GAME OF THE WEEK
Winona State at Minnesota State Mankato, noon, Saturday: Each team brings a four-game winning streak into the game, which will decide the NSIC South title. Winona (8-2, 5-0 NSIC South) is ranked No. 24 in Division II, while the Mavericks (8-2, 4-1) are No. 14.
WEEK 11 STORY LINES
• Five NSIC teams are among the top seven in this week's D-II Super Region Four rankings — MSU Mankato (No. 3), Bemidji State (No. 4), Winona State (No. 5), Wayne State (No. 6) and Sioux Falls (No. 7). Angelo State is ranked No. 1 and Colorado Mines is ranked No. 2. Minnesota Duluth (No. 9) and Augustana (No. 10) are also ranked. The 28-team field for the D-II playoffs will be announced Sunday.
• The winner of the Bethel-St. John's game on Saturday at St. John's will receive the MIAC's automatic bid to the D-III playoffs. Bethel defeated the Johnnies 28-24 on Sept. 24 in Arden Hills. The 32-team field for the D-III playoffs will be announced Sunday.
• Northwestern (St. Paul), which started the season 0-4, would earn its first UMAC title since 2016 with a victory over Martin Luther on Saturday.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Payton Conrad, DB, MSU Mankato: The senior from Tea, S.D., leads the Mavericks with 46 solo tackles and is tied for third on the team with six tackles for loss.
Micah Niewald, WR, Bethel: The sophomore from Fridley is fourth in the MIAC with 57 receptions. He has six touchdown receptions for the Royals, who are ranked No. 9 in D-III.
BY THE NUMBERS
2 Passes intercepted in the end zone by St. John's cornerback John Kohler in the Johnnies' 45-16 victory over Carleton.
205 Career solo tackles — an NSIC record — for Southwest Minnesota State LB Onte Burns. The senior from Plymouth had six solo tackles in the Mustangs' 45-24 loss to MSU Mankato.
261 Yards in kickoff returns — a single-game record for an MIAC game — by Dalton Thelen of Gustavus. Thelen returned one kick 93 yards for a touchdown and had a 26-yard TD reception in the Gusties' 49-37 victory over St. Olaf.
