VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State football team visits the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks in the NCAA Division II national semifinals Saturday in Mankato, Minn.The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. Eastern kickoff from Mankato's Blakeslee Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.com.
Here is some information on MSU-Mankato:
—Mankato has been playing football since the 1920's, but the Mavericks are in the midst of their best season yet. The Mavericks are 13-0 this season and ranked fifth in the nation.
— Mankato enters Saturday's game with Valdosta State riding a 14-game winning streak, dating back to the end of the 2011 season when the Mavericks beat Northeastern State University in the mineral Water Bowl.
— The Mavericks are averaging 36. 2 points per game and are allowing just 16.6 points per game this season. They scored a season-high 70 points in a win over Upper Iowa, and shut out MSU-Moorhead, 24-0, on Sept. 22.
— After finishing the regular season with an undefeated record, Mankato was awarded the No. 1 seed and a bye week in Super Region 3. In their first playoff game, the Mavericks beat fourth-ranked Northwest Missouri State 38-35 in double overtime, connecting on a 27-yard field goal in the second OT session to secure the win. Last week, the Mavericks beat Missouri Western State, 17-10.
— MSU-Mankato head coach Aaron Keen was named the National Football Coaches Association Region Coach of the Year Monday. Keen is the Mavericks' head coach this season after full-time head coach Todd Hoffner was arrested and charged with child pornography earlier this season. Hoffner was cleared of all charges last week, when a judge ruled he took innocent videos of his young children after a bath at the families home.
—On the field, Mankato boasts the nation's third-best defense, allowing 269.62 yards per game. The Mavericks are holding opponents to just 83.7 yards rushing and 187.5 yards passing per game this season. Valdosta State's offense is 12th in the nation in total offense, allowing 479.8 yards per game.
— The Mankato defense prides itself on turnovers. So far this season, the Mavericks have forced 22 interceptions and 29 fumbles, 14 of which they recovered. On the year, Mankato is plus-20 in the turnover margin.
— Offensively, Mankato is averaging 235.3 yards rushing and 167.3 yards passing per game this season. Freshman running back Connor Thomas leads the team with 866 yards rushing, while Andy Pfeiffer has 764 yards on the ground. Quarterback Jon Wolf has 568 yards and Mitch Brozovich has 547 yards rushing.
— The Mavericks have 37 rushing touchdowns this season, led by Thomas' and Wolf's 10 rushing touchdowns each.
— In the passing game, Wolf has completed 108 of 181 passes for 1,560 yards with 12 touchdowns in 10 games. He has thrown just four interceptions. Brozovich has completed 41 of 78 passes for 541 yards with five touchdowns.
— Regardless of whom is at quarterback, receiver Adam Thielen is the go-to target. Thielen has a team-high 68 catches for 1,048 yards with seven touchdowns this season.
— The Mavericks' 13 wins this season are already a school-record. Since 2008, Mankato has posted a 47-13 record.
— Mankato is located 85 miles southwest of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. MSU-Mankato has over 15,000 students, 600 from international countries.
— Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper.
