Beaver playoff hopes on the line against No. 15/10 Vikings

Bemidji State football looks to defeat nationally ranked Augustana for chance at fourth-straight post-season push

Bemidji State University Football prepares to host No. 15/10 Augustana University Saturday at 1 p.m. with playoff implications on the line for the Beavers.

BSU and AU have met 14 times since 1961. In this time, the Beavers are 4-10 with a 2-4 record in Bemidji. The Beavers’ most recent win came in the first round of the NCAA Division II championships in 2021 when the Beavers defeated the Vikings, 28-24, in Sioux Falls, advancing to the second round in Golden, Colo.

Bemidji State sits at a 7-3 record this season with 6-3 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Most recently, the Beavers took down the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons to claim the coveted battle axe for the fifth season in a row.

BSU holds third place in the NSIC and jumped to seventh in Super Region Four rankings this week. The Beavers’ playoff hopes are on the line this week as a win over Augustana would help to increase the Beavers’ chances of making it to the post season.

The Beavers are ranked in the top 25 in the NCAA for 3rd down conversion (22nd), 4th down conversion (12th), blocked punts (15th), first downs defense (24th), passing yards allowed (22nd), rushing defense (15th), scoring defense (25th), tackles for loss allowed (24th), team sacks (16th), time of possession (10th), and total defense (9th).

Quarterback Sam McGath has found his name in national rankings, marking top 50 spots in passing touchdowns (25th), completions per game (34th), passing yards (40th), passing yards per game (47th), points responsible for (21st), total offense (39th) and points responsible for per game (29th).

Wide Receiver Brice Peters is fourth in the conference and 33rd in the nation for total touchdowns. Peters is seventh in the nation for receiving touchdowns, 12th for receiving yards, 14th for receiving yards per game and 24th in receptions per game.

Defensively, Marcus Hansen is 15th in the nation and first in the NSIC for sacks with .80 per game. He’s also 23rd nationally for tackles for a loss with an average of 1.4 per game.

Kicking specialist Connor Mantelli has found himself in the leader boards as well, third in the conference and 72nd in the nation for punting with an average of 38.5 yards.

Bemidji State has made the NCAA DII post season for the past three years, continuing to the second round each time.