GAME FOUR || SATURDAY, SEPT. 26, 2015 || 6:05 PM
DULUTH, MINNESOTA || JAMES S. MALOSKY STADIUM
UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH

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LIVE OPTIONS
LIVE STATS || LIVE WEBCAST || AM 950 KOEL || NSICSCORES.COM

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WEEKLY NOTES
UPPER IOWA || #25 MINNESOTA DULUTH || NORTHERN SUN || TWO DEEPS
 
THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa travels north this week to face the #25 Bulldogs of the University of Minnesota Duluth at 6.05PM on Saturday. The Peacocks will put their 3-0 record and their 9 game winning streak against the NSIC North Division on the line. Minnesota Duluth has not had the start they would have liked as the Bulldogs currently sit 1-2 in the NSIC. However, UMD lost to #1 Minnesota State 20-17 and #12 Sioux Falls 35-31; both losses came on the road. In between the two losses, the team dominated Wayne State 48-7. Upper Iowa has been fueled by their defense which is holding opponents to a 24% conversion rate on third downs and a 33% conversion rate in the red zone. The Bulldogs won't hurt themselves committing only 11 penalties through the first three games.
 
THE SERIES... UMD own 5-0 record against the Peacocks since Upper Iowa moved up to NCAA Division II. The Bulldogs have won three games in Fayette and two at home. The last time the two teams got together was in September 2013 in Fayette; Minnesota Duluth jumped out to a 28-0 lead on the way to a 37-19 victory.  Since the last meeting, Upper Iowa has gone undefeated in 9 chances against NSIC North.
 
EXTRA SPECIAL TEAMS... Last Saturday, the Upper Iowa special teams posted 17 points in UIU's 45-3 victory over Minnesota Crookston. Freshman Jordan Rommes blocked a punt, scooped the ball and scored in the first quarter to give the home team a 14-0 lead. In the second quarter, redshirt-freshman Brady Beuschel kicked a 23 yard field goal pushing UIU's lead to 24-0 at half. In the third quarter, Tate Thompson capped off the big day for special teams with a 44 yard punt return for a touchdown. UIU's two blocked punts this season are the second most across the country while their 15.3 yard per punt return are 28th best nationally.
 
DOMINANT DIMITRI... Peacock quarterback Dimitri Morales' 31.3 completions per game are the second highest average in all of NCAA Division II and is tenth in the nation in passing yards with 1014.  He is connecting with his receivers and backs at a clip of 66.2%, which ranks 16th in the country and 2nd in the conference.  Thanks to some extra yards on the ground, he is 15th in the nation and 1st in the NSIC in total offense with 352.7 yards per game. His 6 passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns have accounted for 54 points, the 27th highest total in the nation and 2nd in the conference.
 
EIGHTS ENOUGH... The Peacock defense has been stout through the first three weeks of the season allowing only five scores; two touchdowns and three field goals for an average of 8.3 points per game.  The 25 points allowed ranks 7th in the nation and 1st in the NSIC, while their 7 interceptions are the 5th most in the country and also lead the NSIC.  Tate Thompson and Darius Cohen each have two picks which rank them 14th in the nation and first in the NSIC. Marcus McCoy, Alex Wahl and Matt Sharp all have an interception as well. 
 
THREE'S COMPANY... Jarred Edmonds, Trey MacTaggart, Jalen Amis, Cameron Lee have combined for 696 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns on 64 catches.  Amis leads the way with 28 catches, including 10 last week, which ranks 6th nationally and 1st in the NSIC, while MacTaggart has the high in yards with 266, which is 42nd best in the country and 5th in the conference.  Edmonds' three touchdowns, all of which came in the second quarter against U-Mary, are the 26th highest tally in the nation and 4th in the Northern Sun.
 
RADIO...  Upper Iowa Peacock football can be heard throughout the remainder of the 2015 season courtesy of AM 950 KOEL.
 
THE BROADCAST TEAM... Play-by-play announcer, and Upper Iowa alum, Joe Stasi is in his 13th consecutive season as the "Voice of the Peacocks" and 15th overall. For the fourth consecutive year he is joined on the broadcast by Zach Carlyle, a recent graduate (2015) of Upper Iowa.  The pre-game show is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.