2025 Football Schedule/Results
7-3 overall | 7-3 GPAC (3rd) | Season Stats | Roster
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Record |
| Sept. 6 | *Doane University | Seward, Neb. | W, 35-7 | 1-0, 1-0 |
| Sept. 13 | *Dakota Wesleyan University (Parents Weekend) | Seward, Neb. | W, 27-22 | 2-0, 2-0 |
| Sept. 27 | *Waldorf University | Forest City, Iowa | W, 54-0 | 3-0, 3-0 |
| Oct. 4 | *Mount Marty University | Yankton, S.D. | W, 52-43 | 4-0, 4-0 |
| Oct. 11 | *Midland University (Homecoming) | Seward, Neb. | L, 52-60 (2 OT) | 4-1, 4-1 |
| Oct. 18 | *Hastings College | Hastings, Neb. | W, 32-29 | 5-1, 5-1 |
| Oct. 25 | *(11) Morningside University | Sioux City, Iowa | L, 21-59 | 5-2, 5-2 |
| Nov. 1 | *Briar Cliff University | Seward, Neb. | W, 34-17 | 6-2, 6-2 |
| Nov. 8 | *(6) Dordt University | Sioux Center, Iowa | L, 20-56 | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Nov. 15 | *(19) Northwestern College (Senior Day) | Seward, Neb. | W, 21-17 | 7-3, 7-3 |
2025 Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Yr. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown | Previous School | |
| 0 | Terry | Sebek | DL | Jr. | 6-2 | 265 | Hampton, Neb. | Nebraska Christian HS |
| 1 | Zachariah | Lytle | K | Fr. | 6-1 | 143 | Houston, Texas | Heights HS |
| 1 | Will | Potratz | DB | Jr. | 5-8 | 157 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln East HS |
| 2 | Joel | Kaira | DB | Sr. | 5-11 | 183 | Fort Worth, Texas | Chisholm Trail HS / McPherson College |
| 2 | Adam | Van Cleave | WR | Sr. | 5-11 | 180 | Columbus, Neb. | Lakeview HS / University of Nebraska |
| 3 | Jacob | Rolen | DB | Grad | 6-0 | 173 | Stockbridge, Ga. | Eagles Landing (ECLA) / Winona State |
| 3 | Calvin | Sassaman | RB | Jr. | 5-11 | 173 | Wahoo, Neb. | Bishop Nuemann HS |
| 4 | John | Fehlhafer | K | Jr. | 6-1 | 198 | Utica, Neb. | Centennial HS |
| 4 | Braxtyn | Koch | P | So. | 6-1 | 181 | Westminster, Md. | Winter Mills HS |
| 5 | Logan | DeCoste | LB | Sr. | 5-10 | 206 | Hay Springs, Neb. | Hay Springs HS |
| 5 | Braylen | Muhle | WR | Jr. | 6-0 | 175 | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna HS |
| 6 | Cole | Coffey | WR | Sr. | 5-11 | 184 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln North Star HS |
| 6 | Jaden | Seier | DB | Sr. | 6-0 | 194 | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney Catholic HS |
| 7 | Carlos | Collazo | RB | Jr. | 5-10 | 215 | Marquette, Neb. | Aurora HS |
| 7 | Sean | Meints | DL | Jr. | 6-2 | 226 | Gothenburg, Neb. | Gothenburg HS |
| 8 | Trayton | Allison | WR | Fr. | 6-0 | 180 | Rose Hill, Kan. | Rose Hill HS |
| 8 | Luke | Penrod | DB | Jr. | 6-1 | 190 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Christian HS |
| 9 | AJ | Frazey | DL | Jr. | 6-5 | 232 | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| 9 | Dane | Omel | WR | Fr. | 6-0 | 168 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southeast HS |
| 10 | Max | Bartels | WR | Sr. | 6-1 | 185 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS |
| 10 | Braxton | Borer | DB | Jr. | 6-1 | 195 | Columbus, Neb. | Columbus Lakeview HS |
