The Bulldogs will open the 2023 football season Thursday at 6 p.m. against nonconference Northern Michigan University at James Malosky Stadium.
It will be the first meeting between the traditional powers since the 1998 season. It will also mark the first time the Bulldogs have faced a non-conference opponent in a non-conference regular season game since Aug 28, 2010 against Central Washington, a 35-10 win for the Bulldogs -- the same season UMD captured its second NCAA title.
Of note, UMD has played one non-conference game regular season game against a NSIC opponent since the 2010 title tilt -- a 20-12 win over Augustana in Sioux Falls on Sept. 3, 2011.
As a program, UMD is an impressive 63-22-4 all-time in season opening games. Bulldog head coach Curt Weise is 6-3 over his tenure in openers, and UMD brings three-straight opening wins into Thurday’s contest.
Wiese will begin his 11th season with the Bulldogs and 13th overall as a head coach just three wins shy of a 100 career wins. All-time, Wiese is 97-32, with a 88-21 record at the helm of the Bulldogs.