This season was not the kind of dream that the 6-4 UMD football and its senior class envisioned.

However, through the ups and downs of the fall, one thing remained true; the Bulldogs had each other’s backs and stand proud of their resiliency throughout the year.

“The way that we handled adversity, I feel like some of the games didn’t go the way we wanted them to, but in the end we did the best we could,” said Brady Herbst, a senior linebacker. “We came out sharp and just at the end of the day sometimes football games just don’t go the way you want them to and that’s how it is.”

Saturday, UMD’s 2024 season comes to a close. Their matchup against Minnesota state-Mankato won’t just be a finale for the seniors, but also a learning experience for younger players on the Bulldogs roster, as valuable lessons for next season are on the line.

“The leadership that these guys have brought to our program, our seniors here over the last four, five, six years, is super important,” said head coach Curt Wiese. “But it’s also important for those guys to leave behind a legacy of what we stand for, how we prepare, how we go about day to day. We can’t allow four to five or six plays to define us as a program. Unfortunately, some people are going to do that. We’re not going to do that internally and we’re hoping to have a good week this weekend.”

UMD welcomes in the Mavericks this Saturday at noon, with the opportunity to wrap up the year winning their fourth straight game.