#11/15 Bethel Royals (3-1, 2-0 MIAC) vs. Hamline Pipers (2-2, 0-2 MIAC)
Date/Time	Saturday, Oct. 15 | 1 p.m. CT
Location	Arden Hills, Minn. (Royal Stadium)
Tickets	Adults $10 • Children $5 • Admission is free for children under 5 years of age
Live Stream	BU Royal Sports Network
Live Stats	athletics.bethel.edu/sidearmstats/football/summary
Bethel	Game Notes | Game Program
Concordia	GoCobbers.com
Social Media	Twitter | Gameday Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

KICKOFF COVERAGE

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – No. 11th-ranked Bethel (4-1, 3-0 MIAC) faces off with Concordia (3-2, 1-2 MIAC) Saturday afternoon in Arden Hills with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. BU has won three straight including a MIAC Skyline Divisional matchup last weekend with Hamline, 49-14. Concordia enters off a divisional win against Macalester 36-7.
 
Saturday will see two of the best red zone defenses in the MIAC go at it. The Royals are second with their opponent going 8-of-14 (57.1 percent) inside the 20, ranking 19th nationally. Concordia leads the MIAC and is fifth nationally as its opponents are 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) in the red zone.

SERIES HISTORY

Series: BU trails 19-24
Last: BU won 21-16 (Oct. 16, 2021) in Moorhead
• Saturday's clash will be the 44th meeting all-time between the Royals and Cobbers. Bethel currently holds a three-game winning streak taking last year's defensive battle on the road 21-16 with a late interception in the endzone. BU has won seven of the last 10 as Concordia makes their first trip to Arden Hills since 2018.

COACHES CORNER

ROYAL NOTES

• For the third time this year, the Royals defense kept its opponent's ground game limited to double digits. BU gave up 38 rushing yards to the Pipers, the second time they have done that this year the other being that same number to Pacific Lutheran. Their season-low is 21 rushing yards allowed at Gustavus Adolphus. At 70.8 rushing yards per game allowed, BU ranks second in the MIAC and 25th nationally. Concordia ranks first at allowing 50 rushing yards a game.
 
• Junior running back Nic Krueger had a career day with four rushing touchdowns on 15 carries and 62 yards. In those 15 carries he did not have a single run go for negative yards. All touchdown carries came within the five-yard line and ties the most in a game since 2017.  Teammates Bryce Kunkle accomplished it last season at Macalester and Jaran Roste did so against Carleton in 2018.
 
• The Royals have held a home field advantage over the last five seasons where they are 21-3. In three games Bethel averages 4,637 fans, large in part to the 7,314 that came out and saw the Royals defeat then No. 2 in the nation and previous unbeaten Saint John's, 28-24.

BY THE NUMBERS
5 – The number of sophomore receivers who have caught a touchdown pass this season. Micah Niewald, Joey Kidder and Aaron Ellingson have all reeled in three TDs this season. Will Eliason and Ethan Sailer have reach brought in one.
 
40.1 – Will Eliason's putting average which leads the MIAC. Three of his punts have gone 50-plus yards while three have gone inside the 20.
 
11 – Number of consecutive games with the defense recording at least one sack. Isaac Call record his first career sack last week for the Royals.

GET IN THE "RED ZONE"
• BU is 20-of-22 inside the 'red zone' this year with 15 touchdowns and five field goals. In four games this year the Royals have scored on all its red zone opportunities. Most recently against Hamline they were 7-for-7. Their 90.9 success percentage ranks 13th nationally and second in the MIAC.
• BU's opponents are 8-for-14 inside the red zone. They have scored seven touchdowns and one field goal. The Royals' defense has recorded an interception and a fumble recovery when the opponent is inside the 20.
 
MR. RELIABLE
• Sophomore kicker Hugo Cifuentes has become automatic on PATs extending his make streak to 59 after splitting the up rights seven times against Hamline. During the 2021 season with the Royals, he was a perfect 39-for-39 on extra points.
• At Gustavus Adolphus he was a perfect 3-for-3 in field goals splitting the uprights from 32 yards, 28 yards and 27 yards. This season he is 5-of-6 with his career-long of 35 yards coming in week one against Pacific Lutheran.
• This year he has been named MIAC Special Teams Player of the Week twice and became the second ever kicker for the royals to be named to the D3football.com Team of the Week.
 
SCOUTING THE COBBERS
• Concordia comes in 3-2 overall and 1-2 in MIAC play. The Cobbers are coming off a 36-7 victory over Macalester where the scored the game's final 29 points. Peyton Mortenson was the leading ball carrier with 29 carries on 116 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Through the air Cooper Mattern was 11-of-15 for 114 yards and one touchdown
• The Cobbers enter the week with the second lowest offensive average in the MIAC at 353.2 yard per game. On the other side of the ball, they gave up the second fewest yards in the conference at 308.2 per game.
• Mortenson eclipsed the 1,000-yard career rushing mark. His seven rushing touchdowns leads the MIAC and ranks 18th nationally

CHASING HISTORY
• Senior quarterback Jaran Roste is making his way towards the top of the record books chasing Bethel great, Scott Kirchoff who holds four career passing records. Roste's career passing touchdown mark of 55 is just 10 away from tying Kirchoff.
• Through the air Roste has 7,317 passing yards which is third all-time in Bethel history and is 217 yards away from tying Erik Peterson for second.
• Roste is already the Royals all-time leader with 40 career rushing touchdowns and 9,442 total offense yards.
 
PROTECT THE QB
• The offensive line has been like a brick wall protecting quarterbacks Jaran Roste and George Bolt. BU ranks 11th nationally and second in the MIAC allowing less than a sack a game. The Royals have only allowed three sacks all season and in three games have not allowed one.
 

GAMEDAY HAPPENINGS

CHICK-FIL-A IN THE HOUSE
Fans be sure to stop by the Chick-Fil-A tent on the concourse for a chance to win free Chick-Fil-A and be sure to sign up for the halftime challenge. Chicken sandwiches will also be for sale at the concession stand. Download the Chick-Fil-A One app and receive a free digital sandwich card if the Royals get a pick in the contest!

GRAB YOUR BU GEAR!
Visit the apparel section at the concession stand to purchase your Bethel University t-shirt and hooded sweatshirt. Items will be marked down with a  20% off game day special!