Midwestern State vs. Truman State
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015 | 7 p.m.
Memorial Stadium | Wichita Falls, Texas
2014 Records: Midwestern State (6-4); Truman State (6-4)
Video: Mustangs Digital Network (Pay Per View) 
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network (Free Audio) 
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com  

ON THE FIELD
Midwestern State opens the season against Great Lakes Valley Conference member Truman State Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for  7 p.m.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
- The Bulldogs compete in the Great Lakes Valley Conference which is a part of Super Region Four along with the Lone Star, Rocky Mountain Athletic and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic conferences.
- Truman State rolled out to a 4-1 start in 2014 before taking a pair of close home losses to GLVC foes William Jewell (Mo.) and Indianapolis (Ind.).
- The Bulldogs held a 20-6 lead on GLVC champ Indianapolis heading into the fourth quarter before falling 23-20.
- Truman State returns 46 letter winners and 16 starters off of last season's 6-4 squad including four All-GLVC performers in junior kick returner Derek Hammann, junior defensive back Austin Zoda, junior offensive lineman Brad Wellman and senior defensive lineman Nick Richert.
- The Bulldogs ranked 119th in NCAA Division II in total offense at 346.8 yards per game in 2014 but were 47th in rushing (190 yards per game).
- Truman State boasted the No. 3 defense in the GLVC last season allowing 342.6 yards per game -- 42nd in NCAA Division II.

INSIDE THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Truman meet for the first time on the gridiron Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.
- It will be just the fourth time the Mustangs played a current member of the GLVC as MSU claimed wins over Missouri S&T (41-0/A/2011) (40-23/H/2014) and fell to Indianapolis in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Division II Playoffs (31-14/A/2012).
- Midwestern and Truman squared off in postseason play in two other sports as the Bulldogs bested MSU 81-68 in the second round of the NCAA II South Central Regionals in Wichita Falls on March 5, 1999 then No. 2 MSU beat No. 8 Truman 3-2 in the NCAA II Men's Soccer Playoffs on Nov. 11, 2010 in Wichita Falls.

ABOUT SEASON OPENERS
- Midwestern State is 11-2 in season openers since the start of the Bill Maskill era in 2002.
- The Mustangs reeled off 11 consecutive home opening wins from 2001-11.
- MSU has gotten off to quick starts offensively scoring 34.8 points per game over the last 13 season openers with an average victory margin of 22 points.
- Midwestern has won its last seven season openers on its home field dating back to a 52-14 loss to Northwest Missouri State on Sept. 4, 1997.
- The Mustangs are a perfect 8-0 in season openers against non-conference opponents since the start of the 2002 season.
- MSU begins the season against an opponent hailing from Missouri for the seventh time since restarting football in 1988. The Mustangs have split the previous six decisions taking wins over Lindenwood (1994) and Missouri S&T (2011, 2014) and losses to Evangel College (1990) and Northwest Missouri State (1997, 1998).

MUSTANGS LOVE HOME OPENERS
- Midwestern State has won 15 of its last 17 home openers dating back to a 34-23 win over Hardin-Simmons on Sep. 12, 1998.
- The Mustangs are 19-8 in home openers since resuming football in 1988.
- MSU is 12-1 in home openers during the Bill Maskill era.

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS OFFENSE
- Midwestern returns eight starters off an offense which averaged just shy of 500 yards (13th in NCAA II) and 38.9 points per game in 2014.
- Junior running back Dante Taylor (All-LSC 2nd Team) rushed for 677 yards and six touchdowns and averaged 96.7 yards a contest before missing time due to injury.
- Junior wideout Statron Jones is the top returning receiver making a team-high 26 catches for 492 yards a season ago.
- Sophomore Hagen Hutchinson (14-22, 142 yards, 1 TD) is slated to make his first collegiate start Saturday against Truman State.
- Junior Quade Coward completed 22-of-42 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns in 2014.
- The Mustangs return three starters off of the offensive line in senior Case Winkler (6-5/310), junior Joel Onyia (6-4/295) and sophmore John Rowell (6-5/252).

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS DEFENSE
- The Mustangs return four starters off of the top scoring defense in the Lone Star Conference in 2014 which allowed a shade under 400 yards a game.
- Senior safety Marqui Christian, a two-time first-team All-LSC performer led the way with 81 tackles.
- Christian was named a preseason All American by D2Football.com.

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS SPECIAL TEAMS
- Midwestern State returns each of its primary special teams operators from 2014 including senior Andy Alkhazshvilly and sophomores Mitchell Henton and Bobby Joe Nielsen.
- Henton earned second-team All-Lone Star Conference honors after leading the league and ranking 11th in NCAA Division II with a 42.0 yards per punt average -- a school single season record.
- Nielsen earned All-Lone Star Conference honorable mention as one of the top deep snappers in NCAA Division II.
- Alkhazshvilly connected on eight of his 13 field goal attempts with a long of 45 yards and was successful on 43 of 45 of his PAT conversions.