Orange City, Iowa — No.5 Northwestern returns home for the first time in nearly a month when they host Doane on Saturday, Oct. 26 for a GPAC match-up. Kickoff on Korver Field is scheduled for 1pm. Moving up to fifth in this week’s NAIA coaches’ poll, Northwestern is tied with Morningside for first place in the current GPAC standings with a 5-0 record, 6-0 overall. Doane is currently third in the GPAC at 4-2, 4-4 overall.
The Tigers had their three-game win streak snapped by Dordt last weekend, losing at home to the Defenders 61-0. Doane gave up over 600 yards, 400 rushing, and its struggles carried over to the offense as well, totaling 124 yards against Dordt. Doane is currently third in the GPAC with a 4-2 record, 4-4 overall, with wins over Concordia, Hastings, Dakota Wesleyan and Jamestown.
Bessler, a former all-conference linebacker for Doane in 1990-93, returns for his second season as the team’s head coach after serving as the defensive coordinator since 2007. Bessler returns 13 starters (5 offense, 6 defense, 2 special teams) from a 2018 team that finished fourth in the GPAC at 5-4, 6-4 overall. Doane last reached the NAIA postseason in 2016, losing to Eastern Oregon in the first round, and ended the year ranked 10th.
The Red Raiders are set to play their first and only home game in the month of October. Since their 45-6 win over Jamestown for Homecoming on Sept. 28, Northwestern has had its bye week and two wins on the road against Dordt and Concordia. They are 5-0 in the GPAC, 6-0 overall, and are one of 10 teams still unbeaten in the NAIA.
In last week’s 20-14 road win over Concordia, Shane Solberg became the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards (2,573), surpassing Chad Netten (1994-97). The junior broke the record on a 17-yard reception early in the fourth quarter. Solberg, who is just four receptions shy of Netten’s career mark of 162, extended his streak of games with at least two catches to 22 and has five games with 10+ catches in his career.
