ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – For the third consecutive season the Bethel University football team is headed to the MIAC Championship game finishing undefeated in the Skyline Division with a 31-14 win over Concordia Saturday afternoon at Royal Stadium.
Bethel (7-2, 6-1 MIAC, 4-0 Skyline) totaled 381 yards of offense running 64 plays while Concordia (5-4, 4-3 MIAC 3-1 Skyline) totaled 255 yards. For the eighth time, BU kept its opponent under its season average for rushing yards as the Cobbers ran for 143 yards adding 112 through the air. Bethel ran for 189 yards and threw for 192.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Half
• It didn't take long for the Bethel defense to come up with their first big play of the day. Matt Jung had is second pick-six in as many games. On the Cobbers' fourth play of the game, Jung jumped the route with a wide-open field in front of him running it 45 yards into the endzone.
• Concordia responded with a seven-play 74-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown pass evening it at 7-7 with 11:04 to go in the first.
• A quiet rest of the first highlighted the defenses, but it was Bethel's special teams that kickstarted the second quarter.
• The Cobbers were setting up for a 38-yard field to take the lead until Jacob Holmen broke through the line blocking the attempt and giving it back to the Royals.
• George Bolt found Joey Kidder on an over-the-shoulder grab for a 37-yard game putting BU in the red zone. Four plays later Hugo Cifuentes nailed a 30-yard field goal putting BU up 10-7 with 9:16 to go.
• A quick three-and-out for Concordia put the Royals' offense back on the field, but the offense wasn't on for long. Three plays into the drive Bolt found a Kidder in the short field, where Kidder avoided one Cobbers safety before racing into the endzone for a 54-yard score.
• BU forced turnovers on the Cobbers next two drives as Jung forced a fumble and Hunter Pratt recovered it. Late in the second Concordia took a shot at the end zone where Deven Williams picked it off sending the Royals into the break up 17-7.
2nd Half
• Receiving to open up the second, BU put together a five-play 80-yard drive that finished with something no one has seen this year. Kidder was in the shotgun finding a wide-open Miach Niewald on play action for the 33-yard touchdown reception.
• On Concordia's ensuing drive a nine-yard sack by Noah Richards and Hunter Pratt forced the Cobbers to punt. Two drives later it was Caden DeWall and Thomas Wurdemann sacking the Concordia quarterback as the Cobbers tried to go for it on 4th-and-8.
• BU got another fourth-down stop in the third as Concordia had it 4th-and-1 from the BU 29, but a deep pass fell incomplete turning it over to the Royals.
• Bethel's final score came on a methodical 12-play, 71-yard drive that chewed up 6:58. On his fourth straight rush Aaron Ellingson punched it in from four yards out making it 31-7 with 9:30 left in the game.
• The Cobbers added one more score with a 26-yard rushing touchdown on the next drive.
TOP PERFORMERS
Offense
• George Bolt – 7-of-13 for 149 yards, 1 TD
• Aaron Ellingson – 23 carries for 117 yards, 1 TD
• Joey Kidder – 7 catches for 101 yards, 49 yards after catch, 1 receiving TD, 1 passing TD
Defense
• Caden DeWall – 7 tackles, 1.5 TFL, .5 sack
• Hunter Pratt – 6 tackles, 1.5 TFL, .5 sack, 3 QB hurries, 1 fumble recovery
GAME NOTES
• Bethel loss the toss and Concordia elected to receive.
• Bethel won the time of possession battle for the eighth time this season by a wide margin, 35:26-24:34. BU had it for 14:09 in the fourth quarter alone.
• Aaron Ellingson tallied his second career 100-plus yard rushing game.
• Matt Jung now has six interceptions on the year.
• Joey Kidder moves into second all-time with 26 career touchdowns and now has 2,508 career receiving yards where he still sits fourth all-time.
• Miach Niewald's 60 receiving yards brought his career total to 2,364 where he sits fifth all-time.
• Aaron Ellingson now has a rushing touchdown in four straight games.
• Since the MIAC went to the divisional model three years ago, BU has now lost a Skyline Division game going 12-0.
• BU has won 15 of its last 17 at home.
UP NEXT
The Royals host the MIAC Championship game next Saturday, Nov. 11 in Arden Hills against Gustavus Adolphus. The winner receives the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Playoffs. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
This story was contributed by Austin Lagesse, Bethel University Director of Athletic Communications