SEWARD, Neb. – Bulldog Stadium will serve as the stage for a second straight night game to begin the 2025 season for Concordia University, Nebraska Football. On a perfect weather evening this past Saturday, the 21st-ranked Bulldogs rolled Doane, 35-7, while forcing four turnovers and recording eight sacks. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad hopes to sharpen the rough edges in moving from week one to week two as it prepares to host Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday night.
Concordia has won back-to-back season openers at home. The victory over Doane pushes the program win streak to six (longest in the GPAC) and gives the Bulldogs an 11-2 record over their last 13 games. Concordia has won three straight and five of the last six in the series with the rival Tigers. This Saturday will be Parents Night for Bulldog Football.
Alex Kretzschmar is in the midst of his second year as head coach of the Dakota Wesleyan program. The Tigers will arrive in Seward looking to flush their 66-7 loss at No. 19 Dordt this past week. The Tigers were outgained by the Defenders, 582-224. DWU finished the 2024 season at 4-7 overall (4-6 GPAC). Two years ago, the Tigers spoiled Concordia’s homecoming with a 16-12 win inside Bulldog Stadium.
GAME INFO
No. 21 Concordia (1-0, 1-0 GPAC) vs. Dakota Wesleyan (1-1, 0-1 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 13 | 6 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast: GPAC Network
Live Stats: PrestoStats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2025 national rankings out of 97 NAIA football programs in parentheses
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 35.0 (T-25th)
Defensive PPG: 7.0 (T-3rd)
Total Offense: 401.0 (32nd)
Pass Offense: 278.0 (T-20th)
Rush Offense: 123.0 (44th)
Total Defense: 252.0 (16th)
Pass Defense: 243.0 (53rd)
Rush Defense: 9.0 (4th)
Turnover +/-: +1
Dakota Wesleyan
Offensive PPG: 11.5 (T-71st)
Defensive PPG: 40.0 (T-70th)
Total Offense: 147.0 (86th)
Pass Offense: 101.5 (81st)
Rush Offense: 45.5 (82nd)
Total Defense: 462.5 (73rd)
Pass Defense: 257.5 (64th)
Rush Defense: 205.0 (78th)
Turnover +/-: 0
2025 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (41-38, 8th season)
Passing: Gideon Stark – 24/43 (.558), 278 yards, 2 td, 2 int, 116.2 effic.
Rushing: Carlos Collazo – 28 rushes, 95 yards, 3.4 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Adam Van Cleave – 13 receptions, 173 yards, 13.3 avg, 1 td
Defense: Terry Sebek – 6 tackles, 3.5 tfl’s, 3 sacks
Dakota Wesleyan
Head Coach: Jonathan Johnson (3-9, 2nd season)
Passing: Sam Hartman – 162/286 (.566), 1,932 yards, 12 td, 8 int, 121.6 effic.; 2 rush td
Rushing: Rian Green – 89 rushes, 435 yards, 4.9 avg, 1 td
Receiving: Darnell Riley – 42 receptions, 494 yards, 11.8 avg, 2 td
Defense: Jarett Boggs – 86 tackles, 9 tfl’s, 3 sacks, 2 ff, 1 fr, 1 pbu
2025 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (1-0, 1-0 GPAC)
9/6 vs. Doane, W, 35-7
9/13 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 6 p.m.
9/27 at Waldorf, 1 p.m.
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 (3) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/1 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/8 at (19) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/15 vs. (7) Northwestern (Senior Day), 1 p.m.
Dakota Wesleyan (1-1, 0-1 GPAC)
8/30 vs. Dakota State, W, 16-14
9/6 at (19) Dordt, L, 7-66
9/13 at (21) Concordia, 6 p.m.
9/20 vs. (7) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
9/27 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/4 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/11 vs. (3) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/25 vs. Waldorf, 2 p.m.
11/1 at Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
11/8 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/15 vs. Hastings, 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. That ranking comes after Concordia closed 2024 at No. 18 in the official NAIA poll. Dakota Wesleyan most recently appeared in the NAIA top 25 in 2016. The Tigers were picked ninth in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 20th
Dakota Wesleyan
GPAC preseason: 9th
Current Massey Ratings: 49th
Last time out
The season opener came close to following the script from a Concordia perspective. The Bulldogs earned a 35-7 win over Doane while turning four turnovers in 21 points. A ferocious defensive front came through with eight sacks, including three from Terry Sebek. With sack yardage factored in, the Tigers managed only nine rushing yards (252 total yards). In the third quarter, Will Potratz intercepted a pass and returned the ball 38 yards to the one. That play set up one of Carlos Collazo’s three rushing touchdowns. Doane then fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, paving the way for the final touchdown of the evening. Adam Van Cleave pulled in 13 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown while being fed by quarterback Gideon Stark, who made his first career start. Stark tossed two touchdown passes while steering an offense that totaled 401 yards.
Win streak reaches six
The longest winning streak among GPAC teams belongs to the Bulldogs. Concordia won its final five games of the 2024 season on its way to an 8-2 record and postseason NAIA ranking of No. 18. The streak has stretched to six thanks to last week’s drubbing of Doane. During that streak, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a combined tally of 224-80. Dating back farther, Concordia is 11-2 over its last 13 games and has reached 35 points nine times throughout the run. The six-game win streak is the longest for the program since the 2021 squad (7-3 overall) won its final six games of the season. The program has not won seven or more consecutive games since the 2000 and 2001 teams combined for a nine-game win streak.
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 41-38. His 41 wins are tied (with Vance Winter) for the fourth most among all head coaches in program history.
