area college football update

GAME OF THE WEEK

St. Scholastica (9-1) at Bethel (10-0), noon Saturday: UMAC champ St. Scholastica is making its third straight appearance in the Division III playoffs. The Saints lost to St. Thomas in 2011 and Wisconsin-Oshkosh last year. St. Scholastica closed out its regular season with a 27-21 win over Greenville on Nov. 9. Bethel, making its third trip to the D-III playoffs in the past four years, completed the second unbeaten regular season in school history with a 28-7 win at St. John's last Saturday.

STORY LINES

• MSU Mankato watch: MSU Mankato (11-0), ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Division II poll for six consecutive weeks, is the No. 2 seed for the D-II Super Region 3 playoffs. NW Missouri State (11-0), ranked No. 2 in the D-II poll, is the top seed for the regional playoffs. Both teams received first-round byes. In the second round on Nov. 30, MSU Mankato will play host to the Henderson State/St. Cloud State winner while NW Missouri State will play host to the Minnesota-Duluth/Emporia State winner.

• Only one MIAC team: MIAC champion Bethel, the only MIAC team to make the D-III playoff field, is one of four No. 1 seeds. Twenty-four of the 32 spots go to automatic berths, along with eight at-large bids. St. Thomas (8-2), ranked No. 7 in the West Region rankings, and Concordia (Moorhead) (8-2), ranked No. 9 in the region, did not make the playoffs.

• St. Cloud State: The Huskies will be making their third D-II playoff appearance in four years when they play at Henderson (Ark.) State on Saturday. The Huskies went into their regular-season finale last Saturday ranked No. 7 (the top six teams in each of four regions advance to the playoffs) in Super Region 3. The Huskies defeated MSU Moorhead 64-27 to improve to 10-1. The 10 victories tied the school single-season record for victories.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mitch Hallstrom, WR, Bethel: The 6-2 senior from Eden Prairie leads the Royals with 69 receptions for 1,030 yards and seven TDs. Hallstrom, who became Bethel's all-time leader in career receptions, was second in the MIAC in receptions and receiving yards.

Michael Walker, RB, St. Cloud State: The 5-10 senior from Walworth, Wis., rushed for a career-high 173 yards and four TDs in the Huskies' 64-27 victory over MSU Moorhead last Saturday. Walker leads the Huskies with 699 rushing yards and 15 TDs.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 Postseason appearances for SW Minnesota State in the first 45 years of its football program. The Mustangs will make their third appearance in the postseason when they play in the Mineral Water Bowl on Dec. 7. The Mustangs lost NAIA playoff games in 1987 and 1990.

5 Times since 2000 that the MIAC has had only team advance to the Division III playoffs. The previous four times were 2011, 2008, 2004 and 2002.

6 Consecutive playoff appearances for Minnesota Duluth, host to Emporia State Saturday.

JOEL RIPPEL