BISMARCK, N.D. – The Bemidji State University Football team looks to continue their strong start to the season this Saturday when they travel to Bismarck to face the University of Mary with kickoff set for 2 p.m. at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
This past week, Bemidji State (3-0, 3-0 NSIC) broke open what was a 16-10 halftime lead over Winona State by scoring the only 20 points in the second half to cruise to the 36-10 victory. Brandon Alt threw for four touchdowns and 338 yards. Dhel Duncan-Busby added three catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Brice Peters, Joey Baron and Kurt Heerdegen all added receiving touchdowns.
Defense recorded six sacks and two interceptions. It's the third straight game in which the Beaver defense has posted at least four sacks. Jarrett Klein led the way with eight tackles, while Max Buduris and Marcus Hansen had seven tackles apiece. Hansen tallied four tackles for loss and a sack. Cade Barrett led the team with two sacks. Princeten Harris and Jamel Stone each recorded an interception.
Marko Jovisic connected on his fifth field goal of the season. De'vonta' Roberts returned two kickoffs for 34 yards and Colton Herman added a 40-yard return.
Bemidji State moved up to their highest ranking in the AFCA poll this week at No. 9. The Beavers stayed at No. 7 in the D2Football.com rankings. BSU opened the season ranked eighth by the Lindy's College Magazine Preseason Poll.
Bemidji State leads the series 12-4 since 2006 and have won the last eight meetings. BSU is 6-2 against UMary in Bismarck.
UMary is 0-3 this season and 0-3 in NSIC play. Northern State defeated the Marauders 41-10 this past week in Aberdeen. UMary's first home game was on Sept. 9 against Sioux Falls with the Cougars claiming the 36-17 victory.
The game will be broadcasted on the NSIC Network and on Beaver Radio Network.
Game Notes NSIC Network Live Stats Beaver Radio Network
Bemidji State Notes
- Brent Bolte stands alone in second in program history for wins by a head coach with 55. His .743 winning percentage is the best all-time and he is second in program history for conference wins at 52. He moved to second in program history following the road win at SMSU this season.
- For the first time this season Bemidji State didn't score first against Winona State. The Beavers made up for lost time outscoring the Warriors 36-7 after those first three points were scored. Since 2021, BSU is now 6-4 when the opponent scores first.
- Bemidji State moved to new program highs in the AFCA Poll this week to No. 9. BSU remained No. 7 in the D2Football.com rankings
- BSU leads or is tied for the NSIC lead in 12 categories following week three. Nationally, Bemidji State is ninth in interceptions (6), 19th in sacks allowed (1.0), ninth in scoring defense (12.3), second in team tackles for loss (4.67), seventh in turnover margin (2.33), ninth in turnovers gained (9), and ninth in turnovers lost (2). Three weeks in, BSU is one of 34 D2 teams that are undefeated
- In 74 games under Bolte, BSU has scored less than 20 points just seven times, which occurred once last year and hasn't happened in 2023
- Forty-three of Bolte's wins have come when scoring at least 30 points, which has happened all three times this season
- Bemidji State is 11-3 on the road over the past two-plus seasons and Bolte is 27-11 in his career on the road
- Bemidji State leads the series 12-4 since 2006 and have won the last eight meetings. BSU is 6-2 against UMary in Bismarck. Over the last three meetings in Bismarck, Bemidji State has outscored the Marauders 169-17
- The Beavers have a couple of players ranked high individually in the NSIC through the first three weeks. Alt is second in completions per game (18.67), second in passing touchdowns (8), fourth in passing yards (752), fourth in passing yards per game (250.7) and third in total offense per game (279.7). Jovisic is second in field goals per game (1.67), third in field goal percentage (.833) and third in total points scored (27). De'vonta' Roberts is second in kickoff return yards per game (26.8). Princeten Harris is first in passes defended per game (1.7). Jake Hill is second in punt return yards per game (8.5). Duncan-Busby is first in receiving touchdowns (4) and third in total touchdowns (4). Hansen leads the conference in sacks per game (1.50) and in tackles for loss per game (2.8).
