Sioux City, Iowa — For the second time in the last seven months Northwestern, and Morningside will meet in the NAIA Football Championship series semi-finals this afternoon in Sioux City.
Morningside is ranked 2nd in the NAIA, with a perfect 12-0 Record, Northwestern is 4th ranked, and is 12-1, with its lone loss coming at the hands of the Mustangs back on November 6th in a shootout, 55-49. Northwestern ended Morningside’s hopes of winning a third straight national title with a 44-41 win over the Mustangs in the semi-finals last spring. Northwestern coach Matt McCarty says his team is looking forward to this matchup.
A lot of points have been put on the board in the last several meetings between the two teams. McCarty says they just need to make a few plays on defense.
McCarty says on offense the Raiders have to execute against a tough Morningside defense.
The game could come down to a play here or there, or field position.
It will match a pair of veteran quarterbacks: Tyson Kooima for Northwestern and Joe Dolincheck from Morningside. Mustang coach Steve Ryan.
It could be a repeat of the regular season game in which the teams combined for 60 first downs and more than 11 hundred yards of offense.
Ryan says if it is another shootout each possession would be huge.
Ryan says with so much on the line the rivalry takes a back seat.
