A quarter-century in college football has taught Bob Nielson that the path to a national championship isn't always smooth and straight. You might lose a trailblazer along the way, or you might find a detour where you least expect it.

Minnesota Duluth encountered the second of those roadblocks last Saturday, when its regular-season finale at Minnesota State Mankato was snowed out. The natural-turf field could not be cleared in time for a 1 p.m. kickoff, so officials from both teams and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference chose to play the game at 10 a.m. Sunday in Marshall. That meant two more hours on the bus, plus a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call Sunday.

The Bulldogs had occasion to hold a pity party earlier this fall, when All-America running back Isaac Odim saw his season end prematurely because of a knee injury. They didn't carp about their bad fortune then, and they didn't do it Saturday.

"They're a very matter-of-fact group," said Nielson, the Bulldogs' head coach. "Having a pregame meal at 6 in the morning isn't something you're used to. But once we told them the decision had been made to play Sunday, they started to focus."

And that kind of unflappability, Nielson knows, is exactly what it takes to go 11-0 during the regular season and enter the Division II playoffs as the top-ranked team in the country.

The Bulldogs are on the same course they followed in 2008, when they finished 15-0 and won the school's first national championship. This team is younger, but no less dedicated or talented. That has made Duluth a very happy place to be this week, as UMD looks toward the playoff opener it will host on Nov. 27.

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Brad Foss

In 2003, after lifting the football program out of mediocrity, Nielson stepped aside as coach to become the Bulldogs' athletic director. He returned in 2008, inheriting a team that had gone 4-6 the previous season and turning it into an undefeated champ. Thus far, this season has been equally gratifying, as his team put in the work to mold itself into a powerhouse.

"In some ways, they've surprised me a little bit," said Nielson, who came to UMD in 1999. "I thought we had a chance to be a good football team, but we were young at some positions, and we were going to have to develop as the year went along. We've made great strides.

"Our guys like each other. They enjoy playing football; they have a lot of fun, but they play the game very hard. They have responded to every challenge thrown at them. They've been able to find a way."

The Bulldogs' attitude allowed them to prove themselves quickly. As a group, Nielson said, they have shown great commitment and attention to detail, understanding that even the smallest things can have a huge impact.

They have developed into a unit with few weaknesses. The UMD offense averages a Division II-best 46.7 points per game under the direction of quarterback Chase Vogler, a sophomore who has thrown 16 touchdown passes and only one interception. On the ground, Brad Foss -- who took over at running back after Odim was injured in practice on Oct. 14 -- has racked up 911 yards in 10 games, while D.J. Winfield has scored 10 touchdowns as the team's top receiver and kick returner.

Odim, the Bulldogs' career rushing, scoring and all- purpose yardage leader, was averaging 132 yards per game and provided influential leadership to his young teammates. They filled the void as a group, with everyone pushing a little harder -- the defense included. UMD is holding its opponents to 11.8 points per game and returned two interceptions for touchdowns in Sunday's 45-21 victory over MSU Mankato.

As the top seed in Super Regional Three, UMD has a playoff bye this weekend. On Nov. 27, it will play host to the winner of Saturday's game between No. 5 seed St. Cloud State (9-2) and No. 4 seed Hillsdale College (9-2).

In his role as football coach, Nielson is savoring a third consecutive NSIC title, a 30-game conference winning streak and a run of 38 victories in the past 40 games. As athletic director, he's enjoying some other campus accomplishments as well. The volleyball team, now 23-5, begins NCAA tournament play Thursday. The men's hockey team, with only one loss this season, rose to the No. 1 ranking Monday; the women's team is third in one poll and fourth in the other.

"It's great to see the success of all our teams," Nielson said. "And our football team is certainly excited to be in the position we are."

Rachel Blount • rblount@startribune.com