Area college update

SATURDAY'S GAME OF THE WEEK

Concordia-Moorhead (2-0) at St. John's (2-0), 1 p.m.: The MIAC schedule opens with a matchup of two teams with dominant running games. Concordia, which defeated Buena Vista 30-9 last week, has averaged 298 rushing yards and 6.0 rushing yards per attempt in its first two games. The Johnnies, led by Sam Sura, who leads Division III with 449 rushing yards, ran for more than 300 yards in each of their first two games — the first back-to-back 300-yard games for the Johnnies since 1977. The Cobbers have won the past two meetings between the two, 24-14 last year and 31-21 in 2012.

WEEK 3 STORY LINES

• For the first time in 68 years, the Gustavus Adolphus football team has three brothers on the roster: Anthony, Gabriel and Matt Boyce. The brothers, from Excelsior, have each made big contributions to the Gusties' 2-0 start. Anthony, a senior linebacker, is third on the team with nine tackles. Twins Gabriel and Matt, both juniors, lead the Gusties with 15 receptions each. Matt has scored four TDs, Gabriel three.

• Hamline is off to a 2-0 start for the first time in nine years. The Pipers defeated Macalester 23-13 last Saturday to match last season's victory total. The Pipers have been led by junior Austin Duncan, first in the MIAC with 1,460 rushing yards last season. He has rushed for 390 yards this season (240 against Macalester) and is within 180 yards of the school's career rushing record.

• Winona State's Jack Nelson, a 6-4 sophomore from Byron, Minn., passed for 422 yards and three TDs in the Warriors' 42-34 victory over Mary last Saturday. Nelson, who passed for 2,715 yards last season (fourth-best in school history), became the first player in school history to pass for 400 yards in a game more than once. Nelson passed for 425 yards against SW Minnesota State last season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mitch Heflin, DL, Carleton: The 6-0 junior from Wayzata leads the MIAC in tackles (22) and assists (13) and is second in solo tackles (nine). Heflin, who was fifth on the team in tackles (62) last season, also has an interception and two tackles for loss.

Ben Skelly, LB, Augustana: The 6-1 senior from Lakeville had 16 tackles (seven solo) in the Vikings' 23-22 overtime loss to Minnesota Duluth. Skelly, who leads the Vikings with 23 tackles, led the Vikings with 99 tackles (sixth-best in the NSIC) last season.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 Career touchdowns for St. Thomas senior linebacker Cavan Metzler, who returned a fumble 33 yards for a TD in the Tommies' 46-0 victory over Wisconsin-La Crosse last week.

24 Consecutive victories in NSIC games for MSU Mankato.

Joel Rippel