SEWARD, Neb. – Postseason hopes may have been dashed, but Concordia University, Nebraska Football aims to end the 2025 season on a positive note. The Bulldogs will aim to defeat Northwestern in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2001-2002. Saturday’s matchup will mark the 48th all-time series meeting between the two sides. Prior to kickoff, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s program will honor its senior class.
Both teams enter the matchup with identical 6-3 records. Head Coach Matt McCarty’s squad has rattled off four wins in a row (including an upset of then fourth-ranked Morningside) since being clipped on its homecoming, 10-9, by Hastings. This will be Concordia’s final opportunity to knock off a ranked opponent after having fallen on the road to No. 11 Morningside and No. 6 Dordt. Since starting 4-0, the Bulldogs have alternated losses and wins.
GAME INFO – Senior Day
Concordia (6-3, 6-3 GPAC) vs. No. 19 Northwestern (6-3, 6-3 GPAC)
Saturday, Nov. 15 | 1 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: 36.3 (26th)
Defensive PPG: 32.6 (64th)
Total Offense: 403.7 (28th)
Pass Offense: 249.1 (27th)
Rush Offense: 154.6 (37th)
Total Defense: 393.4 (68th)
Pass Defense: 270.6 (84th)
Rush Defense: 122.9 (37th)
Turnover +/-: -2
Northwestern
Offensive PPG: 24.7 (53rd)
Defensive PPG: 11.7 (3rd)
Total Offense: 331.4 (60th)
Pass Offense: 213.9 (53rd)
Rush Offense: 117.6 (60th)
Total Defense: 243.3 (4th)
Pass Defense: 163.1 (10th)
Rush Defense: 80.2 (5th)
Turnover +/-: +2
2025 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (46-41, 8th season)
Passing: Gideon Stark – 170/331 (.514), 2,193 yards, 20 td, 12 int, 119.7 effic.
Rushing: Carlos Collazo – 102 rushes, 591 yards, 5.8 avg, 8 td
Receiving: Adam Van Cleave – 58 receptions, 696 yards, 12.0 avg, 6 td (10 total td)
Defense: Grant Huss – 91 tackles, 5.5 tfl, 3.5 sacks, 3 pbu, 1 ff, 1 fr
Northwestern
Head Coach: Matt McCarty (96-25, 10th season)
Passing: Colby Duncan – 114/208 (.548), 1,613 yards, 14 td, 6 int, 136.4 effic.
Rushing: Colby Duncan – 121 rushes, 442 yards, 3.7 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Tanner Schouten – 31 receptions, 617 yards, 19.9 avg, 6 td
Defense: Trystin Voss – 21 tackles, 7.5 tfl, 5 sacks
2025 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (6-3, 6-3 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, W, 52-43
10/11 vs. Midland (Homecoming), L, 52-60 (2 OT)
10/18 at Hastings, W, 32-29
10/25 at (11) Morningside, L, 21-59
11/1 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 34-17
11/8 at (6) Dordt, L, 20-56
11/15 vs. (19) Northwestern (Senior Day), 1 p.m.
Northwestern (6-3, 6-3 GPAC)
8/30 vs. Waldorf, W, 40-0
9/13 at Mount Marty, L, 14-24
9/20 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 23-0
9/27 vs. (15) Dordt, L, 20-21
10/4 vs. Hastings, L, 9-10
10/11 at Briar Cliff, W, 28-0
10/18 at (4) Morningside, W, 14-13
11/1 at Midland, W, 23-17
11/8 vs. Doane, W, 51-20
11/15 at Concordia, 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. Concordia has been ranked as high as No. 17 this season and continues to sit in the receiving votes category of the poll (as announced on Nov. 10). Meanwhile, Northwestern has roller-coasted in, out and then back in the NAIA top 25 in 2025. The Red Raiders moved up one spot to No. 19 in this week’s poll.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
NAIA Performance Indicator: 28th
Northwestern
GPAC preseason: 2nd
NAIA Performance Indicator: 29th
Last time out
The sixth-ranked and unbeaten Defenders rolled up 354 rushing yards and won decisively, 56-20, in snowy Sioux Center, Iowa. Concordia clung within 21-14 in the second quarter before Dordt rattled off the next four touchdowns to run away with it. The scoring plays for the Bulldogs were a 10-yard rush by Gideon Stark (eight-play, 74-yard drive), a three-yard pass play from Stark to tight end Maddox Rickertsen (10-play, 75-yard drive) and an eight-yard pass play from Stark to Jonny Puelz (nine-play, 65-yard drive). Stark went 18-for-36 for 215 yards and two touchdowns (one pick). In the running game, Calvin Sassaman carried the ball 25 times for 72 yards. Concordia was without two of its best offensive playmakers (Carlos Collazo and Adam Van Cleave) and an All-America level nose guard (Carson Fehlhafer). Starting offensive lineman Kadence Velde actually played both ways in an attempt to slow the Dordt rushing attack. Defender running back Daniel Dickerson found the end zone four times. Dordt (9-0, 9-0 GPAC) clinched at least a share of the GPAC title and now prepares for a showdown with Morningside (8-1 GPAC) to finish the regular season.