- Nationally, Jovisic is sixth in field goals per game and 22nd in field goal percentage. Roberts is 24th in kickoff return yards per game. Harris is 18th in passes defended. Alt is 15th in passing touchdowns. Duncan-Busby is ninth in receiving touchdowns and 29th in total touchdowns. Ali Mohamed is 24th in rush yards per carry (6.43). Hansen is fourth in sacks per game and second in tackles for loss.
- Alt is approaching 10,000 career passing yards. Entering this week, he is second among active D2 quarterbacks throwing for 9,401 yards
- Bolte is 6-0 against UMary and BSU has outscored the Marauders 328-83 in those meetings
- A look around the NSIC has four teams undefeated both overall and in the NSIC. Bemidji State and Minnesota State, who will play each other next week in Bemidji, are both 3-0 in conference play
- Bemidji State is just two wins away from reaching 400 in program history.
- Including his time as an assistant, Bolte is 163-87 with the Beavers
- The defense nearly kept Winona State under 100 rushing yards. With the two games this season and the seven last year, BSU has nine games over the past 16 in which they've limited an opponent under 100 yards on the ground
- When BSU leads at the half, they hold a 20-0 record in the last two-plus seasons and are 3-0 this season
- BSU has continued to dominate in the red zone to start the 2023 season. The Beavers have scored on 15 of 16 trips inside the 20 resulting in 83 points. The Beavers have tallied 10 touchdowns and five field goals
- On the flip side of that, the defense has allowed just seven trips inside the red zone resulting in four scores and 24 total points. BSU has forced two turnovers on downs and a fumble
- The defense forced four interceptions in week one, which is the most in a game since tallying four against Minnesota Crookston during the 2019 season. BSU tallied two more interceptions in week three to up their total to six
- Six times last year Bemidji State tallied at least four sacks in a game. The high was nine against MSU Moorhead on Oct. 15, 2022. All three games this season the defense has at least four sacks, with a high of six last week against Winona State
- For the first time this season BSU had a significant amount more passing yards than rushing, throwing for 341 and rushing for 143 against Winona State. Dating back to the 2019 season, Bemidji State has now gone 29 straight games throwing for more yards than rushing. Five times during the 2019 season the Beavers had more rushing than passing yards.
- Bemidji State ranked in the top-25 nationally last year in passing offense (4th), red zone defense (13th), rushing defense (22nd), sacks allowed (5th), scoring defense (25th), scoring offense (11th), team passing efficiency (10th), team passing efficiency defense (22nd), team sacks (9th) and total offense (10th)
UMary Notes
- The Marauders are led by Shann Schillinger who is 0-3 currently in his first season at UMary
- UMary was picked to finish in a tie for 12th in the NSIC Preseason Poll.
- UMary returns two NSIC Players to Watch in Drake Lalim (OL) and Grant Collins (DL). Lalim has started 34 straight games along the offensive line. Collins has three tackles and a half-sack in three games this season.
- Last time out, the Marauders were down just 17-3 at the half on the road at Northern State, but were outscored 24-7 in the second half to fall by a score of 41-10. QB Jesse Forknell completed 13 passes for 123 yards and a score. Jeremiah Moore rushed for 45 yards. Luke Bodine caught four passes for 48 yards.Reginald Morrow posted seven tackles (six solo), with a tackle for loss.
- UMary won two games last season and four games in 2021. The last winning season for the Marauders was during the 2013 season when they went 6-5. They've only been an NCAA member since 2007.
- UMary has been outscored 34-115 over the first three games of the season. They average 218 yards per game and allow 460.7 per contest. The rushing attack is averaging just 39.3 yards per game, while they pass for an average of 178.67. This will be the second home game of the season having face University of Sioux Falls to open the home schedule on Sep. 9 with the Cougars claiming the 36-17 victory.
