then restarted when Minnesota State gained membership in the Northern Sun Conference prior to the 2008 season.
CLOSING OUT HISTORICAL CAREERS... Peacock fans have seen Upper Iowa's football record books rewritten over the last decade since UIU joined the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Now fans of the NSIC will have the same opportunity as seniors Cole Jaeschke, Chris Smith, Shay Gutman, Derek Giesking and Lucas Hefty will leave their names in the top ten and in some cases the top slot in many categories among the greatest to play football in the Northern Sun Conference and NCAA Division II. As this year's senior class closes their careers on Saturday, their legacy will live on for decades to come. Jaeschke is the Northern Sun's all-time leader in passing yards with 11,418 and total offense with 11,868 yards in 42 NSIC games. Jaeschke passed Phillip Klaphake of St. Cloud State for the NSIC total offense record two weeks ago against Wayne State. Smith has rushed for 4,293 in 33 NSIC games, which ranks second all-time behind Winona State's Rayon Simmons (4,805). Gutman became UIU's leader in career receiving yards against Concordia and now has 2,815. Giesking broke UIU's record for career receptions last week at Sioux Falls and now has 198, with Gutman close behind at 194 in his career. Dwayne Croker (2004-07) caught 194 passes. Giesking also set a new single-game record (15) and single-season record (83 with one game to play) for receptions. Both receivers are currently third and fourth all-time in the NSIC chasing the conference's career record for receptions which is set at 210. Hefty's 174 receptions are the sixth highest total in NSIC history.
PEACOCK LEADERS IN THE NCAA DIVISION II AND NSIC... Many of the Peacock players are ranked among the nation's best this season. Here is a quick look at the some of the top marks with NCAA and NSIC ranks in parentheses. Cole Jaeschke... Completions/Game (3rd NCAA/1st NSIC), Completion % (36th/4th), Passing TD's (34th/5th), Passing Yds. (8th, 2nd), PY/Game (11th, 2nd) and Total Offense (18th, 2nd). Chris Smith... All-Purpose Yds (19th, 1st), Points Responsible For/Game (56th, 10th), Rushing TD's (4th, 1st), Rushing Yds (28th, 3rd), RY/Game (9th, 1st) and Scoring (4th, 1st). Shay Gutman... Receiving TD's (35th, 4th), Receiving Yards (35th, 5th), RY/G (42nd, 6th) and Receptions/Game (23rd, 4th). Alex Wahl... Forced Fumbles (28th, 2nd), Solo Tackles (3rd, 1st), Tackles for Loss (23rd, 2nd) and Total Tackles (15th, 3rd). Derek Giesking... RY/Game (35th, 4th) and Receptions/Game (3rd, 1st). Chayz Holt... Interceptions (6th, 2nd) and Passes Defended (9th, 2nd). Javon Moore... Interceptions (22nd, 3rd) and Passes Defended (27th, 5th). Tyler Fisher... Tackles for Loss (61st, 8th) and Total Tackles (90th 12th). Trey MacTaggart... Combined Kick Returns (111th, 11th) and Punt Return TD's (4th, 1st). Zach Gardner... Fumbles Recovered (37th, 2nd). Team... Passes Intercepted (8th, 2nd), Red Zone Defense (48th, 2nd), 4th Down Conversion % (8th, 2nd), 4th Down Conversion % Defense (71st, 6th) and Turnovers Gained (14th, 2nd).
ABOUT #1 MINNESOTA STATE: (Courtesty of Maverick Sports Information) The 2014 season marks the school's 88th season playing football. The Mavericks are 416-377-28 (.523) in 821 games since their inception as a varsity sport in 1922. Minnesota State is in its seventh season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and owns a 61-9 (.871) record in league action. Over the course of its history, MSU has claimed 19 conference championships, including 16 NIC titles. Last season, the Mavericks won the NSIC Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Grabbing the Reigns: The 2014 season marks the fifth season with head coach Todd Hoffner on the sidelines. During his five seasons at Minnesota State, Hoffner has compiled a 44-13 (.771) record, including a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 and 2009.
Junior Chad Zastrow tallied 162 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Peacocks last season. Junior Justin Otto also recorded a team-high five tackles, including two for a loss, while senior Nathan Hancock recorded one interception.
Concerning the Mavericks: Minnesota State improved to 10-0 overall and 6-0 in NSIC South Division competition last Saturday as it defeated the Wayne State Wildcats 49-0 on the road. The Mavericks have now won at least a share of the NSIC South Division Championship and can secure at least a share of the NSIC Championship with a win over Upper Iowa.
Sophomore Nick Pieruccini tallied 91 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Wildcats, to go along with 297 passing yards and a touchdown pass. Both senior Dorian Buford and Austin Rieder each tallied 108 receiving yards, with Rieder catching a touchdown pass.
Senior Nathan Hancock, along with juniors Tyler Henderson and Josh Gordon, each tallied a team-high six tackles, while senior Kris Fleigle returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown.
As a team, MSU has tallied 4,577 yards of total offense on the season, including 2,601 yards on the ground. The Mavericks have also posted 440 points through 10 games.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Mavericks have three shutouts on the season and have only allowed a total of 115 points through 10 games. The three shutouts this season are the most since the 1972 season when the Mavericks posted four shutouts.