Senior Day 2025
Each of the seniors will be recognized prior to kickoff on Saturday. The group numbers 25 strong. The fourth-year seniors have contributed to a combined record of 23-16 since the start of the 2022 season. The Bulldogs put together one of the finer seasons in program history in 2024 when they went 8-2 and landed just outside of the NAIA playoff picture. The senior class includes the following players who earned 2024 GPAC All-Conference honors: Carson Fehlhafer (first team), Daylon Henson (first team), Adam Van Cleave (second team) and Grant Huss (linebacker). Van Cleave, who will graduate in December, is a junior in terms of eligibility.
Postseason outlook
It remains a standing program goal to reach the NAIA Football Championship Series, something that last happened for the Bulldogs in 2001. The 56-20 loss last week at No. 6 Dordt likely eliminated Concordia from contention for the 2025 playoffs. This Saturday’s winner between Dordt and Morningside will earn the GPAC’s automatic bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series as conference champion. The loser will likely earn an at-large bid. Northwestern may put itself in the at-large discussion with a win at Concordia.
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 46-41. His 46 wins are 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 hits season milestones
Magnolia, Texas, native Gideon Stark reached two season milestones last week when he surpassed 2,000 passing yards and hit the 20 touchdown pass mark. Stark and DJ McGarvie are the only two quarterbacks in program history to reach those figures in the same season. Stark sits 449 yards shy of McGarvie’s program single season record of 2,642 passing yards in 2023. Stark served as the backup to McGarvie for each of the previous three seasons before stepping into the starting role. Stark has thrown at least one touchdown pass in eight of the nine games this season. In 18 career collegiate games, Stark has completed 189 of 361 passes (.524) for 2,430 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Sassaman rises to No. 1 RB
A converted defensive back, Calvin Sassaman has taken on the lion’s share of the rushing attempts the past two weeks as Carlos Collazo and Adam Van Cleave have been sidelined by injuries. Sassaman has twice rushed for more than 100 yards this season. This past week at Dordt, Sassaman ran for 72 yards on 25 carries. On the year, Sassaman has carried the ball 101 times for 437 yards and three touchdowns. Despite playing in only four games, Collazo remains the team’s leading rusher with 591 yards. Collazo had been leading the nation in rushing yards per game (147.8) when he went down.
100-yard rushers in 2025:
• Collazo: 283 at Mount Marty
• Collazo: 171 vs. Midland
• Sassaman: 152 vs. Briar Cliff
• Sassaman: 125 at Waldorf
• Van Cleave: 110 at Hastings
A nod to the o-line
The play of the offensive line has remained at a high level despite losing all five starting offensive linemen from last season. This year’s starting group includes left tackle Derek Campbell, left guard Kadence Velde, center Brevin Damrow, right guard Seth Moore and right tackle Jeremiah Vazquez. While paving the way for the offense to average 403.7 yards and 36.3 points per game, the line has surrendered only three sacks in 2025.
Next man up
Injuries have provided a challenge to Daberkow and his staff. In recent weeks, the Bulldogs have had to play without some of their top players, including running back Carlos Collazo (who had been leading the NAIA in rushing yards per game) and First Team All-GPAC nose guard Carson Fehlhafer. The injuries resulted in Adam Van Cleave’s move to running back and a number of adjustments on the defensive side of the ball. With a banged up defensive font, linebacker Drake Trent has served as an edge rusher. At safety, Treven Weddle has stepped in as a starter in recent action. Starting safety Luke Penrod has battled injury while continuing to compete. Offensive guard Kadence Velde even played at nose guard last week with Fehlhafer still sidelined. Additionally, Van Cleave was not able to play at Dordt to injury, robbing Concordia of another of its top playmakers. Van Cleave hopes to make it back onto the field this week.
