When the preseason Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference coaches poll came out and Minnesota State was ranked third, there was reason for hope that the team’s first season of football in the new conference would be successful.

Coaches, players and fans thought conference championships were possible, maybe even national-tournament berths, but given the program’s mediocrity over the last 15 seasons, optimism was still somewhat muted.

It wasn’t until the Mavericks won at Wayne State, in a game where they stopped the Wildcats twice inside the 10 in the fourth quarter to preserve a 26-21 victory, that hope was replaced by very real opportunity. The 35-32 victory over Winona State, with a stirring final drive and a subsequent defensive stop, put Minnesota State in position to end a 15-year championship drought.

An overtime loss at Augustana the next week seemed to end any playoff hopes for the Mavericks, who then won four straight games while other events helped push Minnesota State back into the postseason picture. The regular-season finale against St. Cloud State was the last hurdle, and the Mavericks ended a five-year losing streak to their main rival with a 16-7 victory that convinced the NCAA that Minnesota State was worthy of a playoff berth.

It’s tough to evaluate the playoff loss at Ashland University last weekend because the weather dominated the outcome more than the teams did. At times, the Mavericks overpowered Ashland on the ground, and it seemed victory was within reach. However, the offense sputtered at key moments and did not generate any points while the defense completely stifled Ashland’s high-powered attack.

Perhaps better weather would have allowed the Mavericks to at least present the threat of a passing game, though a dry field and less wind could have also played into Ashland’s favor.

In the end, a flukish long pass was the difference, and the Mavericks were left somewhere between the satisfaction of a NSIC South Division championship and postseason berth and the disappointment of a playoff loss that could have easily went the other way.

The offensive and defensive lines played as predicted this season, with both veteran groups dominating opponents at times. The rushing game, hidden over the last three seasons by a pass-first philosophy of former coaches, flourished, and other teams had trouble generating any ground game as the defense posted three shutouts.

The Mavericks’ perimeter players were more athletic and faster than opponents. Quarterback Ryan Fick, who didn’t take a meaningful snap in his first two seasons at Minnesota State, improved as the season went along, eventually becoming someone capable of winning games, not just managing them.

The offense returns almost intact next season so the improvement in that unit, given another year of learning a new system, should be expected. The defense has holes in the front seven and secondary that will be tough to fill. The kicking game needs a major upgrade.

It still seems odd to be talking about the bright future of Minnesota State football, considering this program’s mediocre past, but this season showed what’s possible. The Mavericks can’t win national championships at the current scholarship level of the NSIC, but it turned out to be more fun watching the competitive games of the new league, mixed in with a handful of blowouts, than watching the squad come up short on most Saturdays.

Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353 or e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com.