FAYETTE, Iowa.  --  Missouri S&T Football has a six and a half hour trip ahead of them this week, as they head to Fayette, Iowa to take on the Upper Iowa Peacocks this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
About the Miners
S&T came up just short in a thrilling Hall of Fame game against Southwest Baptist over the weekend, falling 31-28 on a game-winning field goal in the final seconds. Despite the loss, the Miners continued to find success on the ground, with AJ Harris (Wentzville, MO/Lutheran-St. Charles) and Evan Wells (Roxana, IL/Roxana) combining for 155 rushing yards.

Four Miners hit career milestones at Saturday's game. Layne Ryals (Louisburg, KS/Louisburg) eclipsed 200 career points with his four extra points, while Justis Braden (Liberty, MO/Liberty North) surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards. Additionally, both Harris and Wells passed 1,000 career rush yards with S&T.

Harris found the end zone twice and continues to lead the GLVC in both rushing touchdowns and scoring. His performance has also kept him among the NCAA Division II leaders, where he ranks 11th in rushing touchdowns and 13th in scoring.

The Miners have been one of the GLVC's top rushing teams this season, ranking third in the conference with an average of 179.5 rushing yards per game. That success starts up front, where the S&T offensive line has allowed the second-fewest sacks in the GLVC. The Miners have also consistently moved the chains, averaging 21.8 first downs per game, which ranks third in the conference.

Defensively, S&T continues to make its presence felt. The Miners rank fifth in the GLVC in defensive efficiency with a 140.6 mark and are tied for second in the conference with eight sacks. Kaden Glass (San Antonio, TX/Pieper) and Mana Faagutu (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley) have led the pass rush, with both ranking among the GLVC's top 10 in sacks. In the secondary, Devin Dunn (McLean, VA/The Potomac School) has been a standout, ranking 14th nationally in NCAA Division II in interceptions per game.
 
About Upper Iowa
After opening the season with a 30-13 win over Jamestown, Upper Iowa has dropped its last three games, falling to Missouri Southern, No. 25 Michigan Tech and Lincoln (Mo.). All three losses have come in close contests, with the Peacocks falling by one or two points each time. That includes a 33-32 overtime loss to No. 25 Michigan Tech.

Upper Iowa boasts the second-most productive offense in the GLVC, averaging 373.8 yards per game. The Peacocks have nearly split their production evenly between the rushing and passing games, totaling 740 yards on the ground and 755 through the air.

Dual-threat quarterback Zamar Wise has been at the center of the Peacocks' offensive attack, leading the team in both rushing and passing. Wise averages 98.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks third in the GLVC, and 132.6 passing yards per game, good for sixth in the conference. His 287.8 yards of total offense per game rank 16th nationally in NCAA Division II.

Upper Iowa has also relied heavily on placekicker Nathan Behne, who ranks fifth in NCAA Division II with an average of 1.75 field goals per game. Behne has converted 70% of his field-goal attempts this season, leading the GLVC in field-goal percentage.

The Peacocks have been particularly strong against the pass, ranking 14th nationally in NCAA Division II while allowing just 150.3 passing yards per game. Dominic Salibi and Aaron King lead the team in passes defended, averaging 1.25 and 1.00 pass breakups per game, respectively.
 
What's Next
The Miners will be on the road again next Saturday for a 5 pm (CST) game at Indianapolis.

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