GAME SIX || SUNDAY, OCT. 13, 2019 || 12 PM
BISMARCK, N.D. || MDU RESOURCES COMMUNITY BOWL
UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS AT UMARY MARAUDERS

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THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa and UMary will wait an extra day to allow the snow to clear and roads to reopen due to an early winter storm that has enveloped North Dakota. Both teams enter the NSIC cross-division game looking for their first win after five straight losses to open their respective seasons. Weather will continue to be a factor in the game on Sunday as temperatures will only reach the mid to upper 30's with winds ranging from 10 to 15 mph. Each team has suffered their fair share of heartbreaking losses this season. UIU has dropped three of their games by a combined 14 points, while UMary lost to Minot State University by 5 and scored 32 points in a loss at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Head Coach Tom Shea is no stranger to UMary, he was the Marauder's head football coach from 1991-1997. UMary won two conference titles and were ranked nationally from 1991-1996. The Marauders qualified for the NAIA National Playoffs three times under Shea, and the team reached the quarterfinals in 1993 and the championship semifinals in 1995. Shea led the Marauders to a 46-15-1 record in six seasons.
 
LIVE OPTIONS… The game will be broadcast live on AM 950 KOEL with play-by-play by Joe Stasi. The game can be streamed through the NSIC app on Roku and Amazon Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android televisions. Live stats and a webcast are also available online at UIUPeacocks.com/Live.
 
THE SERIES… Between Upper Iowa's move up to NCAA Division II and invitation into the Northern Sun Conference prior to the 2006 season and the 2013 season, the Marauders owned a 4-0 record against the Peacocks. The two programs joined the NSIC together in the spring of 2006. UMary won two games in Fayette and two in Bismarck. The teams have only met three since then and Upper Iowa has claimed all three victories. Upper Iowa posted their first win in the series in Fayette in 2013 thanks to five touchdowns in the second and third quarters in a 36-7 decision. UIU's former quarterback Cole Jaeschke broke the all-time passing yardage record and the all-time touchdown passes record and former running back Chris Smith surpassed the 2,000-yard mark in his career in the game. Four years ago in­­ 2015, the Peacocks made it two in a row with a 34-16 victory in Bismarck. Wideout Jarred Edmonds scored three touchdowns in the second quarter as UIU broke a scoreless tie to take a 21-0 lead into halftime. The teams last met in 2017 for one of the first NSIC Thursday Night Games of the Week in Fayette. Upper Iowa took advantage of five Marauder turnovers to claim a 58-14 victory over the Marauders. Former quarterback Brent Lammers led the Peacock offense to 548 yards of total offense including 288 through the air and 260 on the ground.
 
MEDIC… The Peacock two-deep has had a ton of new names added to it over the last two weeks. Against Northern State University in week five, UIU was gutting through five starters not in the lineup including two on the defensive line and all three linebackers. While Tyreec Washington is set to return to the linebacking group, both defensive lineman are still out in week six. The injury bug made its way to the Peacocks offense during the game last Saturday. The Peacocks will have to make changes to three starting positions.
 
BALL SECURITY… Upper Iowa is a minus-8 in takeaways this season. The Peacocks have lost fumbles four times and thrown eight interceptions, while only gaining two fumbles and two interceptions. Last week was especially tough in the turnover category as the Peacocks turned it over four times without earning a takeaway in a 24-22 loss to Northern State. UMary comes into the game with a minus-12 in takeaways on the year. The Marauders have lost fumbles five times this season and thrown seven interceptions, while not posting a fumble recovery or interception through the first five weeks.
 
TWO-HEADED ATTACK… The Peacock rushing game has come on over the last four games thanks to the legs of freshman LeVon Bellemy and senior Matt McDonald. Bellemy is averaging 97.7 yards per game over the last three contests including 113 yards in back-to-back games against Southwest Minnesota State University and Northern State, while McDonald ran for 89 yards against Concordia University-St. Paul and 85 against SMSU. Bellemy scored his first two collegiate touchdowns last Saturday on runs on 5 and 2 yards.
 
LEADING THE DEFENSE… Senior Isaac Barrett and junior Erik Hansen are leading the Peacock defense this season. Barrett is dominating the UIU tackle total from his safety position with 41 stops, which ranks fifth in the conference. Barrett's total includes 21 solo tackles and a pair of tackles for loss. Hansen is second on the team in tackles with 22 including a team-high 8 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Hansen's tackles for loss rank second-best in the NSIC, while his sack total is tops among all defenders in the Northern Sun.