SEWARD, Neb. – The nationally ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Football team passed its first road test as it walloped Waldorf, 54-0, following a bye in the schedule. The Bulldogs now look forward to another road trip with Mount Marty up next on the docket. The series with the Lancers began in 2021, the first year of football at Mount Marty. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s program will take an eight-game winning streak up to Yankton, S.D.
The schedule has felt sporadic for Concordia through the month of September. The Bulldogs did not play in week zero and then had an early bye. Meanwhile, the Lancers will be coming off a bye this week. Head Coach John Michaletti’s had an extra week to stew on its 34-20 home loss to Briar Cliff on Sept. 20. Mount Marty appeared poised to crack the NAIA top 25 until that defeat. However, the Lancers have improved in each of their five seasons of existence and showed capable of taking down ranked opponents, as evidenced by their upset of No. 7 Northwestern on Sept. 13.
GAME INFO
No. 19 Concordia (3-0, 3-0 GPAC) at Mount Marty (3-1, 2-1 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 4 | 1 p.m.
Crane-Youngworth Field | Yankton, S.D.
Webcast: GPAC Network
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Tickets: Sold on site
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2025 national rankings out of 97 NAIA football programs in parentheses
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 38.7 (23rd)
Defensive PPG: 9.7 (4th)
Total Offense: 420.3 (23rd)
Pass Offense: 288.7 (9th)
Rush Offense: 131.7 (48th)
Total Defense: 249.0 (10th)
Pass Defense: 179.3 (24th)
Rush Defense: 69.7 (T-5th)
Turnover +/-: +4
Mount Marty
Offensive PPG: 29.0 (41st)
Defensive PPG: 20.0 (T-23rd)
Total Offense: 342.0 (49th)
Pass Offense: 184.5 (62nd)
Rush Offense: 157.5 (33rd)
Total Defense: 282.3 (17th)
Pass Defense: 168.8 (T-17th)
Rush Defense: 113.5
Turnover +/-: +1
2025 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (43-38, 8th season)
Passing: Gideon Stark – 55/96 (.573), 820 yards, 8 td, 3 int, 150.3 effic.
Rushing: Calvin Sassaman – 37 rushes, 182 yards, 4.9 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Adam Van Cleave – 19 receptions, 294 yards, 15.5 avg, 3 td
Defense: Carson Fehlhafer – 20 tackles, 11 tfl’s, 6.5 sacks, 2 blocked kicks
Mount Marty
Head Coach: John Michaletti (15-32, 5th season)
Passing: Rugby Ryken – 61/103 (.592), 738 yards, 9 td, 4 int, 140.5 effic.
Rushing: Malachy Harts – 68 rushes, 311 yards, 4.6 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Jacob Carbajal – 11 receptions, 155 yards, 14.1 avg, 0 td
Defense: Arthur Oliver – 14 tackles, 3 int, 1 forced fumble
2025 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (3-0, 3-0 GPAC)
9/6 vs. Doane, W, 35-7
9/13 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 27-22
9/27 at Waldorf, W, 54-0
10/4 at Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/11 vs. Midland (Homecoming), 1 p.m.
10/18 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
10/25 at (4) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/1 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/8 at (13) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/15 vs. (22) Northwestern (Senior Day), 1 p.m.
Mount Marty (3-1, 2-1 GPAC)
8/30 at Clarke, W, 37-22
9/6 at Waldorf, W, 35-10
9/13 vs. (7) Northwestern, W, 24-14
9/20 vs. Briar Cliff, L, 20-34
10/4 vs. (21) Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/11 at Doane, 6 p.m.
10/18 at (13) Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/25 vs. Hastings, 3 p.m.
11/1 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
11/8 at (4) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/15 at Midland, 1 p.m.
