ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The No. 14/15 ranked Bethel University football team heads south to Northfield, Minnesota on Saturday for the final cross division MIAC game of the year against the St. Olaf College Oles. The Royals are 6-1 overall, 4-1 in the MIAC and 3-0 in the MIAC Skyline Division while St. Olaf is 4-3 overall, 3-2 in the MIAC and 2-1 in the MIAC Northwoods Division.

The Oles feature the MIAC's leading rusher in Jordan Embry at 101.7 yards per game while Bethel's Bryce Kunkle is third at 77.7 yards per game. Kunkle is coming off a career high 141 yard effort against Macalester. As a team the Royals are averaging 205.7 yards on the ground per game, second in the MIAC, while St. Olaf is at 141.1 and good for fifth in the conference. BU holds a slight edge in passing yards with a 227.3 average to 221.7 for St. Olaf. Bethel quarterback Jaran Roste is the top dual threat quarterback in the MIAC averaging 216 yards passing per game with 12 touchdowns along with 42 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. St. Olaf's Lars Prestemon is throwing for an average of 158 yards per game and has eight touchdowns to three interceptions. Prestemon has a negative yard rushing average however.

St. Olaf features one of the league's top tight ends in senior Isaac Coutier who was just named to the D3football.com Team of the Week.  Coutier caught seven passes for 144 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score in a 41-14 victory against St. Scholastica. Bethel's Joey Kidder is the fourth leading receiver in the MIAC at 94.3 yards per game and five touchdown catches.

Defensively St. Olaf linebacker Brandon Foster is tied for the league lead with 61 tackles on the season. The Oles have forced 10 turnovers on six fumble recoveries and four interceptions while Bethel has taken it away 18 times on four fumble recoveries and 14 interceptions. St. Olaf is giving up over 31 points per game while Bethel is allowing just 12.4.

Bethel has won the last seven matchups dating through the 2013 season. The Oles last wins over Bethel came in back-to-back seasons in 2011 and 2012. St. Olaf has won just three of the last 26 meetings since 1994. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from Klein Field at Manitou on the campus of St. Olaf College.
 


Royal Road Trip
For fans headed to Northfield on Saturday it will be a busy day as St. Olaf College is the host site of the MIAC Cross Country championships with races set to begin at 11 a.m. (men) and noon (women). While cross country takes place on the west side of campus, Klein Field at Manitou, the football stadium, is on the east side. The large parking lot near Buntrock commons in the center of campus, (campus map), is the nearest large parking lot to the field.

Opponent: St. Olaf College
Live video 
Live stats 
Listen Live Online: KDHL online 
Radio:  KDHL 920 AM / 97.9 FM
Twitter updates: Bethel Gameday & Bethel Royals FB
Location: Northfield, Minn.
Stadium:  Klein Field at Manitou
Miles from Bethel's campus: 50
Estimated time of travel: 53 minutes
Recommended hotspots: Hogan Brothers sandwich shop in downtown Northfield specializes in hot hoagie sandwiches featuring their honey-cracked wheat bread, baked from scratch daily, and signature special sauce along with soups, coffee and ice cream. 415 Division St. S. Northfield, MN 55057
 
#TakeMeBackTuesday: