Game Time...The 2019 NAIA Football playoffs begin this weekend as No.8 Northwestern plays host to No.9 Saint Xavier (Ill.) in a Football Championship Series First Round match-up between top 10 teams. Kickoff on Korver Field at DeValois Stadium is scheduled for noon. Northwestern is 9-1 this season and the Cougars, winners of seven straight games coming into the weekend, are 8-2. 

    Follow the game live, via the NWC webcast, at the following link: Watch Now | Dak Stats Page

    NAIA First Round Preview

All-Time... This is the first ever game played between the two teams. 

How They Qualified... Northwestern received the first of the four at-large bids into the 16-team Football Championship series field. St. Xavier earned one of the 12 automatic bids by way of winning the Mid-States Football Association Midwest Division Championship. 

Format... 16 teams comprise the single-elimination Football Championship Series tournament field. The eight winners from this weekend will be paired against one another in four quarterfinal match-ups next weekend (Nov. 30), followed by the semifinals on Dec. 7. The championship game this year will take place in Ruston, La., at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21.

Postseason History... Northwestern is playing in its third straight NAIA Football Championship series, losing to Dickinson State (N.D.) in the first round last year going 1-1 in 2017 with a win over Langston and a loss to eventual champion University of Saint Francis. This will be the 21st overall appearance in the postseason by the Red Raiders, most among this year's 16-team field. They are 14-6 all-time in the first round.

Saint Xavier is making its third straight and 13th overall appearance into the NAIA FCS. The last two season, the Cougars earned a win in the opening round only to lost to Morningside in the quarterfinals both years. They are 9-3 in first round games and have won nine of their last 10 in the opening round. 

Both teams have won at least won national title; Northwestern with two (1973 and 1983) and the Cougars winning it all in 2011.

Scouting Reports...

    No.9 Saint Xavier Cougars: 6-0 (1st), 8-2 overall     Head Coach: Mike Feminis (21st year)

The Cougars won the Mid-States Football Midwest Division with an unbeaten 6-0 record and are 8-2 overall. Since dropping back to back games to UW-Whitewater and Concordia (Mich.) in weeks two and three, SXU has won seven straight games, including a 29-27 road win over St.Francis (Ill.) last weekend. 

Coach Feminis owns a 73% win percentage during his time with the Cougars, third best among current active coaches. He was 175-66 coming into the 2019 season, fourth most wins among active coaches. He has guided the Cougars to five national semifinals (all since the 2006 season) and one national championship in 2011. Feminis has been the Midwest League Coach of the Year for three straight years.

Team Stats (Conf. Rank / NAIA Rank-if top 10)
Offense:                                            Defense:                     Special Teams:
40ppg (1st/8th)                                28.5ppg (4th)                 Punting-35.8yds/ (1st)
450ypg (1st/8th)                              388ypg (5th)                  Kick Return-19.8ypr (3rd)
  116ypg rush (6th)                          167ypg rush (4th)          Punt Return-9.1ypr (3rd)
  334ypg pass (1st/2nd)                   221ypg pass (6th)         10/17 FG, 48/51 PAT
23 sacks allowed (3rd)                    23 sacks (3rd)
40% 3rd down                                 44% 3rd down 
+2 TO margin (20/18)

Statistical Leaders:
Rushing:
Vance McShane – 117/671yds, 11 TD (2x all-conference, 2 100-yd games)
Jamarri Watson – 70/366, 3 TD

Passing:
Alex Martinez – 263/409, 3,220yds, 31 TD, 9 INT (Conference Player of the Year)(1 400-yd game, 6 300-yard games)

Receiving:
Harold Davis – 58/836yds, 11 TD (2x all-conference)(All-American)
Nick Czeszewski – 57/829yds, 6 TD (2x all-conference)
Michael Markasovic – 37/510, 6 TD (all-conference)
Chris Simmons – 37/390, 3 TD (all-conference)

O-Line
Bruce Mesa (2x all-conference)
Anthony Saro (2x all-conference)

Interceptions:
Ron Carroll – 4
Jacob Denney, Jarvis Carter, Kevin Block - 2

Tackles:
Joey Markasovic - 85 (All-Conference)
Danny Saracco - 81 (All-Conference)
Jarvis Carter - 63 (All-Conference)
Steven Meyer - 59

QB Sacks:
Payton Campbell – 5.5 (All-Conference)
Joey Markasovic, Jaleel Holloway (All-Conference)– 3.5

Kicking:
Mike Iturbe – 10/17 FG, 48/51 PAT (All-Conference)

No.8 Northwestern Red Raiders: 8-1 (2nd), 9-1 overall        Head Coach: Matt McCarty (4th year)

The Red Raiders had their nine game win streak snapped last weekend, falling to No.1 Morningside 37-27. Northwestern held the lead at the half, was nearly even in total yards and held the Mustangs to their lowest point total of the season. Coach McCarty's squad has scored more than 40 points in four games and given up 20+ points in just two games. 

Northwestern was picked second in the GPAC preseason poll, been ranked among the top 15 all season and has been in the top 10 since week two. 

Offense (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)     Defense                         Special Teams
PPG – 35.7 (4th)                                PPG – 12.9 (2nd / 4th)          11/13 FG (1st)
YPG – 440 (3rd)                                 YPG – 302 (3rd)                    42/46 PAT (5th)
     Rush-154 (4^th)                                       Rush-154 (5th)              KR – 23.6yds/return (1st/8th)
     Pass-286 (2nd / 10th)                            Pass-147 (1st/4th)         PR – 10.4yds/return (4th)
-1 TO margin (19/20)                               23 QB sacks (6th)             Punt – 33/attempt (9th)
14 sacks given up (4th)                           34% 3^rd down (5th)
46% 3^rd down (2nd/5th)

Statistical Leaders:
Rushing:
Jacob Kalogonis – 126/768yds, 8 TD (4x all-conference)
Tyson Kooima – 85/358yds, 6 TD 
Garrett Packer – 68/329yds, 3 TD

Passing:
Tyson Kooima  195/316, 2,797yds, 25 TD, 8 INT  (GPAC Off. Player of Year, 3x all-conference)

Receiving:
Shane Solberg – 78/1,133yds, 12 TD (2x all-conference)
Cade Moser – 35/629yds, 6 TD (all-conference)
Michael Storey – 22/392yds, 3 TD
Jacob Kalogonis – 17/157yds, TD

Interceptions:
Sean Powell - 3 (3x all-conference)
Ben Granstra, Brett Moser, Dylan Snyders (all-conference) -2

Tackles:
Tanner Machacek - 88 (GPAC Def. Player of the Year, 4x all-conference)
Sean Powell - 79 (3x all-conference)
Brett Moser - 53
Ben Granstra - 48
Noah Van't Hof - 47

QB Sacks:
Tanner Machacek – 8
Colin Snyder – 5.5

Kicking:
Braxton Williams – 11/13 FG, 42/46 PAT (all-conference)