GAME DETAILS

Coaches: Bethel's Mike McElroy (2nd year at BU and as a head coach: 19-3) // Carleton's Tom Journell (8th year at Carleton 39-29, and 18th as head coach: 90-78)

Series: BU leads 27-12. The Royals are on a 13-game win streak against Carleton. The Knights' last victory over the Royals was a 17-14 decision at Royal Stadium on September 20, 2008.

ABOUT THE ROYALS

The Royals rank among the nation's top five in a multitude of categories as their 7.2 points allowed per game, 2.75 tackles for loss allowed, and .474 red zone defense each rank second in the country. They come in at No. 3 nationally with 49.8 points per game, a .958 red zone offense, and 222 first downs. Their .188 fourth down conversion percentage defense is fourth best in Division III. Bethel's rushing defense hasn't let up as their 47.5 yards allowed per game ranks fifth in the country, while their 1.63 turnover margin, and two passes had intercepted also come in at No. 5. The Royals' .262 third down percentage defense is eighth in Division III, and their .536 third down offense comes in at 11th. 

Freshman running back Taye Manns leads the conference with 11 rushing touchdowns and 13 total touchdowns while he's second in the MIAC with 641 rushing yards, 80.1 rushing yards per game. Albert Rundell leads all of Division III with 1,065 receiving yards, and 133.1 receiving yards per game. He also ranks among the top 10 in Division III with 8.88 catches per game and 10 touchdown catches. Junior Phil Conant highlights the rushing defense as he ranks third in the country with 2.13 tackles for loss per game, and 31st with 0.81 sacks per game. Nick Colyer's 0.50 interceptions per game paces the MIAC and ranks 17th nationally. Devin Williams, who has 48 tackles for the defense, leads the MIAC with 13.5 punt return yards per game. Quarterback Cooper Drews is ninth in the country with 25 passing touchdowns, while he leads the MIAC with 174 points responsible for.

ABOUT THE KNIGHTS

Carleton is coming off a 48-17 victory over Augsburg on November 1. Their lone two blemishes on the season came at the hands of No. 8 UW-Whitewater 45-14 on September 6, and No. 11 Saint John's 49-10 on October 25. Senior quarterback Jack Curtis leads the country with 30.38 completions per game, and ranks third nationally with 2,754 passing yards, and 344.3 yards per game. As a team, the Knights come in at No. 2 nationally with 369.4 passing yards per game.

QUICK HITS

• The Royals are on the brink of their first undefeated regular season since 2013. With a victory over Carleton, Bethel will clinch at least a share of the 2025 MIAC Championship and the conference's automatic qualifier into the 2025 NCAA Division III Championship.
• The No. 4 Royals to 8-0, 7-0 MIAC following a 55-9 road victory over Concordia (Minn.) on November 1. Eli Nowacki earned November 3 MIAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance that included a 48-yard field goal as the first half expired. It was the longest field goal from a MIAC kicker since October 26, 2019, when Carleton's Trent Ramirez converted a 48-yard field goal against St. Thomas. Nowacki averaged 55.0 yards over 10 kickoffs, and 36.5 yards over four punts in the contest.
• The Royals stay at No. 4 on the D3football.com Top 25 Poll, and maintain their No. 6 position on the AFCA D3 Coaches Poll for Week 9.
• Bethel has outscored the opposition 398-58 through eight games this season, while the Knights also have the upper hand on opponents by a 307-202 margin.
• Bethel is one-of-eight undefeated teams in NCAA Division III. Joining Christopher Newport, Hardin-Simmons, Johns Hopkins, Mount Union, North Central (Ill.), Salisbury, and Wartburg.