#RV Bethel Royals (3-2, 2-1 MIAC) at Augsburg Auggies (4-1, 2-1 MIAC)
Date/Time	Saturday, Oct. 28 | 1:00 p.m. CT
Location	Northfield, Minn. (Laird Stadium)
Live Stream	MIAC Sports Network
Live Stats	athletics.carleton.edu/sidearmstats/football/summary
Bethel	Game Notes
Carleton	Athletics.Carleton.edu
Social Media	Twitter | Football Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

KICKOFF COVERAGE

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel University football team hits the road for a final time in the regular season traveling to Northfield for a cross divisional matchup at Carleton. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. Bethel (5-2, 4-1 MIAC holds a four-game winning streak following a 49-7 win over Hamline at home. Carleton (6-1, 4-1 MIAC) moved its home record for the year to 4-0 with a 42-21 victory over St. Scholastica.

SERIES HISTORY

Series: BU leads 35-17
Last: Bethel won 42-12 (Oct. 5, 2019) in Arden Hills

• The Royals and Knights clash on the gridiron for the first time since 2019 in what will be the 53rd all-time meeting. It's the first time since 2018 BU heads south and holds an 11-5 record in Northfield. The Royals have shutout Carleton twice in the last four games while allowing 13 and eight points respectively in the other two matches. The 11-game winning streak over Carleton dates back to the 2009 season.

COACHES CORNER

ROYAL NOTES

• Bethel had four different touchdown rushers against Hamline led by three from George Bolt. Aaron Ellingson, Riley Gritz and Warren Kinney all added one making it the third straight week the Royals had three or more rushers find the end zone.
• Senior quarterback George Bolt threw for a career-high 271 yards on 20-of-28 throwing against the Pipers. He added a touchdown in the air finding Triston Thomas for a 27-yard TD. On the ground he had a career-high three rushing touchdowns as part of his 42 net yards on eight carries.
 • Amassing 571 yards of offense, it was the 12th time in the last five seasons the Royals surpassed the 500-yard mark in a game. It's the most yards in a game since Oct. 23, 2021 when they had 651 against Macalester. Last season BU cracked the 500-yard mark three times in 2022.
 • Nearly getting the shutout, it was an all-around defensive effort with 22 different Royals recording a tackle against the Pipers. Holding Hamline to seven points, it was the sixth straight week BU held its opponent under its season scoring average.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
48.3 – In the last 10 games against Carleton, Bethel is averaging 48.3 points per game. For the series, the Royals average 34.7 against the Knights.
 
249 – career wins for head coach Steve Johnson who enters his 35th season as the all-time wins leader among DIII active coaches. He ties Lou Holtz and Jimmye Laycock for 29th all-time among all NCAA Divisions.
 
19 – Bethel has run it into the end zone 19 times in the last four games. Riley Gritz accounts for seven of those TDs.
 
PAIR AND A SPARE
• Over the last three games the Royals have worked with three different running backs in Aaron Ellingson, Riley Gritz and Warren Kinney. The trifecta have rushed for a combined 840 yards, averaging 5.8 a carry, while adding 17 touchdowns.
• Aaron Ellingson in this three-game stretch has 30 carries for 261 yards averaging 8.7 a carry.
• Riley Gritz has six touchdowns on 41 carries with 229 net yards while Warren Kinney has three touchdowns on 35 carries for 211 yards.

NOT SO SPOOKY OCTOBER
• Through the 2021 season the Royals boast a perfect 13-0 record in games played during the month of October. Going back through the 2010 season the Royals 42-11.

STRUTTING INTO THE ENDZONE
• The Royals have had 17 of their 21 rushing touchdowns come in the last three games. In those three games they combined for 840 rushing yards, out of the team's 1,352 total offense.
• At Macalester, BU had seven rushing touchdowns which was the most in a game since eight against Hamline on Nov. 2, 2019. The season-high 335 rushing yards against the Scots was the fourth most in a game going back through the 2018 season.

PROTECTING THE RED ZONE
• The Royals have the second-best red zone defense in the country, only behind national power-house Mount Union, with its opponents scoring only 40 percent of the time when inside the 20.
• Bethel's foes have only scored on eight of the 20 red zone trips. Three passing TDs, two rushing TDs and three field goals.
 
STOPPING THE RUN GAME
• Bethel's defense ranks 10th nationally in rushing defense allowing 56.6 yards per game.
• Allowing negative six rushing yards to the Scots, it was the second time this year the defense kept an opponent to single digits in the rushing column. The other being at UW-Eau Claire where they allowed four rushing yards. It was the first time since Nov. 2, 2019 (vs. Hamline) that Bethel's defense allowed a negative rushing number.
• Allowing 37 rushing yards to the Pipers it was the fourth straight game and fifth time this year BU held its opponent under 100 rushing yards. 
• In six games this year, BU kept its opponent under its season average rushing mark.
• Over the last four seasons (2023-19) Bethel has held an opponent under 100 rushing yards in 23 of the last 41 games.

LAST TIME THEY MET
• On a wet, blustery Homecoming Saturday in Arden Hills, Bethel racked up a 42-13 victory over Carleton. The Royals totaled 591 yards of offense, 299 on the ground and 292 through the air. The Knights threw it for 320 yards on 61 attempts but finished with -18 yards rushing.
• QB Jaran Roste, then in his sophomore season was 16-of-22 threw the air for 265 yards. Sid Boros and Sam Gibas each rushed for 102 yards, with no rush going for a loss, with Boros finding the end zone twice and Gibas once.
• BU's defense recorded three sacks and 14 pass breakups.
 
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
• Carleton started the year 5-0 before suffering a 63-7 loss at Saint John's on Oct. 14. The Knights most recently defeated St. Scholastica 42-21 in Northfield remaining unbeaten at home where they have won 10 straight going back through last season.  
• Behind starting quarterback Jack Curtis the Carleton offense ranks ninth nationally and third in the MIAC averaging 321.4 yards through the air this season. Curtis ranks 10th nationally with 2,111 passing yards and averaging 301.6. His 24 passing touchdowns is eight nationally and second in the MIAC.
• Carleton's top receiver in Ntense Obono is four nationally with 9.4 receptions per game and fourth in the MIAC with 653 receiving yards.
• On defense, the Knights rank 18th nationally having recovered eight fumbles this season and are 17th having gained 18 turnovers.
• Michael Carey is 11th nationally at 1.14 sacks a game and leads the MIAC with eight total.  


>>> READ BETHEL'S COMPLETE GAME NOTES BY CLICKING HERE.