Game: Coverage:
Saginaw Valley State Production (PPV)
This week's non-conference game will be video streamed on FloSports and the Sagniaw Valley State sports network. It is a pay-per view broadcast and different from the regular GLVCSN/Hudl production as accustomed to. 

TrumanBulldogs.com
Live "in-game" stats are produced and available for media and fans to follow along during the game. Check out the schedule page on TrumanBulldogs.com or click on the right side of this story for the link. 
 
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman Bulldog Football team heads to central Michigan for a road date with Saginaw Valley State University Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs are 0-2 after being defeated by teams picked to win their respective conferences this year while the Cardinals are 1-1 following a win over Winona (Minn.) State in the opener and a loss to their neighbor Northwood on Saturday.
 
This is the third tilt in the series between the two schools and the second visit to University Center, Mich.  Last year in Kirksville, the two teams exchanged second-quarter touchdowns with over an hour weather delay sandwiched between the scores. The Bulldogs engineered a 10-play, 90-yard drive in the fourth quarter to go up 14-7. Saginaw had two fourth quarter possessions to try and tie the game but missed a 48-yard field goal with 6:08 left to play then got the ball back with 3:22 showing but couldn't sustain a drive, turning the ball over on downs at their own 21.  The Bulldogs  pushed across a late touchdown to seal the 21-7 win.
 
Truman State outgained Saginaw 386 to 230 total offensive yards with the Bulldogs possessing the ball for over 37 minutes of play.
 
The previous meeting in University Center occurred in 2018 with Saginaw erasing a 20-7 fourth quarter deficit and scoring the winning touchdown with 15 seconds remaining to win 21-20.
 
Saginaw Valley was picked fourth in the preseason coaches' poll in the eight-team Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC). The Cardinals posted a winning record for the third straight seasons with a 6-5 mark during the 2023 campaign.
 
Last Time Out:
An early season showdown at #16 Indianapolis did not go as planned for the Bulldogs last Saturday. The Greyhounds tallied touchdowns on three of their first four possessions of the game, answered the Bulldogs' 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with one of their own, and scored 10 points in the final quarter to secure the 41-34 victory.
 
UINDY racked up over 300 yards of total offense in the first half but the Bulldogs only trailed 31-17 at the break with Vinnie Calvaruso connecting on a 38-yard field goal, Jackson Overton falling on a fumble in the endzone for a touchdown, and Jack Butchko racing 96-yards for the return touchdown.
 
Truman closed to within four points on two occasions in the second half and, following a 63-yard strike from Dylan Hair to Jackson Overton, trailed 38-34 with 3:37 left to play. A 45-yard pass on the second play of UINDY's next possession flipped the field and allowed the Greyhounds to salt the clock down to 17 seconds before knocking in a 41-yard field goal for insurance.
 
Overton caught six of the seven passes thrown his direction for 132 yards and two scores. It was the first 100-yard receiving day for a Bulldog since 2021 and Matt Hall's 100 yards on seven grabs against Southwest Baptist. Hair was 17-of-26 for 246 yards passing. Butchko averaged 51 yards on three kickoff returns.
 
UINDY's quarterback Gavin Sukup earned GLVC Offensive Player of the Week honors after passing for 319 yards and two touchdowns. Anthony Crowell gained 115 yards through the air and Jon Lewis rushed for 106 yards on the ground. Markez Gillam was named the Special Teams Player of the Week after answering the Bulldogs kick return touchdown with his own 96-yard score. It was the first allowed kick return for a touchdown by the Bulldogs since 2016.
 
Saginaw Valley scored early in the game but was shut out the rest of the way in a 10-7 loss to rival Northwood in the 48^th playing of the Axe Bowl trophy game on Saturday. Offense was at a premium with a total of 438 yards and only five of 31 conversions on third downs between the two teams.
 
Quarterback Mason McKenzie completed 22-of-41 passes for 228 yards with 10 different receivers getting in on the action. Terrance Brown Jr. was the leading rusher with 26 yards on seven attempts.
 
The Saginaw defense has held their opponents to an average of 12 points and 48 yards rushing through the first two games.
 
Through Two Games:
The Bulldogs are averaging 27.5 points and 358 yards on offense this season.  Dylan Hair is 36-of-67 (54%) for 437 yards and three touchdown passes. Jackson Overton has caught 12 passes for 184 yards and all three scores. Nine different receivers have caught at least one pass from Hair.
 
Denim Cook is the leading rusher with 127 yards on 27 attempts. Hair is second with 94 yards on 21 carries and Jack Butchko has 68 yards on nine carries. The team is averaging 140 yards rushing per game.
 
The defense has allowed 39 points and 438 yards of offense on average thus far. Opponents have averaged 120 yards on the ground at 3.8 per carry and 318 passing yards with a 65% completion rate. Opponents have been successful on third downs 54% of the time and have converted on all three fourth-down plays attempted.
 
Jake McCollum is the top tackler for the 'Dogs with 16 with one quarterback sack. Shane Johnson and Brock Jones are second with 12 stops each. Jones has the lone fumble recovery for the defense this season.
 
Vinnie Calvaruso is 2-for-4 on field goals with a long of 38 and 7-of-7 on point-after attempts. He has averaged 51.1 yards on 11 kickoffs. Mason Gessert has punted eight times for a 36.8 yards per punt average with a long of 44 and two inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
 
Up Next:
The Bulldogs play their final non-conference game next week when they welcome Wayne (Mich.) State to Stokes Stadium for Family Day. Truman State has won the last three games against the Warriors including last year's 41-7 win in Detroit.
 
Wayne State (0-2) hosts Indianapolis (2-0) this week before making the trek to Kirksville for a 1 p.m. kickoff.