| 11 | Daylon | Henson | DB | Sr. | 6-0 | 207 | Pearland, Texas | Lutheran High North |
| 11 | Gideon | Stark | QB | Sr. | 6-6 | 227 | Magnolia, Texas | Concordia Lutheran HS |
| 12 | Admir | Mujkic | P/K | Jr. | 6-5 | 208 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln East HS |
| 12 | Collin | Reetz | QB | Sr. | 6-6 | 205 | Estes Park, Colo. | Estes Park HS |
| 13 | Peyton | Atwood | K | Jr. | 6-0 | 192 | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island Northwest HS |
| 13 | Tryston | Sanchez | WR | So. | 5-8 | 167 | Amarillo, Texas | Randall HS |
| 14 | Ryland | Reetz | QB | So. | 6-6 | 195 | Estes Park, Colo. | Estes Park HS |
| 14 | Gabe | Schmidt | DB | Jr. | 5-10 | 193 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS |
| 15 | Chris | Mock | QB | Fr. | 6-4 | 227 | Montrose, Colo. | Montrose HS |
| 15 | Blake | Mosenteen | DB | Sr. | 6-0 | 163 | Holyoke, Colo. | Holyoke HS / Colorado State - Pueblo |
| 16 | Matthew | Fortney | P | Fr. | 5-11 | 202 | Ashland, Neb. | Ashland-Greenwood HS |
| 16 | Isaac | Hochard | DB | So. | 6-0 | 161 | Topeka, Kan. | Seaman HS |
| 17 | Camden | Jensen | QB | So. | 6-4 | 187 | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island Northwest HS |
| 17 | Cash | Keslar | CB | Fr. | 5-9 | 154 | Clatonia, Neb. | Wilber Clatonia HS |
| 18 | Jack | Hagge | K | Fr. | 6-1 | 189 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Northwest HS |
| 18 | Nixon | Ligouri | QB | Fr. | 6-4 | 184 | Auburn, Neb. | Auburn HS |
| 19 | Tyler | Douglass | RB | Jr. | 5-10 | 190 | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island Northwest HS |
| 19 | Ethan | York | WR | Fr. | 5-9 | 163 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southeast HS |
| 20 | Tanner | Frahm | DB | Jr. | 5-10 | 198 | Plainview, Neb. | Plainview HS |
| 21 | Deacon | Showalter | WR | Fr. | 6-2 | 184 | Lyons, Kan. | Lyons HS |
| 21 | De'Vaughn | Tolliver | DB | So. | 5-10 | 160 | Cypress, Texas | Cy-Fair HS |
| 22 | Deegan | Barnes | LB | Jr. | 5-11 | 196 | Ignacio, Colo. | Bayfield HS |
| 22 | Carter | Johnson | WR | Sr. | 5-11 | 180 | Anselmo, Neb. | Anselmo-Merna HS |
| 23 | Grant | Huss | LB | Sr. | 6-0 | 215 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest HS |
| 23 | Lucas | Rosburg | K | Fr. | 6-4 | 175 | Fairmont, Minn. | Martin Luther HS |
| 24 | Drake | Trent | LB | Jr. | 6-3 | 218 | Yutan, Neb. | Yutan HS |
| 24 | Gavin | Weichel | TE | Sr. | 6-1 | 204 | Plymouth, Neb. | Tri County HS |
| 25 | Cade | Seaman | DB | So. | 5-10 | 161 | Amarillo, Texas | Friona HS |
| 25 | Trey | Whalen | WR | Fr. | 6-0 | 172 | Edmond, Okla. | Santa Fe HS |
| 26 | Gideon | Biedenbender | DB | Fr. | 6-3 | 190 | Waukesha, Wis. | Lake Country Lutheran HS |
| 26 | Jesse | Herndon | TE | Sr. | 6-1 | 253 | Saronville, Neb. | Sutton HS |
| 27 | Jett | Farwell | DB | Fr. | 5-10 | 176 | Pawnee City, Neb. | Pawnee City HS |
| 27 | Ashton | Gazga | K | So. | 5-9 | 169 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest HS |
| 28 | Kaden | Thompson | DB | So. | 5-8 | 168 | North Platte, Neb. | Hershey HS |
