MANKATO, Minn. – The Gustavus football team Saturday afternoon competed against another school for the first time since the last game of the 2019 season. The Gusties travelled 15 miles south to take on Minnesota State-Mankato in a joint practice/scrimmage.
Despite the close proximity to each other, Gustavus and MSU-Mankato have not competed against each other since 1954. Since then, the Mavericks have turned into a perennial national contender in NCAA Division II, most recently finishing runner-up at the 2019 NCAA Championship. Gustavus and MSU-Mankato have competed against each other eight times with the Gusties owning a 7-0-1 all-time record against the Mavericks.
Saturday’s scrimmage provided each team the opportunity to sharpen their skills and run plays against another opponent. Half of the afternoon was spent on MSU’s practice fields where each team ran plays for offense, defense, and special teams. The second half of the afternoon moved over to Blakeslee Stadium where the teams faced off for situational down-and-distance plays.
“We are very thankful to MSU and Coach Hoffner for hosting our scrimmage today,” Head Coach Peter Haugen said. “It was a great opportunity for us to compete and continue to grow.”
The Gusties will also compete against Southwest Minnesota State for a scrimmage April 17 in Marshall, Minn.
