WHITEWATER, WIS. – The Bethel University football team saw its 2023 season come to an end in the opening round of the NCAA Playoffs with a 42-14 loss to No. 5th-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater Saturday afternoon.
Bethel finishes the season 8-3 overall that included its 12th NCAA Playoff appearance and sixth MIAC Championship.
Head coach
Steve Johnson concludes his 35-season career with an all-time record of 252-111-1 (.694) and is 12th all-time in wins for Division III coaches.
The Warhawks ground game added 272 yards of offense compared to Bethel's 103 yards. Through the air UWW held a 223-64 edge. BU was held to 167 yards of offense on 53 plays while Whitewater ran 55 plays for 495 yards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Half
• Bethel went 3-and-out on its opening drive before the Warhawks only needed three plays and a 49-yard touchdown pass to go up 7-0.
• The Royals punted twice while the defense forced a punch sandwiched between the two drives.
• The Warhawks went up two scores with a 32-yard touchdown over the top with 3:44 to go in the first.
• On the UWW 34-yard line,
Riley Gritz was stood up at the line on 4th-and-1 for a turnover on downs.
• A 47-yard rush for the Warhawks to close the first set up a 19-yard touchdown pass to go up 21-0.
• With 4:01 left in the half, UWW faced a 4-and-17 after quarterback Alec Ogden was sacked for a nine-yard loss by
Matt Jung. An errant snap from center forced the Warhawks punter to fall on it at their own four-yard line.
• It only took one play for BU to find the end zone as
Joey Kidder strutted in from four yards out.
• UWW added one more score before the break on a 54-yard passing touchdown putting the Royals down 28-7 at the break.
2nd Half
• The Warhawks scored on the opening drive of the second half with an eight play, 84-yard drive that chewed up the first four minutes.
• After forcing UWW to punt Kidder added his second touchdown from two yards out with a methodical 12-play, 74-yard drive that took 6:10 off the clock.
Hugo Cifuentes added the PAT making it 35-14 with 1:52 left in the third.
• UWW expanded on its lead one play into the fourth quarter with a 32-yard rushing touchdown.
• Bethel was forced to punt before getting a stop on defense where Whitewater missed a 40-yard field goal on a drive that took 8:42 off the clock.
• BU would punt on its final drive as UWW ran out the reaming 3:36 of the game.
TOP PERFORMERS
Offense
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Joey Kidder – 17 rushes for 68 yards, 2 touchdowns
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Aaron Ellingson – 13 rushes for 32 yards, 4 receptions for 50 yards
Defense
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Matt Jung – 11 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss
Special Teams
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Will Eliason – 3 punts for an average of 47.3 yards, 1 inside the 20.
GAME NOTES
• Bethel loss the toss and UW-Whitewater deferred its choice to the second half, Bethel elected to receive.
• Bethel loss the time of possession battle for just the second time this season. UWW held a 31:29-28:31 edge.
• The Royals were 3-of-15 on third down while UWW was 6-of-11.
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Steve Johnson finishes with an all-time record of 252-111-1 (.694) and is 12th all-time in wins for Division III coaches.
