Game Time...10th-ranked Northwestern continues its playoff run as the Red Raiders match up against defending champion and top-ranked University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in a NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) Quarterfinal on Saturday, Nov. 25 in Fort Wayne, Ind. Kickoff on Kevin Donley Field at Bishop John M. D'Arcy Stadium is scheduled for 11am our (CST) time. 

Northwestern, ranked 10th in the final NAIA coaches' poll, brings a 10-1 record into the weekend while No.1 USF is one of five unbeaten teams left in the NAIA with an 11-0 record. 

NAIA Quarterfinal Preview | 

Follow the game live, via the Saint Francis webcast at this link: Watch Now!   

For live stats, follow this link: Live Stats!

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

All-Time...This will be the first ever match-up between the two teams.

How They Qualified...Northwestern, the runner-up from the Great Plains Athletic Conference, earned the first of four at-large bids in the 16-team NAIA FCS. Saint Francis won the Mid-States Football Association Mideast League Championship and earned an automatic bid into the 16-team field.

Playoff History...

    Northwestern: This is the 19th overall postseason appearance for the Red Raiders and first since the 2014 season. Northwestern also qualified in 1972, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1982-85, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2012-24. The Red Raiders have a 21-16 record in the postseason and are now 14-5 in first round match-ups after last week's win over Langston (Okla.) This will be the Red Raiders 13th national quarterfinal and first since losing to Missouri Valley 33-26 in 2006. (note: in 1978, 79 and 82-85, only eight teams made the postseason so the quarterfinals were also first round games; the 1987 season was the first the NAIA went to a 16-team format for the championship). Northwestern's most recent win in the quarterfinals was in 2000, a 21-14 win over St. Ambrose. The Red Raiders have won two national championships (1973 and 1983).

        Red Raiders in the Quarterfinals (7-5 record):
            2006: lost Missouri Valley, 33-26
            2003: lost University of Sioux Falls (S.D.), 33-7
            2000: def. St. Ambrose (Iowa), 21-14 
            1996: lost to Sioux Falls (S.D.), 52-21
            1994: def. Minot State (N.D.), 28-26
            1988: lost to Wisconsin-LaCrosse, 45-33
            1985: def. Benedictine (Kan.), 32-22
            1984: def. SW College (Kan.), 45-23
            1983: def. St. Thomas (Minn.), 17-10
            1982: def. St. John's (Minn.), 33-28
            1979: def. Midland Lutheran (Neb.), 40-27
            1978: lost to Concordia (Minn.), 49-0

    University of Saint Francis: This is the 17th postseason appearance in 20 overall seasons for the Cougars (1st season of football was 1998), who improved to 28-15 all-time in the FCS after defeating Benedictine (Kan.) 26-21 in the opening round last weekend. The 28 wins is the most of any team in the field and they are one of two teams from the Mid-States Football Mideast, along with Concordia (Mich.) in the field of 16. USF is 8-4 all-time in the quarterfinals, 2-4 since the 2010 season. The Cougars have one national title (2016) and have been to the championship game four times.

    USF in the Quarterfinals (8-4 record):
        2016: def. Morningside 42-35
        2015: def. Montana Tech 42-20
        2013: lost to Cumberlands 28-14
        2012: lost to Marian 45-34
        2011: lost to Georgetown 26-14
        2010: lost to Saint Xavier 40-21
        2008: def. University of Cumberlands 31-20
        2007: def. Lindenwood 35-14
        2006: def. Bethel (Tenn.) 42-35
        2005: def. Georgetown 44-14
        2004: def. Hastings 48-17
        2003: def. St. Ambrose 41-14

Scouting Reports...

    No.1 University of Saint Francis: 11-0 (6-0 in conf.)   1 of 5 remaining unbeaten teams in NAIA
        Head Coach: Kevin Donley (20th year)
             Won Mid-States Football Association Mideast League Championship: 6-0

        2017 Results:
        def. Jamestown (N.D.), 55-7
        def. St. Francis (Ill.), 68-23
        def. St. Ambrose, 49-21
        def. Saint Xavier (Ill.), 48-23
        def. Marian (Ind.), 31-24*
        def. Concordia (Mich.), 35-18*
        def. Siena Heights (Mich.), 36-9*
        def. Missouri Baptist, 56-23*
        def. Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.), 70-0*
        def. Taylor (Ind.), 40-20*
        def. Benedictine (Kan.), 26-21

Last Year's Record: 14-1 won NAIA Championship; 5-1 (2nd) to Marian in conference
    Preseason: has been ranked No.1 all season
    Returning Starters: 14 total (6 offense, 6 defense, 2 special teams);
            19 letterwinners returning on defense
    
    By the Numbers (2017) NAIA rank 

    Scoring Offense: 46.7 ppg (6th)     Scoring Defense: 17.2 ppg (3rd)
    Total Offense: 511 ypg (8th)            Total Defense: 287 ypg (6th)
    Rush Offense: 180 ypg                    Rush Defense: 84 ypg (4th)
    Pass Offense: 331 ypg (6th)            Pass Defense: 203 ypg 
    Sacks Given Up: 13                         Sacks by: 22 
    Turnover Margin: +10 (24 forced, 10 given up)
    Kick Return Average: 32.2yds (1st)