The specialists
A junior from Grand Island, Neb., Peyton Atwood is putting together one of the best seasons ever for a Concordia kicker. Atwood leads all GPAC kickers and ranks fourth nationally with 12 made field goals this season. His 74 points (12-for-15 FGs / 38-for-40 PATs) are tied for the eighth most among NAIA kickers in 2025. Atwood owns program records for career PATs (118), PATs in a single season (44 in 2024) and longest field goal (50).
Braxtyn Koch has held down the punter spot for the second year in a row. In 2025, Koch has punted 49 times for an average of 36.4 yards per attempt. Nearly half of his punts (23) have been downed inside the opponent’s 20. A native of Westminster, Md., Koch is the son of former NFL punter Sam Koch, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens.
Longest field goals in Concordia history, on record
50 – Petyon Atwood (2025)
47 – Kenny Zoeller (2011)
46 – Jess Boyd (2001)
46 – John Dumar (1980)
Huss shoots for 100
Linebacker Grant Huss is on track to lead the team in tackles for the second year in a row. The Lincoln Southwest High School product enters Saturday’s game with 92 tackles on the season, giving him a shot at becoming the first Concordia player to hit triple digits in tackles since All-American linebacker Lane Napier made 134 stops in 2021. Huss has been a major factor in the Bulldogs’ solid rush defense (122.9 yards allowed per game). In his collegiate career, Huss has totaled 196 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two interceptions.
Aiming for No. 7
There have been 20 teams in the history of Concordia Football that have reached seven wins in a season. Two of those campaigns have come during Patrick Daberkow’s tenure: 8-2 in 2024 and 7-3 in 2021. The school record for wins in a season remains 10 by the 2001 squad that shared the GPAC title and reached the NAIA playoffs. Six teams in program history have hit the eight-win mark.
Around the league
There were five league games played this past Saturday. Outside of Concordia’s loss to Dordt, the results included a 51-20 Northwestern win over Doane, a 45-7 Midland thrashing of Dakota Wesleyan, a 63-20 Morningside pummeling of Mount Marty and a 28-12 Briar Cliff triumph at Waldorf. The stage is set this Saturday for a showdown in Sioux City, Iowa, where Morningside will host Dordt. The winner will clinch the GPAC’s automatic bid to the NAIA playoffs as conference champion. Dordt has already clinched at least a share of the title. Both teams are likely playoff qualifiers no matter the result.
Series vs. Northwestern
Northwestern has had the upper hand, winning 32 of the first 47 meetings with Concordia in a series that began in 1960 (the first year of football at Northwestern). The result last season snapped what had been a seven-game series losing streak for the Bulldogs. On Oct. 5, 2024, Concordia shocked the then NAIA second-ranked Red Raiders, 29-17, in Orange City. The Bulldogs dominated the line of scrimmage in limiting Northwestern to 52 rushing yards while owning a 5-0 advantage in sacks. The Concordia secondary picked off four Red Raider passes. Daylon Henson came away with two interceptions. Offensively, DJ McGarvie threw for two touchdowns and Mark Arp ran for two scores. Last time the two programs met in Seward (2023), then top-ranked Northwestern won in a shootout, 48-35.
Scouting Northwestern
Northwestern needs a win and perhaps some other results to go its way in order to extend its active streak of eight consecutive NAIA playoff appearances. Head Coach Matt McCarty led his alma mater to an NAIA national championship in 2022 and owns a sparkling 10-year record of 96-25. The Red Raiders have found another gear over the past four outings after a shaky start to this season. Northwestern suffered upset losses to the likes of Mount Marty and Hastings and sat at 2-3 prior to the current four-game win streak. Included in the streak was a 14-13 squeaker over No. 4 Morningside on Oct. 18. The unquestionable strength of the Red Raiders is their defense, which has limited opponents to averages of 11.7 points and 243.3 yards per game. Trystin Voss anchors that side of the ball as an All-American on the defensive line. Voss has also been playing offensive guard. At quarterback, Colby Duncan has made strides and is a dual threat. He’s thrown for 1,613 yards and is the team’s leading rusher with 442 yards on the ground. His favorite targets are Tanner Schouten (31 catches for 617 yards and six touchdowns) and Carson Ness (35 catches for 472 yards and three touchdowns). In addition to the signature win over Morningside, Northwestern picked up a quality road victory, 23-17, over Midland on Nov. 1. The Red Raiders will attempt to avenge last season’s 29-17 loss to Concordia.