Minnesota State Mankato and NCAA semifinal foe Valdosta State are on familiar ground

Two frequent participants in the NCAA Division II football semifinals will meet on Saturday in Valdosta, Ga.

Minnesota State Mankato, making its third semifinals appearance in the past seven years, and Valdosta State, making its fourth appearance since 2012, will play for a berth in the championship game on Dec. 21 in McKinney, Texas.

After last week’s quarterfinals, which saw the Mavericks defeat Bemidji State 27-23 and Valdosta defeat Virginia Union 49-14, the bracket was reseeded, with Valdosta State at No. 1. The other semifinal on Saturday has Ferris State playing Slippery Rock.

Valdosta State (12-0) was ranked No. 2 in the final regular-season polls by D2Football.com.

The Blazers, who defeated Miles College 33-17 in the second round, have been led by quarterback Sammy Edwards, who has completed 66% of his passes for 2,929 yards with 28 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. Blake Hester has rushed for 955 yards and 13 TDs while averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

The Mavericks and Blazers met in the 2012 semifinals in Mankato. The Mavericks led 10-0 in the second quarter after Adam Thielen caught a 17-yard TD pass from Jon Wolf. But the Blazers rallied for a 35-19 victory and went on to defeat Winston-Salem State in the championship game for their third national title. The Blazers defeated Ferris State in 2018 for their fourth.

The Mavericks are looking for their third trip to the championship game. They lost in the title game in 2014 and 2019.

Susquehanna, located in Selinsgrove, Pa., has been playing football since 1892. Prior to last week, the River Hawks had never faced a team from the MIAC.

A 41-38 victory over St. John’s gave the River Hawks, ranked No. 6 in the final D3football.com regular-season poll, a spot in the Division III quarterfinals for the first time since 1991. They will face another team from the MIAC: Bethel.

Bethel defeated Wartburg 24-14 to earn its fourth trip to the quarterfinals since 2013. The Royals lost in the quarterfinals in 2013, 2018 and 2022.

The winner will advance to the national semifinals, which will be played Dec. 21.

The River Hawks have been led by freshman Rahshan La Mons, who is ranked in the top 10 in D-III in rushing yards (1,453), rushing TDs (18) and yards per carry (7.2). He also caught 36 passes for 402 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior quarterback Josh Ehrlich has completed 70% of his passes for 2,864 yards and 32 TDs with just four interceptions.

The Royals defense leads D-III in interceptions (tied for first with 22), sacks (57) and tackles for loss (124).

St. John’s quarterback Aaron Syverson finished his career as the MIAC’s career leader in passing yards (12,888) and TD passes (147). This season, Syverson led D-III with 4,382 yards and 51 TD passes. He completed 331 of 434 passes with just four interceptions.

Bethel quarterback Cooper Drews is third in D-III this season with 3,574 passing yards and is tied for fourth with 42 TD passes.