Game Time...No.17 Northwestern College hosts Dakota Wesleyan for a key GPAC match-up under the lights of Korver Field this weekend. Kickoff on Saturday night is scheduled for 7pm. Northwestern is in second place in the GPAC with a 3-1 record, 5-1 overall while DWU is 2-2 in conference play, 4-3 overall. 

Follow the game live via the NWC webcast at this link: Watch Now!

Listen to the game live, via the KSOU broadcast, at this link: Listen Now!

All-Time...Northwestern holds a 13-4 all-time advantage in the season series dating back to the 2000 season. Most recently, the Red Raiders are 6-4 against DWU but have lost two straight, including a 44-27 setback last year in Mitchell, S.D.

    Last Year...Dakota Wesleyan scored 24 unanswered points to break open a close game and defeat Northwestern 44-27 at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D. Following a six-yard TD run by J.C. Koerselman to make the score 14-13 early in the second quarter, DWU closed the half with a pair of long passing touchdowns from Dillon Turner, the first to Kodi Larson and the second to Hayden Adams, to give the Tigers a 28-13 halftime lead. A 22-yard field goal by Gus Haskell capped the third quarter scoring and was followed by a Tigers defensive touchdown off a fumble recovery, giving the hosts a commanding 37-13 lead in the fourth quarter. Northwestern quarterback Craig Bruinsma came in late and threw touchdown passes to T.J. Spykstra and Koerselman to cut the lead to 10 (37-27) but DWU clinched the win with Turner's fourth touchdown pass of the game, finiding Adams for a 15-yard score.

Bruinsma completed 15/30 passes for 168 yards in relief of starter Jonathan Kodama and both Spykstra (142 yards) and Jacob Kalogonis (62 yards) caught eight passes. Kalogonis rushed 19 times for 90 yards and a touchdown while Donovan Weldon led the defense with six tackles.

Turner completed 23/39 passes for 374 yards and four scores and two receivers, Adams and Larson, both went over 100 yards receiving.

Scouting Reports...

    Dakota Wesleyan: 2-2 (GPAC), 4-2 overall
    Head Coach: Ross Cimpl (6th year)
    2017 Results: def. U. of Saint Mary 60-14, def. Jamestown 49-12, lost to Doane 68-67, def. Hastings 38-35, def. Midland 55-21, lost to Morningside 76-21
    Last Year's Record: 6-2 (3rd), 8-3 overall
    Returning Starters: 9 total (4 offense, 4 defense, 1 special teams)
    
    By the Numbers (2017) GPAC/NAIA rank (bold-NAIA if top 10)

    Scoring Offense: 47 ppg (2nd/9th)     Scoring Defense: 40.3 ppg (8th)
    Total Offense: 586 ypg (2nd/2nd)        Total Defense: 509 ypg (8th)
    Rush Offense: 239 ypg (4th)                Rush Defense: 187 ypg (7th)
    Pass Offense: 346 ypg (2nd)               Pass Defense: 323 ypg (9th)
    Sacks Given Up: 11 (7th)                     Sacks by: 16 (1st)

    2017 Stats Leaders/GPAC rank: (* denotes returning starter)
    Rushing:  Luke Loudenburg, 95 carries, 656 yds (5th), 7 TD 
                     *Dillon Turner-63 carries, 450 yds, 9 TD (2016 All-Conference)
    Passing: *Dillon Turner-157/239 for 2,326 yds (2nd/8th), 26 TD, 6 INT (GPAC Player of Year in 2016)
    Receiving: *Hayden Adams  50 catches (1st/2nd), 893 yds (1st/1st), 11 TD (1st/5th)  (All-Conference in 2016)
                       Spencer Neugebauer   17 catches, 278 yds, 2 TD
                       Lewis Hofer  22 catches (8th), 223 yds, 3 TD
    Tackles: *Trey DeCroock-50 tackles
                   *Dillon Rork-44 tackles (All-Conference in 2016)
                   Tyrel Haley-38 tackles
                   Tyler Wagner-40 tackles
    Interceptions: *Charlie LaRoche-2 
                             Dillon Rork-1
    Sacks: Ethan Gaulke-4
                Dillon Rork-3

#17 Northwestern College: 3-1 (GPAC), 5-1

    Head Coach: Matt McCarty (2nd year as head coach, 13th year as coach with program)
    
    2017 Results: def. Ottawa (41-16), No.15 Dickinson State (37-3), Concordia (35-21), Briar Cliff (63-26); lost to No.4 Morningside 48-20, def. Midland 24-21

    Returning Starters:  12     Starters Lost:  14  (including P, K, PR and KR)

    Letterwinners Returning: 35   Letterwinners Lost: 24   

    By The Numbers: and rank (bold-NAIA if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 37 ppg (4th)                      Scoring Defense: 22.5 ppg (3rd)
    Total Offense: 493 ypg (3rd)                        Total Defense: 397 ypg  (4th)
    Rush Offense: 215 ypg (5th)                        Rush Defense: 175 ypg (3rd)
    Pass Offense: 277 ypg (3rd)                        Pass Defense: 222 ypg (5th)
    Sacks Given Up: 7 (3rd)                              Sacks by: 5 (9th)

    2017 Stats Leaders/GPAC rank: (* denotes returning starter)
    Rushing: *Jacob Kalogonis   109 att./679 yards, 9 TD (113yds/gm-4th)
                     Tyson Kooima   77 att./422 yards, 6 TD
    Passing: Tyson Kooima   111/192/5, 1,658 yds, 14 TD, 276 yds/game (3rd)
    Receiving: *J.C. Koerselman  27 catches (5th), 346 yards (10th), 2 TD
                       *Levi TeBrink   24 catches (8th), 481 yds (4th), 2 TD
                      Jared Nelson  21 catches, 317 yds, 5 TD
                       Shane Solberg  17 catches, 288 yards, 4 TD
    Tackles: Sean Powell  39 (4th)
                  Bryce Van Beek 33 
                  *Joey Novotny   32 
                  *Nate Bennett  28.5
    Interceptions: *Jerod Hansen  2
                              Bryce Van Beek 2 
    Sacks: *Cody Bauman-2

Other Notes: 
    Red Raiders moved up to 15th in the Sept. 25 NAIA poll; highest ranking since 2015 (Sept.28)

    have scored 20+ points in every game this season; matching longest streak since 2014 season (6)
    
    Kalogonis has seven 100+ yard games for his career, four in the 2017 season; one 200+ yard game

    Te Brink has two 100-yard receiving games this season; 4 for his career; Koerselman one 100-yard game this season

    Jared Nelson was the first Red Raider to catch four TD passes in a game (for sure since 1998) vs Dickinson State

   Kooima has thrown for 250+ yards in every game this season; 1 300-yard game

   Northwestern has had the edge in total yards in five of the six games played

    Northwestern has had more passing yards in every game this season