Minot State University is happy one trend in the Paul Rudolph era is continuing this week.

MSU hopes the one other ends.

The No. 17 ranked Beavers?travel to No. 20 Dickinson State today (2:30 p.m.) in a matchup of unbeaten Dakota Athletic?Conference teams. It is the third-straight year the Beavers have played for at least a share of the DAC?title. MSU lost to Jamestown College 19-14 in 2007 and last year 28-21 to the Blue Hawks in the final regular season game of the year.

"Rivalry games are always bigger, you get some bragging rights so to speak,"?Rudolph said. "But we don't think we have done anything different in preparation than other weeks.

"I?don't want to sound like a broken record, but we have tried to work as hard as we can in the offseason to get ready for games like this. We focused on getting stronger and becoming a better team. That happens in the summer, not in a week."

But there is still a big-game atmosphere surrounding this week.

"It's the Dickinson week. I?have had that circled since the schedule came out,"?MSU linebacker Tommy Weidler said. "We have been talking about it since we got back (from Mayville)?last Saturday."

For local players, the game usually takes on a different meaning. But both Rudolph and Weidler agreed the majority of the Beavers players understand the rivalry.

"It probably does have a different meaning for the local guys, but we have enough guys on this team that are Minot guys,"?Rudolph said. "They aren't Californians or Floridians or whatever. They are Minot guys. You don't have to tell the older guys much about this week."

MSU and DiSU?come in as two of the top ranked defenses in the DAC as DiSU is No. 1 in scoring, No. 4 in overall defense. MSU?is No. 2 in scoring and No. 2 in overall.

"They are an experienced group,"?Rudolph said of the Blue Hawks defense. "They all play for each other and understand where they need to be. We think we are the same way

"The biggest thing for us is we haven't given up big plays, very few big ones. We have forced people to drive the length of the field."

If MSU?has an advantage, it is on offense. The Beavers are the DAC's second best scoring and overall offense and ?leads the league in rushing at 190 per game. The Beavers have three backs in the top 10 in rushing with Nico Youngren (3rd, 87.5/game), Tyson Schatz (6th, 57/game) and Blake Eggl (9th, 50.2/game).

"I?think whenever you play a big game against a good team you have to have as much balance as possible,"?Rudolph said. "We need to make plays in the run game, we need to make plays in the passing game and really we need to make plays in the kicking game."