In the rankings
Concordia was tagged with a preseason national ranking for the first time since 2002. The Bulldogs checked in at No. 21 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll announced on Aug. 25. In the latest poll unveiled on Monday (Sept. 29), Concordia moved up two spots to No. 19, marking the eighth straight NAIA coaches’ poll it has been included in. Meanwhile, Mount Marty received votes in the Sept. 15 NAIA poll following its upset of No. 7 Northwestern. The Lancers did not receive votes the next week after a home loss to Briar Cliff. However, they picked up two points in the latest poll.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 16th
Mount Marty
GPAC preseason: 6th
Current Massey Ratings: 38th
Last time out
Coming off a bye, the Bulldogs got out of the gates a bit slow, punting on their first two offensive possessions at Waldorf. The seal was broken late in the first quarter, helping ignite a 31-point second quarter on the way to a 54-0 stomping of the Warriors. The contest marked Concordia’s first ever trip to Forest City, Iowa. The first two touchdowns of the contest were scoring strikes from Gideon Stark to Adam Van Cleave (14 and 16 yards, respectively). Running back Calvin Sassaman later ran for scores from two and 35 yards out, respectively. In addition, Stark rifled a 26-yard touchdown pass to Max Bartels in the second quarter. A special teams touchdown occurred in the third quarter when Daylon Henson jumped on a muffed snap in the end zone. The other points came via four field goals thanks to the efforts of Peyton Atwood (26, 50), John Fehlhafer (25) and Ashton Gazga (36). The Bulldogs outgained Waldorf, 422-100, and held the Warriors to just six first downs. The 54-0 blanking marked the program’s largest win margin in a shutout victory since a 56-0 win over Briar Cliff in 2016.
Win streak ranks as second longest active in NAIA football
The program win streak has stretched to eight following the triumph at Waldorf. Only one NAIA football program can boast a longer active streak: defending national champion Grand View University (Iowa) with 18 straight victories. The current streak for the Bulldogs represents the longest for the program since the 2000 and 2001 teams combined for nine victories in a row. The school record of 14 consecutive wins spanned the 1944 and 1945 seasons when Concordia and its opponents played six-man football due to low roster numbers caused by World War II.
Coach Daberkow + staff
Patrick Daberkow’s history at Concordia dates back to his first season as a Bulldog football player in 2003. This is Daberkow’s 18th season as part of the program’s staff – ninth as head coach. He served as defensive coordinator for seven years before being named head coach in December 2016. Daberkow assumed offensive play calling duties in 2022 before turning that role over to Greg Nelson, former Lincoln Lutheran head coach, in 2023. Meanwhile, his full-time staff includes Defensive Coordinator Corby Osten, Special Teams Coordinator Trent Laune and Assistant Coach Grady Koch (who specializes in coaching the offensive line, among other duties). Former Nebraska Wesleyan assistant Kevin Crume is in his third season at Concordia. The graduate assistants are Devin Zeigler and Tanner Ingle. Daberkow owns a career coaching record of 43-38. His 43 wins are for the fourth most among all head coaches in program history. The top three are Courtney Meyer (70), Larry Oetting (63) and Herb Meyer (62).
Stark ranks among NAIA’s top quarterbacks
Gideon Stark needed only one half of football last week to pile up 223 yards and three touchdowns through the air. The Magnolia, Texas, native completed 11-of-19 passes and did not commit a turnover. Stark currently ranks 12th among NAIA quarterbacks for passing yards per game (273.3). As a team, Concordia ranks ninth in passing yards per game. On the season, he has completed 55-of-96 attempts for 820 yards and eight touchdowns (against three interceptions). Stark has thrown for multiple touchdowns in all three games this season. In 12 career collegiate games, the 6-foof-6 gun slinger has tossed for 1,057 yards and nine touchdowns with a 58.7 completion percentage (74-for-126). Stark’s first career touchdown pass came versus Doane as a sophomore in 2023.
Van Cleave returns to lineup
After sitting out the win over Dakota Wesleyan, Adam Van Cleave returned following the bye week. His impact was felt in a major way as he snagged six receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns at Waldorf. In only two games played this season, Van Cleave has totaled 19 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns. When the Columbus, Neb., native was sidelined versus DWU, Jonny Puelz picked up the slack. He was named GPAC Offensive Player of the Week after he recorded seven catches for 176 yards and three touchdowns against DWU. The top three targets for Stark have been Puelz, Van Cleave and Max Bartels (13 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown). The passing game has remained potent despite the graduation of record-setting quarterback DJ McGarvie and All-American receiver Austin Jablonski.
Sassaman steps up
While Concordia got Adam Van Cleave back in the lineup at Waldorf, No. 1 running back Carlos Collazo did not play. Collazo also sat out the final three quarters of the home win over Dakota Wesleyan. In his place, Calvin Sassaman stepped into a starting role at Waldorf. The Wahoo, Neb., native responded with his first career 100-yard rushing game and first two career touchdowns. Sassaman carried the ball 20 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the blowout win. Over the first two weeks, Collazo ran for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 33 attempts. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging 131.7 rushing yards per game and 3.8 rushing yards per attempt. The rushing total is aided by the fact that Concordia has yet to give up a sack behind a rebuilt offensive line.
