#16 Bethel Royals (0-0 vs. #3 Wartburg Knights (1-0)
Date/Time	Saturday, Sept. 9 | 1 p.m. CT
Location	Arden Hills, Minn. (Royal Stadium) | Campus Map
Tickets	Adults $10 • Children $5 • Admission is free for children under 5 years of age
Live Stream	MIAC Sports Network
Live Stats	athletics.bethel.edu/sidearmstats/football/summary
Bethel	Game Notes | Game Porgram
Wartburg	Go-Knights.net
Social Media	Twitter | Football Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

KICKOFF COVERAGE

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel University football team kicks off its 75th season Saturday afternoon at Royal Stadium hosting No. 3 Wartburg at 1 p.m. The top 25 matchup features a pair of Midwest powerhouses that made deep runs in the NCAA Playoffs last season with Bethel, 10-3 in 2022, reaching the Elite Eight and Wartburg, 13-1 in 2022, appearing in the final four. Saturday's matchup is the annual WHITEOUT game with Bethel fans encouraged to wear their whiteout gear. BU whiteout game day t-shirts will be available for purchase at the marketing table on the concourse, cash only. 

SERIES HISTORY

Series:  BU leads 5-3
Last: Bethel won 41-14 on Nov. 17, 2018 (NCAA First Round)

• Saturday will be the ninth all-time meeting on the gridiron between the Royals and Knights. BU bested Wartburg, 41-14, in the last meeting which took place in Arden Hills in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs. BU leads the all-time series 5-3 and has been winners three of the last five meetings.
 

COACHES CORNER

ROYAL NOTES

• The Royals are coming off a 10-3 season which saw them make their fifth Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Playoffs. Bethel was 7-1 in MIAC play with the lone loss coming in the MIAC Championship game at St. John's. BU appeared in their 11th NCAA Playoff and made back-to-back appearances for the first time since 2012-2013.
• Going back to last season, it will be Bethel's fifth straight game against a D3football.com ranked opponent. Four of those matchups have come against a foe that ranked inside the top five. In total, BU played five ranked opponents in 2022 going 3-2. 
• Dating back to the 1992 season, the Royals are 23-7 in season-opening games. They have won their last four season openers and this will be the third time the Royals open the year against the Knights. The two split a home-and-home series with the Royals winning the 2013 season opener over Wartburg at home, 30-17, before dropping the 2014 matchup in Waverly 31-14.
• In the polls, the Royals were ranked No. 14 in the preseason before dropping to No. 16 after a week one bye. Ranked 44 weeks in a row, it's the second-longest in program history behind a 57-week stretch that took place from week six in 2010 to week 10 in 2014.
• Saturday's showdown can be viewed live on the Royal Sports Network where all home games stream for free. On the call for the 17th consecutive season are the familiar voices of John Holgrimson and Dave Thomas.

BY THE NUMBERS
8 – sacks allowed by the offensive line which ranks as the eight fewest nationally at .67 a game.
 
244 – career wins for head coach Steve Johnson who enters his 35th season as the all-time wins leader among DIII active coaches.
 
44 – consecutive weeks the Royals have been ranked in the D3football.com Top 25 polls. Second longest behind a 57-week streak from 2010 to 2014.
 
WORTH A GRAND…AND MORE!
• Junior wide receivers Micah Niewald and Joey Kidder return for the Royals after last year being the only WR duo in Division III to each have 1,000-plus receiving yards.
• Joey Kidder was efficient with his 16.7 yards per catch mark while totaling 1,040 yards on 62 catches. His 13 touchdowns ranked ninth nationally. Kidder was also named a second team preseason All-American by D3football.com and currently ranks fifth all-time in program history with 2,118 career receiving yards.
• Micah Niewald wasn't too far behind Kidder with 1,030 yards on 82 catches. Averaging 12.6 yards a catch he would tally eight touchdowns.
 
CIFUENTES NAMED TO FRED MITCHELL AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
• Placekicker Hugo Cifuentes was named to the Fred Mitchel Award Preseason Watch List for the 2023 season. The award recognizes the nation's top collegiate place-kicker among more than 750 FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams. The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be chosen based on excellence on the football field and in the community. He was one of seven Division III players on the watch list. The junior out of Fort Balaton, Minn. was also named a Lindy's Sports 2023 preseason All-American. 
• In the 2022 season, he was 9-of-11 on field goal attempts including a career-long 39-yarder against St. Olaf in the first half. He was 56-of-57 in PATs which included 91 straight PATs made dating back to the 2021 season. For his career he is 95-of-96 on PATs.
 
KEEPING IT CLOSE
• The Royals didn't shy away from one score games, playing in five games that were decided by a touchdown, the most in a season since 2012. In four of those the margin was by a field goal or less with BU coming out on top
in three of those games. Since 2000, the Royals are 37-25 in games decided by seven or less points.

LEAVING A LEGACY• Head coach Steve Johnson enters his 35th season at the helm of the BU program. With an all-time record of 244-108-1 (.693) With the announcement of Montclair's St. Rick Giancola retiring last season, Johnson enters the 2023 season as the active all-time wins leader in Division III. The 244 wins also ranks as the 15th most all-time in Division III football. The mark also ranks seventh among all active coaches in NCAA football.
 

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.

TACKLE CANCER
Saturday is the annual Tackle Cancer game where t-shirts and wristbands will be on sale in the concourse. All proceeds benefit the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund. 

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! 

TROUT LAKE FAMILY DAY
Bethel welcomes Trout Lake to Royal Stadium for its annual family day. Visit the Trout Lake tent on the concourse to find out more about the camp experience. Be sure to stay in the stands at halftime for the second annual mascot race as Roy the Lion and Timmy the Trout go toe-to-toe.