Saturday's biggest area football games: Winona St. vs Mankato; St. John's vs. Bethel

GAME OF THE WEEK

Winona State at Minnesota State Mankato, noon, Saturday: Each team brings a four-game winning streak into the game, which will decide the NSIC South title. Winona (8-2, 5-0 NSIC South) is ranked No. 24 in Division II, while the Mavericks (8-2, 4-1) are No. 14.

WEEK 11 STORY LINES

• Five NSIC teams are among the top seven in this week's D-II Super Region Four rankings — MSU Mankato (No. 3), Bemidji State (No. 4), Winona State (No. 5), Wayne State (No. 6) and Sioux Falls (No. 7). Angelo State is ranked No. 1 and Colorado Mines is ranked No. 2. Minnesota Duluth (No. 9) and Augustana (No. 10) are also ranked. The 28-team field for the D-II playoffs will be announced Sunday.

• The winner of the Bethel-St. John's game on Saturday at St. John's will receive the MIAC's automatic bid to the D-III playoffs. Bethel defeated the Johnnies 28-24 on Sept. 24 in Arden Hills. The 32-team field for the D-III playoffs will be announced Sunday.

• Northwestern (St. Paul), which started the season 0-4, would earn its first UMAC title since 2016 with a victory over Martin Luther on Saturday.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Micah Niewald, WR, Bethel: The sophomore from Fridley is fourth in the MIAC with 57 receptions. He has six touchdown receptions for the Royals, who are ranked No. 9 in D-III.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 Passes intercepted in the end zone by St. John's cornerback John Kohler in the Johnnies' 45-16 victory over Carleton.

205 Career solo tackles — an NSIC record — for Southwest Minnesota State LB Onte Burns. The senior from Plymouth had six solo tackles in the Mustangs' 45-24 loss to MSU Mankato.