KICKOFF COVERAGE
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel University football team returns to Royal Stadium Saturday hosting Gustavus Adolphus for Homecoming, and cross divisional matchup, where both teams are in search of their first conference win. The Royals (1-2, 0-1 MIAC) dropped their MIAC opener, 27-7, at No. 8 Saint John's while the Gusties (1-2, 0-1 MIAC) fell 33-31 to Augsburg on a final Hail Mary play.
SERIES HISTORY
Series:Â Â BU leads 27-17
Last:Â Bethel won 30-27 (Oct. 1, 2022) in St. Peter
• The Royals are riding a series-long 13-game winning streak over the Gusties. It will be the 45th all-time meeting on the gridiron and 23rd meeting at home for BU. Bethel held off a Gustavus second half comeback after building a 24-6 halftime lead in last season's 30-27 victory.
COACHES CORNER
GAMEDAY HAPPENINGS
GRAB YOUR BU GEAR!
Visit the Bethel athletics marketing table on the concourse to pick up your 2023 game schedule poster. You can also purchase authentic Bethel gear and retro jerseys all for under $10 each! In addition purchase your WHITEOUT game day t-shirt. Gear sales will be cash only.
CHAMPIONS DAY
Stay in your seat at halftime as the Royals celebrate last year's winter and spring MIAC Champions in the men's and women's track and field teams, baseball and softball. Be sure to stop by champions day photo booth on the concourse for a chance to take your picture with the MIAC Championships plaques. Don't forget to use the hashtag #BURoyals and tag @BethelRoyals when posting on social media!Â
In addition the Royals welcome back the 2013 MIAC Football champions who will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their historic 12-1 season.Â
BETHEL SOFTBALL CORN HOLE BOARD RAFFLE
Visit the reigning MIAC Champion Bethel softball team on the concourse and purchase your raffle ticket at a chance to win Bethel branded corn hole boards. Raffle tickets are $20, cash only, and a winner will be drawn following the volleyball game on Saturday, Sept. 30. Winner need not be present.
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 on Saturday!Â
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ROYAL NOTES
• Bethel's defense for the third straight week forced a 3-and-out on its opponent's opening drive. Through three games they have recorded 11 3-and-outs. On third down the Royals opponents are only converting 24.4 percent of the time ranking 18th nationally.
• In home games since 2000, the Royals are 91-34 (.728). Last year BU was 5-0 at Royal Stadium and are 19-2 over the last five seasons.
• Since 1980 the Royals are 25-17 in Homecoming games. The first-ever game in Royal Stadium was on Homecoming in 1996 with a 41-7 win over Concordia, since then the Royals are 20-5. It will be the fourth time the Gusties and Royals clash on Homecoming where BU won two of the three previous matchups.
• In the polls, the Royals drop out of the top 25 for the first time since week nine of the 2018 season snapping the program's second-longest streak at 46 weeks. BU received votes in the D3football.com polls falling from 19 and received votes in the American Football Coaches Association Poll dropping from No. 18.
 •  Isaac Call had the lone interception at Saint John's marking the third straight game the Bethel defense has gotten an interception. The Royals tallied three INTs in each of the first two games of the year and now has seven to start the year, the most since 2004 (nine in the first three games). The seven INTs ranks eighth nationally.
BY THE NUMBERS
15 – Micah Niewald made what was a single-game record 15 receptions last season at Gustavus. That mark now is the second-most in a game behind Joey Kidder's 16 later in the season.
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245 – career wins for head coach Steve Johnson who enters his 35th season as the all-time wins leader among DIII active coaches.
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25 – career touchdowns for Joey Kidder ranking second all-time in program history. He is four away from tying the program record. Â
CALL ON ME
• The brother duo of redshirt freshman Alex Call and junior defensive back Isaac Call have made an early impact for the Royals. The two hail from Kerkhoven, Minn. and attended Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg High School.
• In his first collegiate start at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Alex Call went 24-of-34 through the air for 334 yards and two touchdowns. A 76-yard reception from Call to Joey Kidder in the second quarter was the longest by a Bethel QB since Sept. 23, 2017 when Bryce Marquardt had a 96-yard TD pass to Jake Marsh versus St. Olaf.
• Alex Call tallied his first rushing touchdown as a quarterback punching it in from one-yard out as the Royals struck first at Saint John's in the second quarter.
• Isaac Call has tallied interceptions in back-to-back games, returning the INT at SJU for 37 yards which then set up his brother Alex to run it in from one yard out on the Royals' drive. Call now has four career INTs.
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SHOUTOUT FOR THE SHUTOUT
• The Bethel defense blanked the Blugolds in week three recording the Royals first shutout since October 26, 2019 when the Royals earned a 31-0 win at Concordia.
• Bethel's defense has recorded nine shutouts in the last 10 seasons, dating back to 2013, with four of those coming in 2018.
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KEEPING UP WITH KIDDER
• Junior wide receiver Joey Kidder sits fourth all-time in Bethel history with 2,358 receiving yards. He is 354 yards away from tying Bryce Marquardt for third all-time at 2,712 yards.
• With 25 career touchdowns he is tied for second all-time with Jeremy Belisle (1996-99). He is four away from tying Bryce Marquardt's (2013-17) program-record 29.
• Kidder's 76-yard touchdown reception at UWEC was the longest of his career and longest pass caught since Sept. 23, 2017 for the Royals. He now has six catches in his career that went for 50-plus yards.
• With a pair of touchdowns at Eau Claire, Kidder now has eight career multi-touchdown games highlighted by a career high three in the Royals' second round playoff game last season at Linfield.
• The 175-yard performance in week three was Kidder's eighth 100-plus yard receiving game and second most yards in a game for his career. His career-high 196 came last year at home against Concordia-Moorhead.
LAST TIME THEY MET
• Then No. 12 Bethel jumped out to a 24-6 halftime lead before holding off a Gustavus second half comeback where the Gusties tallied three touchdowns. The Royals defense got the stop they needed on the Gusties' final drive forcing four straight incompletions.
• Quarterback Jaran Roste had a career day throwing for 359 yards. His 28-of-43 passing included a pair of touchdowns in the first half. Sophomore wide receiver Micah Niewald tied the program single-game record with 15 receptions while gaining 192 receiving yards. He tied Eric Runyan's 15 against St. Olaf during the 1997 season.
• It was an air raid offense by both teams with Gustavus holding the edge in the air 401-359. Bethel rushed for 75 yards on 33 attempts while the Gusties were held to 21 rushing yards on 16 carries.
SCOUTING THE GUSTIES
•  Gustavus comes in off a tough 33-31 loss at home to Augsburg. GAC scored with 22 seconds left going up 31-27 before the Auggies 57-yard Hail Mary catch with one second reamining handed the Gusties a conference loss.
• GAC is seventh nationally in passing offense averaging 355.7 and third in the MIAC. They are sixth in the MIAC at 460 yards of total offense per game.
• Junior QB George Sandven has already thrown for 1,042 yards this season with 10 passing TDs, both rank 23rd nationally. His main target, senior Jake Breitbach leads the nation with 639 receiving yards, 213 yards per game and is 16th with five touchdown receptions.
>>>Â READ BETHEL'S COMPLETE GAME NOTES BY CLICKING HERE.
