BEMIDJI, Minn. – The RV/21 Bemidji State University Beavers host the University of Mary Marauders Saturday afternoon at Chet Anderson Stadium. Celebrating homecoming, the 3-1 Beavers will look to take down the 1-3 Marauders and take a dip in lake Bemidji, a homecoming tradition that began in 1995.
 
Bemidji State Notes

• The RV/21 Bemidji State University Beavers host the University of Mary Marauders this Saturday at Chet Anderson Stadium. Celebrating Homecoming, the Beavers 
• and Marauders kickoff at 2 p.m. 
• Bemidji State has stuck to the No. 21 spot in this week's D2Football.com Top 25 Poll and has also received votes in the AFCA Coaches' Poll. 
• Brice Peters has stunned NCAA Division II over the past four weeks, grabbing eight total touchdowns and leading all Division II receivers in receiving touchdowns. 
• The Beavers have landed in the top 25 for many statistical categories including: 3rd down percentage (13th), 3rd down percentage defense (23rd), 4th down conversion percentage (6th), blocked punts allowed (T-1st), completion percentage (24th), first downs offense (9th), fumbles recovered (18th), punt returns (19th), rushing offense (15th), sacks allowed (24th), tackles for loss allowed (21st), time of possession (3rd) and total offense (19th). 
• The team also leads the NSIC in multiple categories including 3rd down conversion, blocked punts allowed and time of possession. They hold second for 4th down 
• conversion percentage, first downs offense, fumbles recovered, punt returns, rushing defense and winning percentage. 
• Running back Jayden Washington holds the top spot amongst BSU rushers, marking 265 net yards for one touchdown off 50 attempts. 
• Through the air, Sam McGath has found 78 of his 122 targets and marked 10 passing touchdowns, eight to Bubba Peters and two to Aundreus Griffin. McGath has totaled 878 passing yards with an average of 219.50 per game. 
• Peters leads the receiving charge for the Beavers with 26 receptions, eight touchdowns and 434 yards. He has averaged 108.50 yards per game with 16.69 yards per reception. 
• Defensively, the Gang Green defense is led by Colton Hinrichs behind the line and Stephen Hoffman up front. Hinrichs has marked 26 tackles (10 solo, 16 assisted) and Hoffman has tallied 20 total (6 solo, 14 assisted). Marcus Hansen has been a terror for quarterbacks, marking 2.5 sacks for 19 yards and 3.5 tackles for a loss with 22 TFL yards. 

 
University of Mary Notes

• University of Mary is entering the weekend with a record of 1-3, 0-3 in the NSIC. Most recently, the Marauders fell to the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, 43-7. 
• UMary has averaged 19 points per game this season and has allowed an average of 29.75. They've found a groove through the air, totaling 205.75 yards per game and three touchdowns, but have struggled on the ground, marking only 37.5 yards rushing per game and two touchdowns. 
• Amir Bankhead leads the Marauders with 52 net rushing yards this season on 21 attempts. Behind Bankhead, Jeremiah Moore has grabbed 45 yards and one touchdown. 
• Sofian Massoud has been the primary quarterback for the Marauders, marking 84 completions on 126 attempts, a 66.67% passing efficiency. He has landed three touchdowns through the air with a long pass of 68. 
• On the receiving end of Massoud's passes, Mujeeb Rufai has grabbed 26 receptions for 311 yards and two touchdowns. 
• Defensively, Christopher Federico dominates for the Marauders, landing 26 solo tackles and 7 assisted. He has also marked 2.0 tackles for a loss and 12 TFL yards, including 1 sack for 8 yards. 
• Following this weekend, UMary heads home for their own homecoming against Concordia University, St. Paul. 

 
Homecoming Lake Jump History
During the 1993 season, the Beavers were off to an 0-4 start. In an at- tempt to motivate the team and campus for Homecoming, graduate assistant coach Frank Haege wrote a post-game recap of the upcoming game between Bemidji State and Southwest Minnesota State University. The article included accounts of how the defense "Damned the Mustangs and the offense executed with precision." Haege also added that after the victory the Beavers, in a fit of jubilation, jumped into Lake Bemidji with joy. He, with helpers, posted the article around campus on the week leading up to homecoming. 
 
As it happened, the Beavers went on to lose that homecoming game 35-8 and never did win a game that season and finished 0-10. The following season, there were further threats of jumping into the lake if the Beavers won homecoming. BSU lost to Minnesota State University Moorhead, 33-6, in 1994. 
 
Finally, in perhaps Bemidji's best effort during the Kris Diaz - Head Coach era. The Beavers beat the Defending Conference Champion Winona State Warriors 24-14 on Homecoming Day, October 14, 1995. Off went the helmets and into Lake Bemidji went the players and coaches - everything went in, shoes, equipment, jerseys, etc. A tradition was born. Before that Jump in the Lake Homecoming victory, Bemidji was just 1-26 in their past 27 games. After that victory over Winona State University, they went on to beat University of Minnesota Morris and Northern State for their first three-game winning streak in over a decade. 
 
Since that jump in the Lake Homecoming victory in 1995 BSU is 21-7 on Homecoming. In the 11 years prior to 1995 Bemidji State was 2-9 on Homecoming. 
 
The Beavers have hosted the Marauders twice for Homecoming, splitting the series with one win each. Most recently, the Beavers and Marauders met on Oct. 3, 2015, and Bemidji State took a dip in the lake, claiming the 39-7 win. The first time the two teams met for homecoming, UMary grabbed the 27-21 win on Oct. 7, 2006, this was also the first time in history the two teams played each other.
 
Following this weekend, the Beavers head to Aberdeen, S.D. to take on the Northern State University Wolves before heading home for a well-deserved bye-week break the following weekend. They'll be back at the Chet on Oct. 19 to host the Minot State University Beavers. Tickets for the Beavers' home games are available on Hometown Ticketing.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State Football program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversFB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversFB).
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).