Midlands football capsules

College football capsules for this weekend's Midland's teams:

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Colorado Mines at UNK
• When/Where: 1 p.m., Foster Field, Kearney, Neb.
• Records: CSM 7-2, 7-0 RMAC; No. 8 UNK 8-1, 7-0 RMAC
• Player to watch: UNK RB Rustin Dring is averaging 121 yards per game and needs 34 to reach 1,000 for the season. Mines is among the league leaders at stopping the run, allowing only 98 yards per game. The Orediggers have also shut down the UNK run game the past three years, allowing an average of 76 yards per game.
• Outlook: In a game that will decide the RMAC title, Mines might have the upper hand: It has won three straight over the Lopers. During this streak, Mines has outscored UNK 58-27 in the second half and outrushed the Lopers by an average of 60 yards per game. Both teams have played well of late: UNK has won its last eight, the Orediggers their last seven.

Mesa State at Chadron State
• When/Where: Noon, Elliott Field, Chadron, Neb.
• Records: Chadron State 5-4, 4-3 RMAC; Mesa State 5-4, 5-2 RMAC
• Player to watch: Chadron State punter Kevin Berg leads the nation at 42.79 yards a kick. Berg also plays safety and has 36 tackles.
• Outlook: Seventeen Chadron State seniors will be playing their final game in front of the home crowd. This class of seniors has posted a record of 40-8, the best mark in school history. The seniors are also 29-3 against RMAC teams, 18-2 at home during the regular season and 21-4 in all home games. The game will also be televised on Altitude 2 as the RMAC Game of the Week.

NW Missouri at Fort Hays State
• When/Where: 2 p.m., Lewis Field, Hays, Kan.
• Records: No. 3 Northwest 8-1, 7-0 MIAA; Fort Hays State 5-4, 3-4 MIAA
• Players to watch: QB Blake Bolles needs one touchdown pass to tie Northwest’s regular-season record. Jake Soy needs one receiving touchdown to tie MIAA and Northwest season records.
• Outlook: Northwest can clinch its ninth outright MIAA title in the last 14 seasons with a win. The Bearcats have won the last five meetings but trail the all-time series 12-11-1.

Wayne State at Conc. St. Paul
• When/Where: 1 p.m., Sea Foam Stadium, St. Paul, Minn.
• Records: Wayne 6-3, 5-3 NSIC; Concordia St. Paul 3-6, 3-5 NSIC
• Player to watch: Wildcat senior receiver Logan Masters tied the NCAA Division II record for most consecutive games with a catch (44) with four catches for 63 yards in last week’s 27-24 loss to Augustana. Masters has caught at least two passes in all 44 of his games in a Wildcat uniform (44). Senior QB Silas Fluellen needs just 11 passing yards to become the 19th signal-caller in NCAA Division II history to pass for 10,000 yards in his career.
• Outlook: Concordia St. Paul is 0-3 at home and 3-2 on the road after having won back-to-back road games the last two weeks at Southwest Minnesota State (29-17) and Upper Iowa (57-56 in double overtime). Wayne State trails 6-4 in the all-time series but has won the last two meetings, including 41-17 in Wayne last season.

William Penn at Peru State
• When/Where: 1 p.m., Peru, Neb.
• Records: Peru State 5-3; William Penn 5-4
• Player to watch: S Max Virus is leading the NAIA with six interceptions. He has earned back-to-back honors as NAIA independent defensive player of the week.
• Outlook: The Bobcats will try to win their fifth straight game during homecoming and Senior Day.

Concordia vs. Dana
• When: 1 p.m., Viking Field, Blair, Neb.
• Records: Concordia 2-6, 2-6 GPAC; Dana 0-8, 0-7 GPAC
• Player to watch: Concordia RB Darius Smith has rushed for 300 yards and two scores. Smith averages 5.1 yards per carry.
• Outlook: Concordia QBs Kyle Schmidt and TJ Shirey combined for 193 yards and two touchdowns a week ago. The Bulldogs should be able to move the ball against a Dana defense allowing 45.1 points per game.

Neb. Wesleyan vs. Midland Lutheran
• When/Where: 2 p.m, Abel Stadium, Lincoln
• Records: Nebraska Wesleyan 4-3, 4-3 GPAC; Midland Lutheran 5-3, 5-2 GPAC
• Player to watch: NWU running back Kory Kahlandt notched his fourth straight 100-yard game last week. He tied the NWU season rushing TD record with 14 and needs just four more to become the career leader. He is second in the GPAC and seventh in the NAIA in rushing this season (117.7 yards per game). Midland RB Darius Bentley has topped 100 yards rushing each of the past two weeks.
• Outlook: Two old conference rivals meet in a game that should be won on the ground. The teams are last in the GPAC in passing. Last season’s game was decided in the final seconds: NWU won 19-17 on a Kahlandt run with three seconds left. The Prairie Wolves have won five straight over the Warriors.

Doane at Morningside
• When/Where: 1 p.m., Sioux City, Iowa
• Records: Morningside 7-0, 7-0 GPAC; Doane 2-6, 2-5
• Player to watch: Doane S Vince Martinez is coming off NAIA national defensive player-of-the-week honors after two interceptions, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown.
• Outlook: Morningside looks to remain undefeated in GPAC play and is on a collision course with Sioux Falls in the final week of the season. The Tigers must play a near-perfect game to push the Mustangs until the end. Doane will have to eliminate turnovers and control time of possession on offense, and its defense must slow the Morningside rushing attack.

Sioux Falls at Northwestern
• When/Where: 1 p.m., Orange City, Iowa
• Records: No. 1 Sioux Falls 8-0, 7-0 GPAC; No. 12 Northwestern 7-1, 7-1 GPAC
• Outlook: Cougars lead the nation in three defensive categories and score almost a point a minute. Red Raiders have staged four fourth-quarter comebacks.

Briar Cliff at Dordt
• When/Where: 1 p.m., Sioux Center, Iowa
• Records: Briar Cliff 2-6, 2-5 GPAC; Dordt 1-7, 0-7 GPAC
• Outlook: Briar Cliff came close to upsetting Northwestern last weekend.

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