    2017 Stats Leaders / Conf. rank: (* denotes returning starter)
    Rushing:  *Justin Green (2x all-conf) 264/1473yds (4th), 23 TD                           
                      Eli Wallace  42/261  1 TD
    Passing: *Nick Ferrer (2x all-conf/2015 Player of Year)  254/363 for 3,476yds (5th), 32 TD, 3 INT
     Receiving: *Sean Boswell  65 catches, 862yds, 4 TD
                        Dan Ricksy  59 catches, 949yds, 8 TD
                        Rocky James  44/705  7 TD
    O-Line: 2 starters return, Alex Woods (all-conf), Connor Holcomb
    Kick Return: Justin Green 13/447yds, 34.4 ave. 2 TD
    Tackles: *Eric Dunten  99 (All-Conference)
                    *Piercen Harnish  92 (2x All-Conference)
                    *Wilmer Cole  46 (All-Conference)
                    *Spencer Cowherd  46 (2x All-Conference)
                     *Lee Stewart  42 (All-Conference)
    Interceptions: Blake Schumacher  4
                            Spencer Cowherd/Wilmer Cole 2
    Sacks: James Jamicich 3.5
                Eric Dunten  3
                Piercen Harnish 3

Other Notes:

    USF has been ranked No.1 all season; they have won 20 straight games, the final nine in 2016, including a 38-17 win over Baker in the championship game

    The Cougars have won 10 straight home games; they have won five straight home playoff games, last losing at home vs Marion in 2015

    Coach Donley is the only coach in program history, began football in 1998; only losing season was in 1998; has made playoffs every season but 1998, 2009 and 2014

    Donley is No.1 on the active and career wins list in NAIA (302 heading into this season)

   Offensively, the Cougars have rushed for 100+ yards in every game this season; have rushed for more yards than opponent in all but two games (Marian, Concordia)

    USF has thrown for 200+ yards in all but one game    
    
    Defensively, USF has held opponents to under 100 yards seven times

No.10 Northwestern College: 10-1, 7-1 (2nd in GPAC)

    Head Coach: Matt McCarty (2nd year as head coach, 13th year as coach with program)
    
    2017 Results: 
     def. Ottawa 41-16
     def. #15 Dickinson State 37-3
     def. Concordia 35-21
     def. Briar Cliff 63-26
     lost to #4 Morningside 48-20
     def. Midland 24-21
     def. Dakota Wesleyan 29-10
     def. #19 Doane 31-24
     def. Dordt 41-23
     def. Hastings, 31-12
     def. #7 Langston, 55-7

    Returning Starters:  12     Starters Lost:  14  (including P, K, PR and KR)
    Letterwinners Returning: 35   Letterwinners Lost: 24   
    Preseason: picked 5th in both coaches' and media poll
    
    By The Numbers: and rank (bold-NAIA if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 37 ppg                          Scoring Defense: 19 ppg (7th)
    Total Offense: 477 ypg                             Total Defense: 362 ypg  
    Rush Offense: 230 ypg                            Rush Defense: 185 ypg
    Pass Offense: 247 ypg                             Pass Defense: 177 ypg (10th)
    Sacks Given Up: 11 (8th)                         Sacks by: 15
    Turnover Margin: +6 (25 forced/19 given up)

    2017 Stats Leaders/NAIA rank: (* denotes returning starter)
    Rushing: *Jacob Kalogonis  250 att./1566yds (3rd), 15 TD, 142yds/game (2nd)
                     Tyson Kooima   133 att/623yds, 14 TD
    Passing: Tyson Kooima   192/345, 2,688yds, 22 TD, 8 INT  244yds/game
    Receiving:  *J.C. Koerselman  44 catches, 534yds, 3 TD
                        *Levi TeBrink   42 catches, 778yds, 4 TD                      
                        Jared Nelson  35 catches, 442 yds, 7 TD
                       Shane Solberg  31 catches, 478 yards, 5 TD
    Tackles: *Tanner Machacek  79 
                    *Joey Novotny   76
                    *Sean Powell  75                     
                    *Jacob Jenness  64
                    Bryce Van Beek 62                  
    Interceptions: Bryce Van Beek-7 (1st)
                             Jerod Hansen-3 (5th)
    Sacks: *Cody Bauman-5

Other Notes: 
    Red Raiders initally moved up to 15th in the Sept. 25 NAIA poll; currently 10th and highest ranking for the Red Raiders since the 2015 season when they were ninth in the Sept.14 poll.

    Northwestern earned its 10th win last week; first 10-win season since 2006; there have been two 10-win season since 2000, 11 overall

    have scored 20+ points in every game this season (11); longest streak since 12 straight from last game in 1987 and first 11 games of 1988

    this year's squad averages 5.8yds/carry, most for sure since 1998; 478 yds/game is most for sure since for sure 1998
    
    Kalogonis has 12 100+ yard games for his career, nine in the 2017 season, including six straight; three 200+ yard games

    Kalogonis ranks second all-time in rushing yards/season (1,566yds); behind Dave Perrigo 2,504yds in 2000); 15 TD tied third most alltime and most since Theo Bartman (2012)

    Te Brink has three 100-yard receiving games this season; 6 for his career; Koerselman one 100-yard game this season, 2 for career

    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 seven of the 10 games played this season; 1 300-yard game; has at least one rushing TD in seven of 10 games

    Kooima ranks sixth all-time in passing yards/season (2,688); tied for 8th all-time in passing TD's/season (22); 14 rushing TD's, most by QB since 1998

        Yards in a Season:
            5th-Jonathan Kodama  2697
            4th-Jay McKinstrey   2934

        TD Passes in a Season
            8th-Craig Hector (2007)  22
            7th-Travis Kooima (2003)  23
            6th-Lee McKinstrey (1983), Adam Tyrell (1994), Curt Krull (1973)-24
            5th-Jay McKinstrey (1984)-25

    Northwestern has had the edge in total yards in 10 of the 11 games played

    Red Raiders have had the advantage in rushing yards in seven of 10 games; advantage passing in every game
                
    Raider D has given up less than 100 yards in one game; given up less than 200 yards passing in seven games, five straight

    16 players earned all-conference honors: