Jessica Bendzick/ Winonan
The Winona State University football team will have 60 minutes of national fame on Thursday, Oct. 9.
Winona State will be facing off against Minnesota State University, Mankato, and the game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Warrior Stadium in Winona.
The game will remain free to all students who present their Winona State ID.
Head football coach Tom Sawyer said, “It’s every kid’s dream to play on national television.”
The matchup is this week’s CBS Sports Network “Division II Football Game of the Week” and will be one of seven Thursday night games televised throughout the football season. Every year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and CBS Sports select the top Division II matchups across the nation.
“They’re trying to get rival games, and they want to make sure they have a good venue,” Sawyer said.
Minnesota State is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation, and Winona State University is in No. 25.
Sawyer said Warrior Stadium is ranked as one of Division II’s best college environments.
CBS and the NCAA select the games by conference and try to spread their selections across the country, Sawyer said.
Athletics director Eric Schoh said getting selected required Winona State making themselves known.
“We had to make them aware that we were interested in having a televised game and show why we would be a good candidate,” Schoh said. “It’s huge for us. It gives us national exposure and really shines a spotlight on who we are and what we’re all about.”
Schoh also said how timing and Winona State’s reputation helped.
“It not only has to be our league’s turn, but it also has to be a game that fits within the dates that CBS gives the NCAA to pick from,” Schoh said. “The reputation of Winona State and our football program helped because they want to put quality programs on.”
At halftime, CBS will feature a story about Winona State and the community. From the bluffs to the campus as a whole, Sawyer said CBS plans to showcase the entire town of Winona and show why it is special.
A few weeks ago, CBS spent some time at Winona State conducting interviews and taking footage of the campus.
“My hope is that when people get done watching the feature story and see the game, they sit back and think, ‘Wow what a neat place. I want to go there sometime,’” Schoh said.
The football team has one other chance at being on national television when the Division II semi-final and final games are played, which are featured on ESPN.
“For us, it’s just another game,” Sawyer said. “It’s just a chance to play a high-level game, and it’s at home. We need students there.”
