The Bemidji State University Beavers football team travels to Winona, Minn. this Saturday to complete against the Winona State University Warriors at 1 p.m.
Winona State leads the all-time series against Bemidji State 46-33-1. In recent years, the Beavers have found a spark and are on a three-game win streak over the Warriors with the most recent meeting ending in a 36-10 victory for BSU on Sep. 16, 2023 at Chet Anderson Stadium. The Beavers have not travelled to Winona since Aug. 31, 2017, a game which they lost 30-20.
The Beavers are 5-2 this season with a 4-2 record in NSIC play.
BSU comes into the weekend after a dominating win over Minot State University last Saturday. In the 20th-straight victory over the MSU Beavers, BSU took the win by a score of 21-9.
Offensively, the Beavers are led by Jayden Washington on the ground, Sam McGath through the air and Brice Peters on the receiving end.
Washington has marked 79 rushing attempts this season with 416 net yards and two touchdowns. McGath has also been a large factor in the Beavers’ run game, marking 72 attempts with 298 yards and four touchdowns, two coming last weekend against Minot State.
McGath found his spot as the No. 1 quarterback for the Beavers, completing 121 of 190 passes with 14 passing touchdowns and a completion percentage of .637. He averages 196.57 passing yards per game.
Peters leads the Beavers’ receiving core by over 300 yards with 619 on 36 receptions and eight touchdowns. Just behind him is Drayton Lehman with 316 yards on 37 receptions with two touchdowns.
Defensively, Colton Hinrichs has marked the most total tackles with 40, 20 solo and 20 assisted. Defensive linemen Marcus Hansen and Stephen Hoffman have each dominated in opponents’ backfields, each grabbing 6.5 tackles for a loss with Hansen tallying 38 TFL yards and Hoffman marking 25. Hansen also leads the team with 4.5 sacks for 28 total yards.
The Beavers have found themselves in the high ranks of many NCAA Division II statistical categories this season. Currently, the Beavers are ninth in 4th down conversion percentage, fourth in blocked punts, first in blocked punts allowed, seventh for time of possession, and ninth in total defense.
Along with multiple NCAA Top 10 stats, the Beavers are 15th in 3rd down conversions on both offense and defense, 12th in first downs defense, tackles for loss allowed and scoring defense, 21st for completion percentage, 24th in kickoff return defense, 17th in passing yards allowed and 24th in rushing defense and offense.
The team leads the NSIC in 3rd down conv. on offense and defense, blocked punts and blocked punts allowed, first down defense, scoring defense, time of possession and total defense.