| 28 | Austin | Wilburn | WR | Fr. | 5-10 | 170 | Greenville, Texas | Greenville Christian School |
| 29 | Cam | Baca | WR | Fr. | 5-11 | 168 | Castle Rock, Colo. | Castle View HS |
| 29 | Aiden | Boss | DB | Fr. | 6-2 | 177 | Grand Junction, Colo. | Grand Junction HS |
| 30 | Treven | Weddle | DB | Fr. | 6-2 | 186 | West Point, Neb. | West Point HS / University of Nebraska |
| 31 | Brendan | Wilson | WR | Fr. | 5-10 | 160 | Salado, Texas | Salado HS |
| 31 | Max | Wurdeman | LB | Jr. | 6-2 | 180 | Parker, Colo. | Legend HS |
| 32 | Derek | Line | RB | So. | 6-0 | 215 | Columbus, Neb. | Columbus Lakeview HS |
| 33 | Keith | Bell | RB | Jr. | 6-0 | 190 | Centennial Colo. | Valor Christian HS |
| 34 | Ace | Edwards | LB | So. | 5-9 | 206 | Winona, Kan. | Wallace County HS |
| 34 | Kolby | Mahler | TE | So. | 6-1 | 248 | Adams, Neb. | Freeman HS |
| 35 | Zachary | Downs | LB | Sr. | 5-11 | 205 | Montgomery, Texas | Lake Creek HS |
| 36 | Peder | Ersland | LB | Fr. | 6-0 | 162 | Bennington, Neb. | Concordia Lutheran HS |
| 36 | Kaden | Hessler | TE | Fr. | 6-0 | 206 | Mitchell, Neb. | Mitchell HS |
| 36 | Kolby | Houchin | LB | So. | 5-10 | 203 | Bayard, Neb. | Bayard HS |
| 37 | Jake | Connell | DB | Jr. | 5-11 | 192 | Hyannis, Neb. | Hyannis HS |
| 39 | Luke | Kolsrud | LB | So. | 5-11 | 200 | Chandler, Ariz. | Chandler HS |
| 39 | Levi | Sherman | TE | Fr. | 6-2 | 249 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Northeast HS |
| 40 | Noah | VanEvery | LB | So. | 6-0 | 203 | Raymond, Neb. | Malcolm Public School |
| 41 | Jonathan | Henderson | DB | Fr. | 5-3 | 143 | Huntsville, Ark. | Huntsville HS |
| 42 | Cole | Urbanec | DB | Fr. | 5-9 | 165 | Omaha, Neb. | Skutt Catholic HS |
| 43 | Noah | Brumm | TE | Jr. | 6-3 | 213 | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| 43 | Byron | Ostdiek | LB | So. | 5-10 | 204 | Beatrice, Neb. | Beatrice HS / Peru State College |
| 44 | Dylan | Meyer | LB | Sr. | 6-1 | 227 | Hickman, Neb. | Norris HS / Chadron State College |
| 44 | Maddox | Rickertsen | TE | Sr. | 6-2 | 237 | Gothenburg, Neb. | Gothenburg HS |
| 45 | Kyle | Burk | TE | Fr. | 6-0 | 204 | Holstein, Iowa | Ridge View HS |
| 45 | Mason | Fortney | LB | Sr. | 6-3 | 207 | Ashland, Neb. | Ashland-Greenwood HS |
| 46 | Brayden | Kouma | LB | So. | 5-11 | 175 | Waverly, Neb. | Waverly HS |
| 47 | Josh | Ringler | DL | So. | 6-2 | 232 | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| 48 | Tristen | Ray | LB | So. | 5-11 | 214 | Lewiston, Neb. | Lewiston HS |
| 49 | Dakotah | Bonnell | DL | Fr. | 6-3 | 215 | Manhattan, Kan. | Manhattan HS |
| 50 | Layne | Bugarske | OL | Jr. | 6-4 | 267 | Boerne, Texas | Boerne-Samuel V Champion HS |
| 50 | Skylar | Rosengren | LB | Fr. | 5-10 | 198 | Omaha, Neb. | Millard North HS |
| 51 | Lucas | Baumann | LB | Fr. | 5-11 | 204 | Lester Prairie, Minn. | Mayer Lutheran HS |
| 51 | George | Burnham | OL | So. | 6-3 | 237 | Bennington, Neb. | Concordia HS |
| 52 | Brevin | Damrow | OL | Sr. | 5-10 | 254 | Plymouth, Neb. | Tri County HS |
| 52 | Kaden | Sears | LB | Jr. | 5-8 | 202 | Blair, Neb. | Blair HS |
