Sioux City, Iowa — A top 10 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ showdown is on the docket Saturday, April 24, at Elwood Olsen Stadium, as one of four championship series quarterfinals visits Sioux City.
Baker University of Kansas, one of the divisional champions in the Heart of America Conference, sports a 7-0 mark and is ranked No. 7. Head coach Steve Ryan’s Morningside College Mustangs, the two-time defending national and 10-time reigning Great Plains Athletic Conference victors, stand 9-0 and are ranked No. 1.
The winner moves on to the NAIA semifinals set for Saturday, May 1, at a site and time to be determined based on Saturday’s quarterfinal round results.
The Maroon has captured both previous meetings in the series. Morningside claimed a 36-28 decision in 2013 and posted a 65-27 triumph in 2008. As is the case today, both games were national playoff affiliated.
Ryan’s program has claimed eight successive national quarterfinal round successful outcomes. Included in that roll was a 51-0 victory against Saint Xavier University of Illinois a year ago. The last contest between today’s competitors was also a quarterfinal round outing.
The Mustangs enter ranked among the NAIA top 10 in 15 different statistical categories. Situated along that high-rent avenue are six No. 1 and one No. 2 listings. They lead the country in total offense (3,278 yards), passing yardage per contest (364.2), fewest sacks allowed per appearance (.2) and overall (two), total offense per game (552.7 ypg), and scoring per outing (52 ppg).
