No. 19 Minnesota State to host (RV) Bemidji State in road battle
A road test awaits the Bemidji State University football program as it will take on No. 19 Minnesota State University, Mankato at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18 in Mankato, Minn.
Minnesota State leads the all-time series, 31-15-2. Both teams have traded wins over the last three meetings, most recently won by Minnesota State, 47-20, on Oct. 20, 2018 in Bemidji, Minn. The Mavericks lead 17-6-2 when playing in Mankato.
Saturday’s meeting between the two will be the first in the series when both teams received votes in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll. The series first began on Oct. 8, 1933, a 6-0 win by Bemidji State in Mankato.
Bemidji State moved to 2-0 to open the 2021 season following a 38-28 win over Wayne State College on Saturday, Sept. 11 in Bemidji, Minn. The Beavers opened their home schedule on First Responders Day at Chet Anderson Stadium.
The high-power offense of BSU continued to shine with 565 total yards, including 449 passing yards from sophomore quarterback Brandon Alt. The “Gang Green” defense limited Wayne State to 203 passing yards and recorded three takeaways in its second consecutive game.
Despite Alt’s first career interception during BSU’s second drive, the offense went 76 yards in 2:39 to take a 7-0 lead. WSC followed to answer BSU’s first two touchdowns to tie the game each time. BSU recorded its first interception of the season to set up a 93-yard scoring drive to give the Beavers a 21-14 lead at halftime.
The BSU defense brought in both of its fumble recoveries on WSC’s first two drives of the second half. Bemidji State scored touchdowns off each takeaway to pull ahead, 35-14, early in the third quarter.
Alt’s 449 passing yards was 51 yards shy of tying the BSU single-game record and stands as the second-most passing yards in program history. He added five touchdowns through the air, setting career highs in both touchdowns and passing yards. Alt has now thrown for 300+ yards in back-to-back games, becoming the first Beaver to do so since Jordan Hein from Oct. 22-Oct. 29, 2016.
Alt earned his first career NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honor after a 63.6 completion percent and an average of 16.0 yards per completion. He threw for 434 through the first three quarters against WSC.
The Bemidji State receiving corps benefited from Alt’s performance as junior wide receiver Brendan Beaulieu recorded 172 receiving yards on seven catches. Junior wide receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby brought in five receptions for 94 yards while freshman wide receiver Bubba Peters caught three touchdowns on six receptions and junior tight end Bryce Duffy caught two touchdowns on three receptions. Peters is the first Beaver to record three touchdown receptions in a game since Landon Jones did so on Nov. 3, 2018 against Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Sophomore running back Sage Booker averaged 4.8 yards per carry against the Wildcats, totaling 76 yards on 16 carries. Fellow sophomore back Makaio Harn recorded 62 rushing yards on 20 carries. Both backs recorded multiple receptions, Harn with four receptions for 39 yards and Booker with two catches for 21 yards.
Sophomore defensive back Keontay Shorter assisted in two takeaways for BSU, including an interception and one forced fumble. Shorter added four tackles while freshman defensive back Colton Herman led the defense with eight tackles, including 1.0 tackle for a loss and one forced fumble.
BSU totaled three sacks against WSC while allowing just one against the Beavers’ offensive line. Junior defensive lineman Ryan Schnobrich, junior linebacker Zollie Kaplan and freshman linebacker Ty Guden each totaled 1.0 sack, including one forced fumble by Kaplan.
Bemidji State received votes in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll for the second straight week, garnering four votes compared to one following week one’s win over Sioux Falls. Saturday’s meeting against MSU will be the first time in the series that both teams are receiving votes in the AFCA Top 25 Poll.