Maverick football looking to bounce back against Upper Iowa Peacocks

After a highly contested game that ended in a 33-41 loss against Wayne State, the Mavericks return home this weekend to try and get back on track.

This week the Mavericks will return home after stops at Concordia University St. Paul and Wayne State, where they went 1-1. This week the Mavericks look forward to hosting the Upper Iowa University Peacocks at Blakeslee Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. When these two teams played last year, it was the Mavericks who would come out on top, winning in convincing fashion with a score of 58-0. 

This year, the Mavericks hope to come out and put on another dominant performance against the Peacocks. Coming off of a loss, the team hopes to start another winning streak this weekend. Senior wide receiver, Nyles Williams, who had two touchdown receptions in the Mavericks’ comeback attempt has higher expectations for the team this week. “One thing we’re trying to focus on is not having any turnovers. The last game they scooped and scored off a turnover, so not giving up easy points is one thing,” Williams said.

The Peacocks are in the midst of a tough year, starting the season 0-6 up to this point. This week, they will be looking to finally get a tally in the win column with a win over the Mavericks.

One player to watch out for this Saturday for the Peacocks is defensive lineman Baxter Bohr. Bohr has been putting together some impressive performances this season, including a monster game against the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs where he recorded 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery, along with 10 total tackles. 

On the other side of the ball for the Peacocks, sophomore quarterback Marcus Orr leads the way. Orr has been a mixed bag this year, posting a 6:6 touchdown to interception ratio. Another important piece of their offense has been junior running back Desean Phillips. Phillips has not only done his job on the ground, but has also caught and thrown a touchdown pass this season. 

Even with the Peacocks being 0-6, it will still be very important for the Mavericks to stay focused this week. “This weekend we want to protect the house, there are statistics out there that say if a team goes undefeated at home, they have a higher chance to make it to the playoffs,” Williams said.

Header Photo: The Maverick football team will take on the Upper Iowa Peacocks this Saturday at 1 p.m. at Blakeslee Stadium. (Dylan Engel/The Reporter)

Write to Hayden Lee at Hayden.Lee@mnsu.edu