MITCHELL, S.D. - Saturday is the final home game of the regular season and is also Senior Day. The Tigers will honor 15 seniors who have set a new standard for winning at DWU. The 2015 senior class holds the school record for wins by any group over a four-year span, with 28 victories after last week's rout of Nebraska Wesleyan University. The record was previously held by the classes of 1994 and 2014 with 27 wins.
After the win last week, DWU climbed to No. 18 in the rankings and are in a good position to make the NAIA postseason tournament for the first time in 23 years if the team can go 2-0 to close out 2015.
The road will not be easy with a matchup today against the Bulldogs. Concordia has played all of the top teams in the GPAC tough over the last few weeks, including hanging with No. 2 Morningside College through three quarters in a 44-21 loss last week. Concordia also has three-point losses to Doane College and Northwestern College this season.
About the Series
This will be the 16th meeting between Dakota Wesleyan and Concordia in the all-time series. Concordia holds a narrow 8-7 advantage in the series, with the Bulldogs upsetting the No. 24 Tigers 27-19 in Seward last season.
The Bulldogs raced out to a 20-0 lead in the first half last season and withstood a fourth-quarter comeback from the Tigers.
About the Coaches
Dakota Wesleyan head coach Ross Cimpl is in his fourth season leading the Tigers. His career record is now 28-13 overall. Cimpl, a Wagner, S.D., native, is the fourth winningest coach in more than 100 years of DWU football.
Vance Winter is in his seventh season as the head coach of Concordia and has a career record of 33-40.
Winning Tradition
The senior class of 2015 is the best the school has ever seen in terms of wins, breaking the DWU record of victories in a four-year span with 28 after a 52-17 win over Nebraska Wesleyan last weekend. The win broke the school record set by the classes of 1994 and 2014 of 27.
Today, DWU will honor that senior class in a ceremony before the game. The Tiger athletic department would like to thank all of the families and friends of our players for their continued support of our tremendous student-athletes.
The seniors playing in their final home game as a member of the DWU football team include: Ryan Anderson, Brady Bonte, Arthur Brown, Joey Garba, Taylor Haley, Calvin Hunhoff, Sam Kiger, Jonathan Knight, Tanner Munk, Daniel Porter, Trevor Schroeder, Zachary Thiel, Bruce White and Greyson Wooten. Senior student assistant Ian McClanahan will also be honored prior to the game.
About the Concordia Bulldogs
Concordia comes into play today on the heels of pushing the No. 2 Morningside Mustangs in a game last week. The Bulldogs hung right with the GPAC powerhouse, but Morningside pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 44-21 win, all but eliminating Concordia from the NAIA postseason discussion.
The Bulldogs have been tough on defense in 2015, ranking ninth in the nation in total defense per game, allowing 298.5 yards per contest. Trey Barnes has been getting to the quarterback all season, ranking second in the NAIA in sacks per game with 1.1.
The Concordia offense has been led by running back Bryce Collins with 84.8 yards per game. He scored a pair of touchdowns in the loss last weekend.
