MINOT, N.D. -- The Minot State football team will open the 2018 season by hosting Minnesota Duluth in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game on Thursday (Aug. 30) in Herb Parker Stadium with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.

The Beavers finished the 2017 season with a 3-8 overall record, but finished 3-4 in the NSIC North. Minot State was picked to finish sixth in the North Division in the NSIC preseason poll and 13th overall. Minnesota Duluth finished 2017 with a 9-3 overall mark and finished first in the North Division with a 7-0 record. The Bulldogs were picked as the preseason favorite in the North Division and were fourth overall in the NSIC preseason poll.

Minot State will feature plenty of new faces in 2018 as over 40 freshman dot the roster.

Senior Andy Jones won the battle for the starting quarterback position, but sophomore Ben Bolinske is expected to see action as well. Jones played in six games last season and threw for 274 yards and rushed for another 95 yards.

Jones will have a strong group of receivers in which to spread the ball around led by All-NSIC wide receiver Lavante Bushnell. Bushnell led the Beavers in catches (38), receiving yards (427) and touchdown receptions (5) last season. Lane Torgerson appeared in all 11 games and hauled in 22 receptions, while Connor Beeston played in 10 games and made seven catches. Freshman Demond Short will see plenty of time on the field as both a wide receiver and a kick returner.

Junior Devon Owens heads the tight end group for Minot State and freshman Lofton Klabunde will also see playing time.

Two freshmen, Lee Webb and Kamryn Bradley, will handle the running back duties, while senior Leroy Arnold and Pat Hardy will share time at fullback.

The offensive line will be anchored by junior captain Parker Franzen and junior Eric Besalda. Sophomore Cade Hernandez also returns, while Sebastian Gutierrez makes the move from tight end to the offensive line. Freshman Donovan Moore will start at center for the Beavers.

The Beaver defense will be led by the return of all-conference honoree Kiante Goudeau. Goudeau intercepted five passes last season to lead the team and had 63 tackles.

Goudeau will be joined in the secondary by senior Chris Rivers, sophomore Mikael Bradford and freshman Jemal Williams. Destond Hall, Shamir Geisinger, Justin Coleman and Kywan Owens also are expected to see playing time on opening night.

The defensive line features experience in juniors Ellis Parr and Reginald Desronvil. Sophomore Jordan Will also returns at defensive end, while freshman Logan Krueger will start opposite Will.

Alex Yanosko, Matthew Ackerman and Derek Wax will comprise the Beavers starting linebacking group.

The special teams will be paced by All-NSIC punter JoseLuis Moreno. Moreno also handles the Beavers placekicking and kickoff duties.

The Thursday night opener is also Military Appreciation Night. All military personnel, and their families, will be admitted free of charge with a valid military identification.