Concordia’s Paul Bunyan
Well-earned attention came Carson Fehlhafer’s way following his monstrous performance in the win over Dakota Wesleyan. He was tabbed GPAC Defensive Player of the Week and NAIA National Defensive Player of the Week. The 6-foot-4, 325-pound nose guard filled the stat sheet with 13 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks and two blocked kicks. Fehlhafer was also named a national player of the week after the 2024 win at No. 2 Northwestern. A Utica native, Fehlhafer came away from week two leading all NAIA players in tackles for loss and sacks. Fehlhafer now ranks second nationally in both categories with 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, though he’s played fewer games than the national leaders in those statistics. Fehlhafer leads a defense that has already piled up 18 sacks (eight apiece in the first two games). In his career as a Bulldog, Fehlhafer has totaled 105 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks.
Atwood breaks school record
A new standard for longest field goal in program history has been set. At the 12:05 mark of the third quarter in the win at Waldorf, Grand Island, Neb., native Peyton Atwood drilled a 50-yard field goal. That field goal broke the previous school record of a 47-yard field goal made by All-American kicker Kenny Zoeller in 2011. Below is a listing of the longest field goals in the Concordia record books. On the season, Atwood is 4-for-5 on field goals and 13-for-13 on extra points. He was named GPAC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday.
Longest field goals in Concordia history, on record
50 – Petyon Atwood (2025)
47 – Kenny Zoeller (2011)
46 – Jess Boyd (2001)
46 – John Dumar (1980)
Defensive superlatives
While Fehlhafer’s production has headlined the defensive efforts through the first three games, plenty of other Bulldogs have emerged as playmakers. All safety Daylon Henson does is make plays. In addition to pouncing on a muffed snap for a touchdown last week, he added three tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups at Waldorf. On the season, Henson has collected five tackles for loss, two sacks, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He also scored a touchdown last season on a 35-yard interception return. After the shutout last week, Concordia moved up to No. 4 nationally in scoring defense (9.7). The team’s leading tackler is linebacker Grant Huss with 36 stops. Along the defensive line, Terry Sebek has collected four sacks.
Owning the state
Concordia pulverized its in-state opponents in 2024. It won by scores of 45-10 over Doane, 42-6 over Hastings and 45-13 over Midland. That success carried over in the 2025 season opener. Dating back to the end of 2023, the Bulldogs have won five-straight contests versus their Nebraska GPAC rivals. Under Daberkow, Concordia swept in-state foes in both 2021 and 2024.
Around the league
It was a full slate of five GPAC league games this past week. In perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the weekend, No. 15 Dordt squeaked past No. 14 Northwestern, 21-20, in Orange City, Iowa. Elsewhere, Doane surprised Midland, 19-18, in Fremont, No. 4 Morningside was pushed by Hastings in a 41-31 win and Briar Cliff knocked off Dakota Wesleyan, 21-7, at home. There are now three teams in the league with unblemished (3-0) conference records: Concordia, Dordt and Morningside. Concordia and Dordt are the only GPAC squads with undefeated overall records.
Series vs. Mount Marty
The Bulldogs are 4-0 versus Mount Marty since the Lancers inaugurated their program in 2021. Last season, Concordia survived a close call at home, holding off Mount Marty, 31-27. With a chance to put up the go-ahead score, the Lancers reached the Bulldog 16-yard line on their final possession before turning the ball over on downs. In the victory, Concordia’s Mark Arp ran for 183 yards and a touchdown and DJ McGarvie threw for 244 yards and three scores (including one to Adam Van Cleave). In two previous trips to Mount Marty, the Bulldogs have won by scores of 38-7 (2021) and 45-21 (2023).
Scouting Mount Marty
Mount Marty has ascended quickly as a young program in arguably the NAIA’s best conference. John Michaletti has been the program’s head coach for all five seasons. The Lancers made a nice jump from 2023 to 2024 when they went from a 3-8 record to 6-5. The program’s most significant win yet came in game No. 3 of this season when Mount Marty upset No. 7 Northwestern, 24-14, in Yankton. The win resulted in the Lancers receiving votes in the NAIA coaches’ poll for the first time ever. However, the 34-20 home loss to Briar Cliff a week later dropped Mount Marty out of top 25 consideration. Offensively, the Lancers have an experienced quarterback in Rugby Ryken, who has thrown for 2,369 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career. Running back Malachy Harts is a returning Honorable Mention All-GPAC player who has rushed for 311 yards through four games in 2025. In the secondary, Arthur Oliver has been opportunistic in plucking three interceptions. Mount Marty has been stout defensively, allowing only 282.3 yards per game.