| 53 | Thomas | Thomas | OL | So. | 6-3 | 223 | Hastings, Neb. | Hastings St. Cecilia HS |
| 53 | Braeden | Welch | OL | Fr. | 5-10 | 220 | Simla, Colo. | Simla HS |
| 54 | Jaden | Fountain | LB | Fr. | 6-4 | 190 | Wichita, Kan. | Wichita North HS |
| 54 | Nick | Oberle | OL | So. | 5-10 | 215 | Omaha, Neb. | Omaha Westside HS |
| 55 | Carson | Adams | DL | Sr. | 6-1 | 232 | Geneva, Neb. | Fillmore Central HS |
| 56 | Keenan | Troyer | LB | So. | 5-11 | 201 | Milford, Neb. | Milford HS |
| 57 | Shane | Jaggers | LB | Fr. | 6-0 | 205 | Tucumcari, N.M. | Tucumcari HS |
| 57 | Jeremiah | Vasquez | OL | Jr. | 6-3 | 238 | Edwards, Colo. | Battle Mountain HS |
| 58 | Mack | Kennedy | LB | Fr. | 5-11 | 196 | Bellevue, Neb. | Bellevue West HS |
| 58 | AJ | Rocha | OL | Fr. | 5-9 | 262 | Council Grove, Kan. | Council Grove HS |
| 59 | Derek | Campbell | OL | Sr. | 6-4 | 315 | Geneva, Ill. | Geneva Community HS |
| 59 | Cooper | Skokebrand | LB | Fr. | 5-11 | 222 | De Witt, Neb. | Tri County HS |
| 60 | Landon | Hock | OL | So. | 5-11 | 231 | Edmond, Okla. | Edmond North HS |
| 61 | Antonio | Reyes | OL | Fr. | 5-10 | 284 | Grand Junction, Colo. | Central HS |
| 62 | Tristin | Skelton | OL | So. | 6-2 | 272 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest HS |
| 63 | Joshua | Luehr | OL | So. | 6-2 | 254 | Wood River, Neb. | Wood River HS |
| 64 | Hunter | Lukes | DL | So. | 5-11 | 241 | Geneva, Neb. | Fillmore Central HS |
| 65 | Carter | Meier | OL | Jr. | 6-2 | 296 | Pierce, Neb. | Pierce HS |
| 66 | Judd | Johnson | OL | Fr. | 6-0 | 232 | Benkelman, Neb. | Dundy County Stratton HS |
| 67 | William | Swanson | OL | Jr. | 6-2 | 342 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southeast HS |
| 68 | Drake | Olson | OL | Jr. | 6-4 | 285 | Kenesaw, Neb. | Kenesaw HS / Hastings College |
| 69 | Jackson | Jenkins | OL | Fr. | 6-2 | 298 | Mitchell, Neb. | Mitchell HS |
| 70 | Kadence | Velde | OL | Jr. | 6-3 | 326 | York, Neb. | York HS / SW Minnesota State Univ. |
| 72 | Adam | Cruise | OL | Fr. | 5-10 | 267 | Columbus, Neb. | Columbus HS |
| 73 | Owen | Vyhnalek | DL | Fr. | 6-2 | 277 | Dorchester, Neb. | Dorchester HS |
| 74 | Andre | Vaughn | OL | So. | 6-3 | 313 | Hoxie, Kan. | Hoxie HS |
| 75 | Seth | Moore | OL | Sr. | 6-5 | 295 | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney Catholic HS |
| 76 | Joey | Myers | OL | So. | 6-0 | 252 | Omaha, Neb. | Omaha Burke HS |
| 77 | Alex | Buescher | OL | Fr. | 6-2 | 270 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Northeast HS |
| 79 | Dominic | Labelle | OL | Fr. | 6-2 | 245 | Shawnee, Kan. | Christ Prep Academy |
| 80 | Keaton | Karr | WR | Jr. | 5-7 | 160 | Bladen, Neb. | Silver Lake HS / University of Nebraska |
| 81 | Jackson | Fry | WR | So. | 6-2 | 191 | Hesston, Kan. | Hesston HS |
| 82 | Landon | Hinrichs | WR | So. | 6-2 | 173 | Hastings, Neb. | Hastings HS |
| 83 | Ethan | Olson | TE | So. | 6-0 | 260 | Juniata, Neb. | Heartland Lutheran HS |
| 84 | Ian | Medeck | WR | Sr. | 6-5 | 220 | Papillion, Neb. | Papillion South HS |
