Game Time...No.6 Northwestern looks to stay unbeaten when they make the trip to Seward, Neb. for a match-up against Concordia this weekend. Kickoff at Bulldogs Stadium is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1pm. The Red Raiders are coming off a 35-6 road win over Dordt last weekend, improving its record to 4-0 in the GPAC, 5-0 overall. Concordia earned a 24-17 win over Dakota Wesleyan last weekend, moving a game above .500 at 3-2 in the GPAC, 3-3 overall.

Watch the game (payment required) via the Concordia webcast at this link: Watch Now!

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

All-Time...The Red Raiders are 27-14 all-time against Concordia, dating back to the first match-up played in 1960. Northwestern has won the last two, four of the last five and is 8-2 in the last 10 games played in the rivalry. 

        Last Five vs CNC:
        2018: 42-28 win
        2017: 35-21 win
        2016: 9-7 loss
        2015: 17-14 win
        2014: 30-28 win

Last Year...Jacob Kalogonis scored four touchdowns and Shane Solberg set the program record for receiving yards in a season as No.6 Northwestern cruised to a 42-28 road win over Concordia  at Bulldog Stadium. 

Kalogonis rushed 19 times for 147 yards and matched his career high with three rushing touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 29 yards and another score, marking the first time he scored four touchdowns in a game at Northwestern. Kalogonis scored on runs from one, three and 97 yards out, the later matching the longest run in program history previously set by Theo Bartman against Midland in 2012 against Midland.

Solberg's day consisted of seven catches for 159 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown reception to put his team up 28-7 at the half. Solberg broke the Northwestern record for receiving yards in a season (old mark of 1,083 yards held by Chad Netten in 1996) and became just the second player in program history with over 1,000 yards in a season. 

Northwestern's offense was efficient if not spectacular, totaling 542 yards and averaging a remarkable eight yards per play. Tyson Kooima recorded his second consecutive 300+ yard day passing, completing 20-of-31 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 35 yards and a score while Matt Williams totaled six carries for 47 yards, both career highs.

The Red Raiders opened up a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter as their offense scored on two of its three possessions and the Raider D limited the hosts just two first downs. Kooima scored on a 54-yard run, his longest run of the season, to finish off a five-play, 74-yard opening drive. Kalogonis punched one in from one yard out capping a seven-play, 68-yard drive later in the quarter. 

Following another Bulldogs punt at the start of the second quarter, Kalogonis put the Red Raiders up 21-0 with his second touchdown run, a three-yard scamper that completed a 12-play, 34-yard drive. Concordia answered with its first scoring drive, finished off by a nine-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Perea to Vincent Beasley, to make it 21-7 with 2:51 left in the first half. Kooima connected with Solberg for a 45-yard touchdown pass and catch on the next offensive series to close out the half with a 28-7 lead.

Northwestern extended its lead to 42-7 after outscoring the host Bulldogs 14-0 in the third quarter. Bryce Van Beek intercepted Concordia at the goaline and returned it 46 yards to near midfield on the Bulldogs first possession. Eight plays later, Kooima connected with Kalogonis for a 19-yard touchdown on fourth down, the Red Raiders second fourth-down conversion of the drive. The Raider D held again with Concordia driving, forcing a turnover on downs at the Northwestern 3-yard line. Kalogonis then scored on the very next play, taking it to the house on a 97-yard run for his team's final points.

Concordia scored 21 unanswered points in the final quarter on a pair of touchdown passes from Perea and a run from Ryan Durden.

The Raider D forced two turnovers, interceptions by Van Beek and Noah Van't Hof, and also registered two quarterback sacks, one by Jed Van't Hof and a shared sack by Nate Bennett and Carter Van Gorp. Logan Richard totaled a team-high six tackles and Jed Van't Hof added five stops. The Red Raiders held Concordia to just 17 rushing yards on 25 carries.

Perea threw for 455 yards and three touchdowns, all coming in the final quarter, to lead the Concordia offense. Beasley tallied nine catches for 155 yards and two scores and Connor Kohlmoos had six catches for 162 yards and a score.

Scouting Reports...

