DWU football Gameday: Tigers head back to Nebraska to battle Bulldogs
Sep. 22—MITCHELL — The Dakota Wesleyan University football team will look to continue the strong start to the 2023 season with a road trip to Seward, Nebraska, on Saturday and a matchup with the Concordia University Bulldogs.
Here's a look at the Tigers' matchup on Saturday:
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bulldog Stadium, in Seward, Neb.
Records: DWU 3-1 (2-1 GPAC); Concordia (1-2, 1-2 GPAC)
Coaches: DWU's Ross Cimpl (62-60, 12th season); Concordia's Patrick Daberkow (seventh season, 28-33)
All-time series: Concordia leads the series, 13-10.
Last meeting: The Bulldogs spoiled DWU's Blue and White Days on Oct. 1, 2022, with a 20-12 victory at Joe Quintal Field. CUNE scored all 20 points in the third quarter.
Last time out: Dakota Wesleyan rallied for a 33-32 win over Midland for Blue and White Days on Sept. 16, while Concordia fell 38-7 at No. 19-ranked Dordt.
Notes: Concordia has won five of the last six games in the series, with DWU winning the 2020 matchup 28-17 in Mitchell. ... In the Massey Ratings, Concordia is No. 41 in the NAIA, while DWU is No. 51. ... It's Homecoming weekend for the Bulldogs, and Concordia is inducting its athletic hall of fame class for 2023, which includes former NAIA women's basketball player of the year Bailey Morris, who served as a DWU women's basketball graduate assistant coach in 2016-17. She's currently an assistant coach at the University of Idaho. ... DWU was Concordia's Homecoming opponent in 2021, a 34-0 Bulldog win.
About DWU: The 3-1 start for DWU is the Tigers' best since 2015, when DWU started 4-0. ... The Tigers are outperforming their preseason pick in the GPAC forecast, as the Tigers' were picked to finish 10th in the 11-team league. ... DWU has 10 takeaways in the first four games on defense. At plus-6 in turnover margin, DWU ranks No. 7 nationally in the stat through the first four weeks of the season. ... Jamin Arend ranks second in the GPAC in rushing per game at 88.3 yards ... Wideout Kiel Nelson is tied for the conference's lead in receiving touchdowns with four, while Austin Lee is third in the conference with seven passing touchdowns this season.
About Concordia: The Bulldogs start everything with the arm of quarterback DJ McGarvie, who leads the conference in passing yards per game at 271.7, most frequently finding Austin Jablonski, who has 282 yards and two touchdowns in three games ... Devin Ziegler is third in the conference with 85 rushing yards per game, with four scores. ... The Bulldogs are minus-6 in turnover margin through their first three games. ... Kyle Sterup leads the conference in tackles with 31 in the first three games, including 8 1/2 for a loss. ... The Bulldogs have allowed 36.3 points and 456 yards per game so far this season.
Next: For DWU, returns to the road next week for a road game at Mount Marty, a 6 p.m. start in Yankton on Sept. 30. Concordia also will play a night game, hosting Briar Cliff on Sept. 30.
GPAC schedule
Saturday, Sept. 23
Doane at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
Midland at No. 3 Morningside, 1 p.m.
Hastings at Briar Cliff, 6 p.m.
No. 1 Northwestern at Mount Marty, 7 p.m.
