Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney football team steps out of conference this Saturday to face the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs.

The game kicks off at 1 p.m. in Marshall, Minn. Fans not in attendance can follow along via KRVN/The River (93.1/106.0 FM), The NSIC Network or live stats.

This is the first-ever meeting between the two schools in football; the Lopers and Mustangs have faced each other in many other sports. UNK has played six other Minnesota schools in football, the most recent being Winona State in the 2019 Mineral Water Bowl in Missouri. The Lopers last trip to the "Land of Lakes" came back in 2009 with a stop at Minnesota-Duluth for a second-round playoff game.

This contest came about due to conference changes in both the MIAA and Northern Sun Intercollegiate (NSIC). Lincoln left the MIAA and Upper Iowa the NSIC for the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC); the Lopers were slated to be at LU this Saturday with SMSU originally set to host the Peacocks.

The Mustangs (0-4), coming off a 2-9 season, was picked 11th out of 13 teams in the NSIC preseason poll. Head coach Scott Underwood previously was at St. Cloud State where he led the Huskies to 86 wins and three playoff appearances in a 12-year span. SCSU dropped football after the 2019 season. 

A very young SMSU team is paced by junior back Jacob Honstetter (52 yards per game), junior receiver Colin Maher (41 ypg and one touchdown) and junior linebacker Josiah Hedensten (31 tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles). Finally, the Mustangs have several Nebraska natives on the two-deep including kicker Connor Shelton (Lincoln East), corner Jeremiah Truitt (Omaha Westside) and running back Zander Wolf (Central Valley H.S.).

UNK looks to bounce back after a 36-35 setback at now No. 12/13 Central Missouri. The Lopers got several big performances in that game; 18 tackles by senior safety Jamere Jones (Maryland), an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior cornerback Kendall Brewer (Kansas City), and 312 yards of total offense and three passing TD's by graduate transfer quarterback Reagan Jones (Wichita).

Since 1996, Jones is the fourth Lopers to reach 18 tackles in a single game, joining linebackers Brett Richmond (once) and Tyke Kozeal (eight times) and fellow safety Andy Bonczynski (once). Next, Brewer's "pick six" is the fifth longest since 1996 with All-American corner Arthur Hobbs leading that group with a 98-yarder in a 2011 win over Northeastern State. Finally, Jones is now up to 5,312 career yards of total offense with 41 scores.

To date, UNK has run 80 fewer plays than its opponents with the team now fourth in Division II in turnover margin (+2.25). The Loper "D" has nine picks, one more than all last year, and brought them back for 151 return yards. The defense has also managed 15 pass breakups, 29 tackles for loss (nine sacks) and two fumble recoveries.

The Lopers return home next weekend to face the No. 5/10 Pittsburg State Gorillas (3-1). Pitt, coming off a bye week, hosts Missouri Western (2-3) this Saturday.