Unbeaten teams clash this weekend as fifth-ranked Northwestern plays host to (RV) Doane for the Red Raiders Homecoming game on Saturday, Sept. 29. Kickoff at DeValois Stadium is scheduled for 1:30 pm.
Northwestern comes into the weekend with a 3-0 record in the GPAC, 4-0 overall, while Doane is 2-0 in conference play, 3-0 overall.
The unbeaten Tigers opened the season with a 57-3 road win over Friends in non-conference play and then edged Dordt 24-21 in a road match-up on Sept. 15, intercepting a Defenders’ pass in the endzone during the final moments. Last week, Doane throttled Jamestown 44-13 for its home opener behind a four-touchdown showing by junior quarterback Jack Kalina.
Although no stranger to the Doane football program, Bessler is in his first season as the head coach. He has been the Tigers’ defensive coordinator since 2007 and his defenses have continually been among the best in the NAIA and GPAC. Bessler inherits a Doane team that finished the 2017 season with a 5-5 mark, 3-5 and sixth place in the GPAC. Seven starters (2 offense, 4 defense, 1 special teams) return from last year’s team.
The Red Raiders are off to a 4-0 start for the second straight and 19th time in their 58-year history. This is the first time since 2002-03 that Northwestern has opened the season with four straight wins. They have outscored opponents 177-50 in its four previous games and owns a win over then-No.24 Midland in week three. Coach McCarty’s squad is ranked fifth in the NAIA poll, matching the highest ranking since the 2007 season (Sept. 10 poll).
Northwestern is 18-15-2 all-time against Doane, dating back to the first match-up in 1982, and have played once every year since excluding the 1990 season. The teams played to a 15-15 tie in 1989 and to a 7-7 tie in 1992. The Red Raiders are 2-3 over the last five match-ups and 6-4 in the last 10 against Doane.