| 85 | Carter | Siebert | WR | Fr. | 6-2 | 186 | Henderson, Neb. | Heartland Community HS |
| 86 | Jonny | Puelz | WR | Jr. | 6-3 | 204 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Lutheran HS / Neb. Wesleyan |
| 87 | Dustin | Kapke | TE | So. | 6-2 | 229 | Clatonia, Neb. | Tri County HS |
| 88 | Carter | Skleba | WR | So. | 5-11 | 175 | Wilber, Neb. | Wilber-Clatonia HS |
| 89 | Ethan | Walker | WR | So. | 5-7 | 155 | Plattsmouth, Neb. | Plattsmouth HS |
| 91 | Billy | Lanich | DE | Fr. | 5-11 | 202 | Manhattan, Kan. | Cair Paravel Latin School |
| 93 | Carson | Fehlhafer | DL | Sr. | 6-4 | 338 | Utica, Neb. | Centennial HS |
| 94 | Lukas | Lafler | DL | Jr. | 6-2 | 241 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Christian HS |
| 95 | Trenton | Price | DL | Fr. | 6-3 | 248 | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln North Star HS |
| 96 | Nicolas | Steuter | DL | Fr. | 6-3 | 235 | Lincoln, Neb. | Pius X HS |
| 97 | Luke | Spires | DL | So. | 6-1 | 275 | Peoria, Ariz. | Liberty HS |
| 98 | Brock | Ostdiek | DL | Jr. | 6-0 | 248 | Beatrice, Neb. | Beatrice HS |
| 99 | Jordyn | Anderson | DL | Jr. | 6-3 | 228 | Hay Springs, Neb. | Hay Springs HS |
| Caleb | Eldridge | LB | Fr. | 6-2 | 235 | Jansen, Neb. | Nebraska Lutheran HS | |
| Eli | Grover | OL | Sr. | 6-0 | 325 | Eugene, Ore. | College of Siskiyous | |
| Ethan | Kirby | TE | Sr. | 6-5 | 250 | Stewardson, Ill. | St. Paul Lutheran HS | |
| Joseph | McQueen | OL | Sr. | 6-3 | 270 | Millsap, Neb. | Brock HS | |
| Anthony | Nauman | DB | Sr. | 5-11 | 185 | Beatrice, Neb. | Beatrice HS / University of Nebraska | |
| Travis | Parsons | S | Jr. | 6-0 | 219 | Round Rock, Texas | Concordia Lutheran HS | |
| Zachary | Rathman | LB | So. | Grand Island, Neb. | Heartland Lutheran HS | |||
| Karson | Sherman | LB | Sr. | 5-10 | 180 | Glenvil, Neb. | Sandy Creek HS |
STAFF
Patrick Daberkow, Head Coach
Corby Osten, Defensive Coordinator
Trent Laune, Special Teams Coordinator / Defensive Backs
Grady Koch, Assistant Football Coach
Kevin Crume, Assistant Football Coach
Greg Nelson, Quarterbacks / Offensive Playcaller
Wyatt Nickels, Defensive Backs
Devin Zeigler, Graduate Assistant (Running Backs)
Tanner Ingle, Graduate Assistant
Ron Jackson, Defensive Line
Justin Hoffman, Wide Receivers
Chris Shipley, Inside Linebackers/Defensive Line
Art Anderson, Assistant Coach
Harrison Martin, Specialists
Freddie Myles, Director of Strength and Conditoning
David Chouinard, Athletic Trainer
Season Preview: 2025 Concordia Football
Aug. 28, 2025
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (40-38, 9th year)
2024 Record: 8-2 overall, 8-2 GPAC (T-2nd)
Key Returners: K Peyton Atwood; WR Max Bartels; RB Carlos Collazo; DL Carson Fehlhafer; S Daylon Henson; LB Grant Huss; S Luke Penrod; CB Will Potratz; S Jaden Seier; QB Gideon Stark; WR Adam Van Cleave.
Key Losses: OL Jackson Anderson; RB Mark Arp; OL Cohen Carpenter; TE John Goodwin; LB Michael Grindey; WR Austin Jablonski; LB Nick Leader; QB DJ McGarvie; DL Devon Polley; TE Daylan Russell; OL Blake Schlegel; OL Christian Schlepp; DL Kyle Sterup; OL Tyler Walford.