Stark looks to build upon first career start
Magnolia, Texas, native Gideon Stark had previously appeared in nine games as the backup to DJ McGarvie, but he had yet to make a start at the collegiate level until this past week. In his first start, the 6-foot-6 Stark completed 24-of-43 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns (to go against two interceptions). The scoring tosses covered eight yards to Jonny Puelz in the first quarter and 53 yards to Adam Van Cleave in the third quarter. Stark’s first career touchdown pass came in reserve duty versus Doane in 2023. In his collegiate career, Stark has completed 43-of-73 passes for 515 yards and three touchdowns.
Van Cleave emerges as top receiving threat
With All-American Austin Jablonski having graduated, Adam Van Cleave grabs the spotlight as the No. 1 option in the Concordia passing game. Van Cleave set new single game career highs last week as he snared 13 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown. On the scoring play, Van Cleave caught a swing pass to the left, trucked a defender and then raced 53 yards up the middle of the field to the end zone. A Columbus, Neb., native and Columbus Lakeview High School alum, Van Cleave eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards (1,025) for his career. His career totals also include 85 receptions and seven touchdowns. Van Cleave was named a Second Team All-GPAC honoree in 2024. Also in the win over Doane, Max Bartels made four receptions for 48 yards, Jonny Puelz plucked three passes for 20 yards and a score and Carter Skleba pulled in two grabs for 26 yards to round out the wide receiver crew.
Collazo finds the end zone three times versus Doane
The next 1,000-yard running back just might be Carlos Collazo. The Marquette, Neb., native figures to get the call often around the goal line (or anywhere on the field). Each of Collazo’s three touchdowns versus Doane came from one yard out. He finished his evening with 95 yards on 28 bruising carries. Collazo has now rushed for 10 touchdowns (and 651 yards) in his Bulldog career. He has had three separate games with multiple rushing touchdowns. Last season at Dakota Wesleyan, Collazo ran for 116 yards and two scores on just eight attempts. Collazo is running behind a crew of new starters on the offensive line. Last week, the starting line featured left tackle Derek Campbell, left guard Kadence Velde, center Brevin Damrow, right guard Seth Moore and right tackle Jeremiah Vasquez.
Experienced secondary
The experienced Bulldog secondary got tested last week by Doane quarterback Sam Hartman and a pass happy offense. It took 56 passing attempts for the Tigers to reach 243 yards through the air. At corner, Will Potratz posted seven tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. He returned his pick 38 yards to Doane’s one yard line. In addition, Daylon Henson added 10 tackles, two forced fumbles and a sack and Luke Penrod broke up four passes. The other starters on the back end are Jacob Rolen and Jaden Seier. A transfer from Winona State University, Rolen made his Concordia debut this past week. Henson is a returning All-American who snared six interceptions in 2024.
Sacking the opponent
So far so good for the Concordia defensive front. The Bulldogs had Sam Hartman running for his life last week. The Bulldogs registered eight sacks. The sacks were credited to Terry Sebek (3.0), Carson Fehlhafer (1.5), AJ Frazey (1.0), Daylon Henson (1.0), Carson Adams (0.5), Zachary Downs (0.5) and Dylan Meyer (0.5). For his work up front, Sebek was named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. On the other side, Gideon Stark did not get sacked. Those statistics are a carryover from last season when Concordia outnumbered its opponents in sacks, 28-4.
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 week one of NAIA football this past Saturday. The slate included a full set of GPAC matchups. Outside of Seward, No. 19 Dordt flattened Dakota Wesleyan, 66-7, Midland won at Hastings, 24-9, No. 3 Morningside pummeled intra-city rival Briar Cliff, 58-17, and Mount Marty rocked Waldorf, 35-10. Concordia is one of six GPAC teams that is 1-0 in conference play to start 2025. The rundown for this Saturday features five more conference matchups.
Series vs. Dakota Wesleyan
The series has been tight with Concordia’s all-time record versus Dakota Wesleyan standing at 14-11. The first two meetings occurred prior to the formation of the GPAC in 2000. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers, 36-29, in 1984 and then fell to them, 28-21, in 1985. The two programs finally met again in 2000 as GPAC members. Last season’s meeting in Mitchell, S.D., was dominated by Concordia, which outgained DWU, 641-370, and won going away, 42-7. Both Mark Arp (210) and Carlos Collazo (116) surpassed 100 yards rushing while combining for five touchdowns and DJ McGarvie threw for 309 yards. During Daberkow’s tenure, the Bulldogs are 6-2 versus Dakota Wesleyan.
Scouting Dakota Wesleyan
Alex Kretzschmar is working on putting his stamp on the program as he is now early in his second year as head coach. Kretzschmar was promoted from within the program when former head coach Ross Cimpl became Dakota Wesleyan’s Director of Athletics. The defensive coordinator is former Doane head coach Chris Bessler. Last season, the Tigers went 4-7 with their wins coming over Hastings, Doane, Waldorf and Briar Cliff. DWU has started this season 1-1 with a 16-14 home win over in-state rival Dakota State University and a 66-7 loss at No. 19 Dordt. The Tigers brought back a couple of 2024 Second Team All-GPAC honorees in running back Koby Kayser and defensive back Landon Ruesink. In this season’s opener, DWU scored the deciding points to defeat Dakota State with Danny Carsrud’s 40-yard field goal, capping an 11-play, 50-yard, fourth-quarter drive. The Tigers won their most recent trip to Bulldog Stadium, eking out a 16-12 win on Concordia’s homecoming in 2023.