Bulldog football gears up for 10th Annual Military Appreciation Game

DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) - The Bulldogs play the Sioux Falls Cougars this Saturday for the Military Appreciation Day game.

Last season, UMD dropped their game against Sioux Falls by just three points.

However, this year’s team looks a little different this season.

The Bulldogs have scored over 40 points in each of their first two games, averaging 34 points in the first half.

Bulldog Quarterback Kyle Walljasper is a major factor in these high-scorers. After last week’s game against Northern State, he earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week.

Head Coach Curt Weise is looking for career win number 100, but he knows that Saturday’s Military Appreciation Day game means more than just stats or records

”This isn’t just one or two people behind the scenes, this has been worked on for five or six months, preparing for this evening,” Weise said, “and our guys appreciate it.”

Defensive Back Tim Pokornowski has played in many of these games.

”This will be the fifth one, or the sixth one I’ve been a part of,” Pokornowski said. “It’s such a cool thing here at UMD, you see so many people come out to the game. I have family in the military and in the Air Force, and it’s incredible with the fly-over and the flag on the field. Everything about it is really cool.”

It’s an early start for the Bulldogs on Saturday, with a special military tailgate at 11 a.m., followed by the Bulldog Walk at 1:25 p.m. and a military flyover from the 148th fighter wing.

Kickoff against Sioux Falls is set for 2 p.m.

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