DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – For the first time in 680 days, the St. Scholastica football team will take to the field on Saturday when its hosts Augsburg University in its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) game at Public Schools Stadium.
 
Where:
Public Schools Stadium
 
When:
Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Watch: https://csssaints.com/showcase?Live=570
Stats: https://csssaints.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Game Notes: https://csssaints.com/documents/2021/9/22//FB_Game_NotesAugsburg.pdf?id=3438

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
 
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St. Scholastica Saints
Record: 0-0, 0-0 MIAC

What You Need To Know about St. Scholastica: 
-The theme for Saturday will be new.
-After having their season opener against Sewanee University (Tenn.) canceled in early September, the Saints will make their season debut on Saturday.
-After winning five Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) championships in 12 years, the Saints transition to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
-Since CSS last took the field in 2019, which was also at Public Schools Stadium, Third-year Head Coach Mike Heffernan has a new coaching staff which is led by new offensive coordinator Matt Bremer, defensive coordinator Tyler Majewski and Special Teams Coordinator Nick Crowle.
-The Saints also feature 53 newcomers on this year's squad.
-Only seven players remain on the roster that were on the 2019 team.
-One of those seven players is senior wide receiver Mitchell Adrian (Altoona, Wis./Altoona HS).
-Adrian, who will be wearing No. 1 this season, which is given to the top offensive player, was a First Team All-UMAC selection in 2019 after setting a program record 114 receptions.
-Adrian led NCAA Division III, averaging 11.4 receptions per game.
-The Saints will look to find a replacement for record-breaking quarterback Zach Edwards as they turn to first-year signal callers Giuliano Villalpando (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake HS) from Texas and Byron Bishop (Sublimity, Ore./Regis HS) from Oregon.
-Another one of those seven returning players is junior defensive back Jake Kukowski (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin HS), who will be wearing No. 11 this season, given out to the top defensive player.
-In his freshman season of 2019, Kukowski appeared in nine games and was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week.
 
Upcoming Opponent: 
Augsburg Auggies
Record: 0-2, 0-0 MIAC

What You Need to Know about Augsburg:
-The Auggies enter Saturday's contest in search of their first win of the season after a pair of close non-conference defeats.
-Augsburg opened the season with a 46-38 loss at Ripon College (Wis.) and then dropped its home opener in two weeks 20-19 to Nebraska Wesleyan University.
-Quarterback Cade Sheehan ranks fourth in the league, averaging 288.5 yards through the air.
-Sheehan has thrown seven touchdowns, but also four interceptions.
-Wide receiver Dominic Smith leads the MIAC and ranks ninth in NCAA Division III averaging 139.0 receiving yards per game.
-Smith ranks sixth in the nation, averaging nine receptions per game.
-Another wide receiver, Josiah Ferguson, is tied for the conference lead with three touchdowns.
-The Auggies rank second amongst conference teams, converting 55% of their third-down conversions
-Defensively, defensive back Camden Carlson-Mathies ranks second in the MIAC with 16 tackles.
-Fellow defensive back Hamsa Kahin is tied for the conference lead with two sacks and also has an interception for a touchdown on the year.
-Braden Tretter has a kickoff return for a touchdown this season.
-Opponents are 12-for-12 scoring touchdowns when entering the red zone thus far.
-The Auggies have outscored their opponents 38-30 in the second half through the first two games
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Series Record: First meeting between the two programs 
 
Series History: First meeting between the two programs 
 
Looking Ahead: The Saints will face Hamline University in St. Paul next Saturday with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.