Venue & Game Details
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM CT (2:00 PM ET)
Venue: Bob Cunningham Field at Memorial Stadium, Wayne, Nebraska (Capacity ~4,500, turf surface)
Broadcast: NSIC Network / ESPN+ (regional)
Special Note: This is Wayne State’s annual Homecoming Game
Weather Forecast (Wayne, NE)
Temperature: ~69°F (21°C) at kickoff
Conditions: Partly sunny, light winds (6–10 mph)
Precipitation: ~15% chance of light showers
Impact: Mild fall conditions; wind could slightly affect long field goals
Injury Report (Projected)
(Note: D-II programs rarely release official injury reports; this is based on recent availability trends)
Wayne State Wildcats:
QB rotation intact; starter healthy after 3-TD outing vs MSU Moorhead.
RB Ryan Kennedy – probable (ankle).
Secondary fully intact.
Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs:
QB healthy, but OL depth thin after Week 2 injury.
WR1 expected to return after hamstring tweak.
Defensive line missing one starter (out).
Key Player Matchups
Wayne State QB vs. SMSU Secondary
Wayne’s passing game has been efficient, with 21+ points in three of four games. SMSU’s DBs must avoid giving up explosive plays.
SMSU RB vs. Wayne State Front Seven
The Mustangs lean on their ground game to control tempo. Wayne’s linebackers must contain early-down runs.
Special Teams
Wayne State has been consistent in the kicking game; SMSU has had miscues that cost field position.
Recent Team Form
Wayne State (NE) Wildcats (2025 Season so far):
Record: 2–2 overall, 2–1 NSIC
Results:
W vs Univ. of Mary (42–7)
L vs Nebraska-Kearney (28–21)
L vs Northern State (26–7)
W @ MSU Moorhead (27–17)
Strength: Balanced offense, opportunistic defense
Weakness: Inconsistent scoring in losses
Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs (2025 Season so far):
Record: 1–2 overall, 1–2 NSIC
Results:
L @ MSU Moorhead (51–13)
W vs Jamestown (12–7)
L vs Univ. of Mary (40–9)
Strength: Capable of grinding out close wins vs lower-tier opponents
Weakness: Offense averaging just 11.3 PPG in losses
Conference vs. Conference
Both teams are NSIC rivals, making this a conference matchup with postseason implications.
Wayne State: Fighting to stay in the upper half of the NSIC standings.
SMSU: Looking to rebound from a rough start and avoid falling further behind.
Series History
All-time series: Wayne State leads 27–8
Recent meetings:
2024: Wayne State 41, SMSU 7
2023: Wayne State 49, SMSU 7
Trend: Wayne State has won the last eight meetings, including dominant back-to-back blowouts.
Betting Trends:
Wayne State is 2–2 ATS this season (modeled).
SMSU is 1–2 ATS this season.
Wayne State games have gone Under in 2 of 4 due to defensive strength.
SMSU games have gone Over in 2 of 3 due to defensive struggles.
Historical Betting Results (Modeled)
2024: Wayne State -10.5 (covered, won 41–7)
2023: Wayne State -9.5 (covered, won 49–7)
2022: Wayne State -7.5 (covered, won 35–14)
2021: Wayne State -6.5 (covered, won 28–17)
Game Odds
Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs 52
Wayne State (NE) Wildcats – 14.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
