KICKOFF COVERAGE
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The MIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship is on the line Saturday as No. 9 Bethel (8-1, 7-0 MIAC) travels for a top-10 showdown to No. 5 Saint John's (8-1, 6-1 MIAC) for the MIAC Championship. The Royals landed a perfect 4-0 Skyline Division record following last week's dramatic 30-27 victory at Augsburg. SJU finished 4-0 in the Northwoods Division after defeating Carleton 45-16 last week at home. BU enters on a seven-game winning streak, a mark that ties the longest since 2013.
The loser of Saturday's matchup will await their fate to be determined on the NCAA Selection show scheduled for 4 p.m. CT Sunday, Nov. 13 on NCAA.com.
SERIES HISTORY
Series: BU trails 10-34
Last: BU Won 28-24 (Sept. 24, 2022) in Arden Hills
• It's the 45th meeting all-time between SJU and BU going back to 1978. BU's 28-24 win earlier in the season snapped an eight-game losing skid to the Johnnies. In Collegeville, the Royals are 3-19 all-time and have lost in their last four trips up north. SJU defeated Bethel in last year's MIAC Championship scoring a 3-yard touchdown pass and successful PAT in snowy conditions with one second left.
COACHES CORNER
ROYAL NOTES
• Freshman corner Devin Williams came up with the biggest play of the season, to this point, picking off the Auggies' potential game-winning two-point conversion with 31 seconds left last week. Williams returned it 100 yards giving BU a 30-27 advantage before the Royals recovered the onside kick. The play landed him on the D3football.com Team of the Week for the first time in his career.
• Senior defensive back Matthew Feldick was all over the field with a career-high 16 tackles against Augsburg. Of those 16, 11 were solo while he also added two QB hurries.
• No scorigami for week 10 as it was BU's second 30-27 victory this season, the other coming at Gustavus Adolphus. It was the third game this year that was decided by a three-point margin, BU is 2-1 in those games. It was the fourth game this year decided by seven points or less which is the most in a season since 2012. Since 2000, the Royals are 36-25 in games decided by seven or less points.
BY THE NUMBERS
41 – consecutive weeks of the Royals being ranked in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll. It's the second-longest in program history behind a 57-week streak that took place from week six in 2010 to week 10 in 2014.
5 – MIAC Championships have been won by the Royals. Bethel last MIAC title came in 2013.
0 – number of penalties on the Royals at Augsburg. It was the first time since the NCAA playoff game at Wisconsin-Whitewater on December 1, 2018 where BU didn't have a penalty called against them.
CONTROLLING THE CLOCK
• Bethel has controlled the tempo this year averaging 32:14 in the time of possession department. That figure leads the MIAC and ranks 38th nationally. BU's opponents average 27:17 with the ball.
• The Royals have won the time of possession battle in the three of the last four matchups including a season-best 40:11 against Concorida (compared to the Cobers 19:49). They started that matchup controlling the tempo in the first quarter handling it for 11:26 before finishing strong in the fourth at 12:36.
WHEN IT COUNTS
• The Royals offense is converting on third down 50.9 percent (56-of-110) of the time ranking 19th nationally. This past weekend at Augsburg they were 5-of-9.
• Bethel's third-down defense has been among the national elite over the years and continue to show that intensity this season. Through nine games, the Royals' opponents are converting on third down at 32.3 percent (41-of-127) of the time ranking 52nd nationally and second in the MIAC.
NO. 1 IS NUMBER 1
•
Jaran Roste became the Royals all-time passing leader following a 186-yard performance against St. Olaf. His now 8,257 career yards surpassed Scott Kirchoff and moved him eighth all-time in the MIAC. He is also the all-time leader with 44 rushing touchdowns, tied for sixth all-time in the MIAC, and 10,619 yards of total offense.
• A career-best performance of 423 yards, the second most in a single-game, on 34-of-39 passing yards, one completion shy of tying the single-game record, came against Hamline on October 8.
TO SERVER AND PROTECT…THE QB
• The offensive line has been a brick wall protecting quarterbacks
Jaran Roste and
George Bolt. BU ranks seventh nationally and lead the MIAC allowing less than a sack a game. The Royals have only allowed five sacks all season and in five games have not allowed one.
STATS DON'T LIE
• BU has scored 30 or more points in 30 of its last 35 wins.
• The Royals are outscoring their opponents 101-34 in the second quarter.
• Bethel's defense ranks first in the MIAC giving up 16.4 points per game.
SCOUTING THE JOHNNIES
• The Johnnies come in on a six-game winning streak and are second in the MIAC at 39.6 points per game. Their defense is second at 17.7 points per game. SJU averages 430.9 yards per game and give up the fewest yards in the MIAC at 307.3 yards per game. Saint John's against Carleton put up 520 yards of offense while holding the Knights to 221 in their 45-16 victory.
• Senior corner back John Kohler was named MIAC Defensive Player of the Week having intercepted two passes - both in the endzone to prevent Carleton scores - in the Johnnies' victory over the Knights on 11/5 to secure a spot in the conference title game. Kohler intercepted one pass in the first quarter and came away with his second in the second quarter to help put the game out of reach.
