KICKOFF COVERAGE
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The No. 24th-ranked Bethel football team is set to open up MIAC play Saturday at Royal Stadium hosting No. 5th-ranked Saint John's at 1 p.m. In a battle of undefeated squads at 2-0, the Royals are coming off a 51-30 win over Wisconsin-Eau Claire while the Johnnies had their bye week following a 35-13 win over #5 Wartburg.
SERIES HISTORY
Series: BU trails 10-36
Last: Bethel loss 27-7 (Sept. 23, 2023) in Collegeville
• The Royals and Johnnies meet on the gridiron for the 47th time and will be the seventh matchup since the 2019 season. SJU has taken 9 of the last 10 meetings with the Royals' lone win in that stretch coming at home in a 28-24 thrilling victory over the then second-ranked Johnnies.
ROYAL NOTES
• Since 2000, the Royals are 16-7 in MIAC openers and have won six of the last 10. One of those wins came against the Johnnies in 2022 at Royal Stadium where BU knocked off the then No. 2 Johnnies 28-24. It's the fourth straight season that BU and SJU open up conference play against each other.
• Totaling 456 offensive yards last week, it marked the 13th time in the last 26 games the Royals offense amassed 400-plus yards. In those games, BU is now 12-1 since the 2022 season when eclipsing that mark.
• For the second straight week, Matt Jung was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week. Jung added a pair of interceptions for the second straight week, including picking off a potential game-tying score in the endzone.
• Bethel swept the MIAC football weekly awards with Joey Kidder earning offensive player of the week nods, Matt Jung being named defensive POW and Austin Auld earning special teams POW.
• Joey Kidder became the fifth Royal to have four TD grabs in a game last week and was the first since Bryce Marquardt at Augsburg in 2014. Kidder also surpassed another Marquardt mark becoming the Royals' all-time touchdown reception leader with 31. Marquardt had 29 from 2013-17.
• For the second straight week the Royals are ranked No. 24 in the D3fooball.com Top 25. They are receiving votes in the AFCA poll after being ranked No. 24 last week.
BY THE NUMBERS
-34.5 – BU's defense leads the nation in rushing defense giving up an average -34.5 yards per game.
4 – Matt Jung leads the nation with four INTs after having two in each of the first two Royals' game.
7 – Cooper Drews had a hand in seven of BU's TDs last weekend. He threw a career-high five TDs while rushing in two himself.
NEW YEAR, NEW RULES
• Fans will notice a bit of a change this year in a few rules for Division III Football. The most noticeable to fans will be that the game clock will continue to run when a first down is gained in bounds.
• This year a Two-Minute Timeout, similar to the two-minute warning in the NFL, will be instituted in the second and fourth quarters. If the ball is live when the game clock reaches two minutes in the second and fourth quarters, the play will continue, and the Referee shall stop the clock when the ball is subsequently declared dead for a Two Minute Timeout.
• Expanded playoffs have come to Division III football with 40 teams reaching the postseason compared to last year's 32 teams. There will still be 28 automatic conference qualifiers, pool A teams, while the pool c teams, or at-large bids, have expanded from four to 12.
STRONG SECONDARY
• The Royals started the 2023 season with seven interceptions in the first three games. Their six in the first two games was the most to start the season for BU since 2004.
• Finishing with 21 INTs in 2023, Bethel finished fifth nationally.
• Matt Jung led the team with seven INTs, the most by a Royal since 2007, finishing the season with the second most in Division III.
• Through the first two games of the 2024 season, Bethel has five interceptions which leads the MIAC and is tied for 16th nationally.
TURNOVER MARGIN DOMINANCE
• This season the Royals rank 13th nationally with a 2.00 average turnover margin. BU is +4 this year with five INTs and a fumble recovery.
• Bethel was +19 in the turnover margin department last season, ranking third nationally.
• The defense gained 31 turnovers last season, which was the fifth most in Division III. Ten have came via fumble recovery and 21 by interceptions.
JUMPING FOR JUNG
• Sophomore Matt Jung leads the Bethel defense with four interceptions on the year, two coming in each of the first two games.
• He leads the nation with four INTs and his biggest of the season so far came against UWEC picking off a potential game-tying pass in the endzone late in the fourth as the Blugolds had it first and goal from the two.
• Jung leads the MIAC and is fourth nationally averaging 2.5 passes defended per game.
DREWS DROPPING DIMES
• Sophomore quarterback Cooper Drews shinned in his second collegiate game through for 294 yards on 30-of-41 passing against UWEC. Drews aired out five TD passes and rushed in for two scores himself.
• With a 76.1 completion percentage this season, Drews ranks 11th nationally and second in the MIAC behind Saint John's Aaron Syverson.
SPLITTING THE UPRIGHTS
• Eli Nowacki nailed his first career field goal attempt splitting the uprights from 37 yards out on his first career attempt. The plus-three points gave BU a 31-16 halftime lead against UWEC.
• His second career attempt, which came from 32 yards was blocked by UWEC late in the third.
• Nowacki has sent 16 kickoffs into the air averaging 55.4 yards while four have gone for a touchback.
KEEPING UP WITH KIDDER
• Graduate wide receiver Joey Kidder sits third all-time in Bethel history with 2,739 receiving yards. He is 64 shy of second and 262 shy of tying the program record held by Jeremy Belisle.
• With a career-high four touchdown grabs against UWEC, Kidder became the Royals' all-time touchdown reception leader with 31. He surpassed Bryce Marquardt who had 29 from 2013-17.
• His four TD grabs against UWEC tied the program's single-game record as he became the fifth Royal to have that many in a game and first since Bryce Marquardt at Augsburg in 2014. He now has nine career multi-touchdown games.
• With 126 reception yards against the Blugolds, it marked the 12th time in his career with 100-plus receiving yards. His career-high 196 yards came at Concordia on Oct. 15, 2022.
>>> READ BETHEL'S COMPLETE GAME NOTES BY CLICKING HERE.
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.
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!
