BEMIDJI, Minn. – 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.
Bemidji State Notes
- 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.
Winona State Notes
- The Warriors currently sit at a 3-4 record with a split 3-3 record in the NSIC. They come off a 31-0 shutout loss to now No. 25/20 Augustana University last weekend.
- Winona State averages 24.43 points per game and has held opponents to 22 per game this season.
- The Warriors have marked 1120 rushing yards (160 per game) and 1530 passing yards (218.57 per game) this season. They have found touchdowns relatively evenly each way with 11 on the ground and 10 through the air.
- Cair’ron Hendred has pulled forward as the rushing leader for WSU this sea- son. The redshirt junior running back averages 53 rushing yards per game and has grabbed four of the Warriors’ touchdowns this season. Just behind Hendred is Ty Gavin with 41.43 yards per game and four touchdowns of his own.
- Though the Warriors change up their quarterback depending on the circum- stances, Cole Stenstrom leads the way with 1030 passing yards and a 139 quarterback rating. He has marked a completion percentage of 58.47% and five touchdowns. The second option for WSU is Jackson Flottmeyer with a 58.46 completion percentage and four touchdowns with 469 yards.
- On the receiving end, Sylvere Campbell has marked 30 receptions for 577 yards and four touchdowns. Averaging 82.43 yards per game, Campbell has tallied over 340 more yards than the next closest receiver on the WSU lineup, Cayden Holcomb.
- Defensively, Brent Jeske has marked 38 total tackles with 21 solo and 17 assisted. Just behind him with 29, Kyjaun Vengrowsky has also tabbed six tackles for a loss of 22 yards and 4.5 sacks. Jeske has also grabbed an interception and marked three pass breakups.
- The Beavers and Warriors are tied at the top of the NSIC for blocked punts with two each.
- WSU will get two home weekends in a row with hosting the Beavers this week- end and University of Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 2.
With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, the Beavers be back at the Chet on Nov. 2 when they host (RV) Wayne State College at 1 p.m. They will then head to Moorhead, Minn. for the annual Battle Axe Game against Minnesota State University Moorhead on Nov. 9 at noon. The Beavers close out the regular season by hosting No. 25/20 Augustana University on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.
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).