Football Monday, August 28, 2023 NWC Athletic Communications

No. 1 Northwestern Travels to Seward to Open 2023 Campaign

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The No. 1-ranked Northwestern College football team (0-0, 0-0 GPAC) opens a new season on the road for the fourth-straight season, heading to the state of Nebraska to battle the Bulldogs of Concordia University (Neb.). You can catch the action on cune.edu/athletics (paywall), live stats on nwcraiders.com, or tune in on KSOU Radio (93.9 FM) with Doug Broek calling the action.

NORTHWESTERN (0-0, 0-0 GPAC) vs. CONCORDIA (NEB.) (0-0, 0-0 GPAC)
Date \| Time				Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023 \| 1:00 PM
Location \| Stadium				Seward, Neb. \| Bulldog Stadium
Series Record				Northwestern leads 31-14 \| In Seward: Northwestern leads, 12-3
Last Meeting				NWC won 34-10 in Orange City (Sept. 24, 2022)
Radio				KSOU Radio (93.9 FM) - Doug Broek
Watch				cune.edu/athletics ($)
Live Stats				nwcraiders.com
Game Notes				Northwestern \| Concordia

NWC NOTABLES

The 2023 NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll ranked Northwestern No. 1, the first No. 1 ranking in program history dating back to 1999 (the official NAIA records).
Northwestern is 40-23-1 in season openers, and 4-3 under Matt McCarty.
NWC holds a record of 22-6 in the month of September under McCarty.
McCarty closes in on 75 career wins, entering 2023 with 67 wins to his name.
Since 2020 when the deep playoff runs began for Northwestern, NWC is one of eight NAIA programs to make the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) (see p. 5 of notes for full list of teams).
Josh Fakkema takes over as Offensive Coordinator this season, marking the third OC in as many seasons.
Six All-GPAC performers from last season will return to the gridiron for the Red Raiders this season.
Second Team All-Conference quarterback Jalyn Gramstad is back, set to lead the offense as QB1 from Week 1.
The Raiders return the dynamic backfield duo of Konner McQuillan and Logan Meyer.

NAIA COACHES' POLL

Three GPAC teams are ranked in the top-25 to begin the season: Northwestern (No. 1), Morningside (No. 4), and Dordt (No. 25).
The preseason poll marks the 25^th-straight week NWC has been ranked inside the top-5, dating back to May 17, 2021.
It's now 65-straight week the Red Raiders have been ranked inside the top-25.

2023 CAPTAINS

WEATHER FORECAST

Saturday's Week 1 contest will be a hot one in Seward with a predicted high of 97 degrees.
Sunny skies with winds up to 13mph S/SW

SERIES HISTORY

NWC leads the all-time series with Concordia 34-16
The Red Raiders have won the last six meetings and the last three in Seward.
In those six games, Northwestern has outscored the Bulldogs 193-97, averaging 32.2 points per game.

THE LAST MEETING

Northwestern won in comeback fashion last year in Orange City, 34-10; scoring five unanswered touchdowns in the second half.
Trailing 10-0 at half and then starting quarterback Blake Fryar going down with an injury early in the second half, Jalyn Gramstad led a furious comeback.
Gramstad set multiple career-highs in the win against the Bulldogs as NWC put up 515 yards of total offense.

Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut

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Players Mentioned

#11 Blake Fryar: QB; 6' 1"; Senior

#12 Jalyn Gramstad: QB; 6' 0"; Junior

#54 Jawan Grant: OL; 6' 0"; Senior

#23 Morris Hofer: DE; 6' 2"; Senior

#38 Ben Kingery: LB; 5' 11"; Junior

#3 Konner McQuillan: RB; 6' 0"; Senior

#2 Logan Meyer: RB; 6' 1"; Junior

#4 Cody Moser: DB; 6' 2"; Junior

#30 Jessen Reinking: DE; 6' 3"; Junior

#4 Michael Storey: WR; 6' 3"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#11 Blake Fryar
: 6' 1"; Senior
: QB

#12 Jalyn Gramstad
: 6' 0"; Junior
: QB

#54 Jawan Grant
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OL

#23 Morris Hofer
: 6' 2"; Senior
: DE

#38 Ben Kingery
: 5' 11"; Junior
: LB

#3 Konner McQuillan
: 6' 0"; Senior
: RB

#2 Logan Meyer
: 6' 1"; Junior
: RB

#4 Cody Moser
: 6' 2"; Junior
: DB

#30 Jessen Reinking
: 6' 3"; Junior
: DE

#4 Michael Storey
: 6' 3"; Senior
: WR