    Concordia Bulldogs: 3-2 (GPAC), 3-3 overall        Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (3rd year)

The Bulldogs have turned their season around after an 0-2 start, winning three of its last four games to move into a tie for fourth place in the GPAC with a 3-2 league record, 3-3 overall. Concordia has wins over Hastings (44-0), Briar Cliff (16-14) and Dakota Wesleyan (24-17) in the last four weeks, losing only to Jamestown on the road, 13-10 (OT). They are 2-1 at home this season. 

Daberkow holds a 12-14 record as the head of the Bulldogs program coming into the weekend. He guided Concordia to a 6-4 record in his first season (2017), 3-7 last year, losing the final five games in 2018. Daberkow returns 15 starters (8 offense, 7 defense) from last year's team.

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA Rank-if top 10)
Offense (8 starters return)                  Defense (7 starters return)      Special Teams
PPG – 21.3pts (5th)                              PPG – 14.7 (3rd)                        8/16 FG
YPG – 314 (7th)                                    YPG – 274 (3rd)                         4/15 PAT
     Rush-79 (9th)                                       Rush-70 (1st / 3rd)                 KR – 17.5 / (7^th)
     Pass-235 (3rd)                                     Pass-204 (6th)                        PR – 1.3 / (10^th)
+9 TO margin (1st)                                23 QB sacks (1st / 4th)               Punt – 37/ (4th)
16 sacks given up (7th)                         18/91, 19% 3^rd down (1st)
28/104, 27% 3^rd down (9th)

Statistical Leaders: (GPAC rank)
Ryan Durdon (All-GPAC) - 140 rush, 374yds (6th), 3 TD
Jake Kemp - 89/161 passing, 1182yds (3rd), 7 TD, 3 INT
Cayden Beran - 37 catches (2nd), 536yds (4th), 2 TD
Korrell Koehlmoos - 26 catches (7th), 364yds, 3 TD
Arthur Anderson - 14 catches, 169yds, TD
Cole Bumgartner - returning starter OL
Johnny Robinson - returning starter OL
Lane Napier - All-American: 72 tackles (1st), 4.5 QB sacks (3rd)
Riley Bilstein - 44 tackles (8th)
Derek Tachovsky- (All-Conference) 42 tackles
Aaron Rudluff - 7 QB sacks (T1st)

#6 Northwestern Red Raiders: 4-0 (GPAC), 5-0 overall        Head Coach: Matt McCarty (4th year)

The Red Raiders have won five straight games, four in the GPAC, and are 3-0 in road games this year. They continue to climb in the NAIA Coaches' poll, up one more spot from last week, after defeating Dordt 35-6. 

Offense (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)     Defense                              Special Teams
PPG – 41 (2^nd/9^th)                                  PPG – 10.2 (1st / 4th)              6/7 FG
YPG – 455 (2^nd/7th)                                YPG – 290 (4^th)                       25/26 PAT
     Rush-174 (4^th)                                         Rush-160 (6^th)                   KR – 25.4yds/return (1st/7th)
     Pass-281 (2^nd/10th)                                 Pass-131 (1st / 3^rd)           PR – 16.4yds/return (4th / 9th)
+4 TO margin                                            8 QB sacks (9th)                   Punt – 33/attempt (9th)
10 sacks given up                                     39% 3^rd down (7th)
30/61, 49% 3^rd down (2nd)

Statistical Leaders: (GPAC rank)
Jacob Kalogonis – 101/620yds (3^rd), 8 TD, 4 100-yard games in 2019
Tyson Kooima – 85/138, 1,344yds (2^nd / 7th), 13 TD, 3 INT; 2 300-yd games in 2019
Shane Solberg – 29 catches (5th), 478yds (7th), 5 TD; 2 100-yard games in 2019
Cade Moser – 24 catches (9^th), 504yds (6th/8th), 3 TD; 2 100-yard games in 2019
Braxton Williams – 6/7 FG, long of 48 yards; 25/26 PAT
Marcus Rens – 16 punts, 32.9yds/attempt (8^th)
Tanner Machacek – 46 tackles (2nd), 2.5 QB sacks (8th)
Sean Powell – 42 tackles (4th)
Brett Moser – 32 tackles, 2 INT (T2nd)