ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The No. 2-ranked Northwestern College football team looks to continue the momentum in 2021 that was built in the spring NAIA championship game, led by sixth-year head coach Matt McCarty.In the 2021 GPAC Coaches’ Preseason poll released on August 9, the Raiders were chosen to finish second behind No. 3-ranked Morningside. The three GPAC 2020 (Spring 2021) NAIA Football Playoff teams are predicted 1 through 3 for the 2021 season. No. 3-ranked Morningside Mustangs were picked as the favorites to win the conference title after garnering 98 points and eight first-place tallies after coming off a 2020 season that ended in the 2020 (Spring 2021) NAIA Playoffs semifinal round. No. 14-ranked Dordt is tabbed third after qualifying for the playoffs this last spring.
“The GPAC is deep with quality football teams this fall. Week in and week out we will need to be prepared to play our best football,” said head coach Matt McCarty. “There is a lot of returning talent across the league.”
Three GPAC teams cracked the NAIA preseason top-25 poll with Morningside at No. 3 and Dordt at No. 14.
The 2021 season features only four home games at Korver Field at De Valois Stadium. In a five-week stretch from September 25 to October 23, the Raiders are on the road with the bye week thrown in on October 9.
“We have outstanding play makers on the offensive side of the ball,” notes McCarty. “Cade Moser (Sr., Rock Valley, Iowa/Rock Valley) and Michael Storey (Jr., Spencer, Iowa/Spencer) highlights the WR corps and Konner McQuillan (R-So., Leavenworth, Kan./Lansing), Logan Meyer (So., Alvord, Iowa/West Lyon) and Garrett Packer (Jr., Zearing, Iowa/Colo-Nesco) all return in our backfield to bolster our offense anchored by five returning starters up front on the OL.”
Senior day is scheduled for the home and conference opener on September 4 when the Hastings Broncos come to town. The following home contest, September 18, against Doane will be homecoming weekend on campus.
“Defensively, we return key play makers at each level of the defense: Brett Moser (GS, Rock Valley, Iowa/Rock Valley) and Tyler Jones (Sr., Manson, Iowa/South Central Calhoun) up front (defensive line), Parker Fryar (So., Waukee, Iowa/Van Meter) and Tanner Oleson (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) at linebacker, and Noah Van’t Hof (Sr., Lester, Iowa/West Lyon), Jake Lynott (R-So., Hawarden, Iowa/West Sioux), Jalyn Gramstad (So., Lester, Iowa/West Lyon), and Jaden Snyder (R-So., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) at defensive back,” said McCarty.