2024 NAIA All-America: Austin Jablonski (First Team – AFCA/VSN); Blake Schlegel (Second Team – AFCA/VSN); Daylon Henson (First Team – AP; Honorable Mention – VSN); Mark Arp (Honorable Mention – VSN).
2024 GPAC All-Conference: Mark Arp (First Team); Carson Fehlhafer (First Team); Daylon Henson (First Team); Austin Jablonski (First Team); Devon Polley (First Team); Blake Schlegel (First Team); Kyle Sterup (First Team); Tyler Walford (First Team); John Goodwin (Second Team); DJ McGarvie (Second Team); Adam Van Cleave (Second Team); Cohen Carpenter (Honorable Mention); Grant Huss (Honorable Mention); Christian Schlepp (Honorable Mention).
Outlook
The Concordia University, Nebraska Football program quickly turned the page on the 2024 season as the calendar flipped to the spring semester of 2025. As late August beckons, more than three weeks since preseason camp began, the Bulldogs are beyond ready to line up against another opponent and answer the questions they’ve been asked about ever since their snub from last season’s NAIA playoff bracket. Gone are 33 seniors from the ’24 squad that went 8-2 and landed at No. 18 in the postseason NAIA coaches’ poll.
Of course Concordia will miss the 10 GPAC All-Conference players that graduated and moved on. That list includes prolific quarterback DJ McGarvie, All-American receiver Austin Jablonski, 1,000-yard running back Mark Arp and a bevy of stalwarts along the offensive and defensive lines. But Head Coach Patrick Daberkow exudes confidence when discussing the next men up. Daberkow points to the prevalence of third- and fourth-year guys who have bided their time while preparing themselves to seize the opportunity that now presents itself.
“The program’s healthy,” Daberkow said. “We’re trying to do college football different … I think the camaraderie we have in our locker room shows by the amount of guys who stick it out. The transfer portal has not really had a huge negative impact on our football program. We have winning as a major part of our priority. No one wants to be part of a program that loses. That’s something great to pursue. On top of that, we just do a lot of meaningful work. Our guys are doing things off the field that are very impactful, and they’re growing as men.”
Based in part on what was achieved last season, Concordia landed at No. 4 in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll and at No. 21 in the NAIA preseason poll. Not since 2002 has the program entered a season with an NAIA national ranking. The aim for the Bulldogs is to show they have staying power when it comes to the national radar. Concordia believes its recruiting and player development have reached a level that will allow it to absorb its personnel losses.
Offense
The transformation of the offense gave the program the shot in the arm it needed to rise to another level in 2024. Last season’s offense rewrote the school record book, setting new single season standards for points per game (38.5), yards per game (469.7), first downs per game (23.4), passing completion percentage (.605) and passing touchdowns (28). The question this preseason has centered upon: how do the Bulldogs repeat that success while returning only two starters?
The answer may start at quarterback, where the 6-foot-7 strong-armed Texan Gideon Stark will emerge as the replacement for DJ McGarvie (36 career starts). Stark is bigger and has a cannon for a right arm. He’ll attempt to steer the offense with the same type of efficiency that McGarvie displayed over his record-breaking career. Stark possesses nine career games of college experience at quarterback and has completed 19-of-30 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown.
“Every season you’re going to have things change a little bit,” Daberkow said. “We have the structure and the system now in place offensively where we feel like we can troubleshoot things. Our offensive staff has done a great job of building on what we’ve done in the past and catering to the strengths of players in different roles now. We’re very confident about where we’re at. We feel like we’re on pace with where we should be. We’re excited for Saturdays.”
Stark’s main target figures to be Columbus, Neb., native Adam Van Cleave, a Second Team All-GPAC receiver in 2024. Van Cleave and senior receiver Max Bartels are the lone two returning offensive starters from last season. In his breakout campaign, Van Cleave snagged 57 receptions for 652 yards and six touchdowns and is someone Daberkow calls “one of the most dynamic players I’ve ever coached.” Van Cleave has the quicks and the elusiveness to turn a short pass reception into a big gainer.
Bartels has drawn rave reviews for his leadership and progression and is due to see more passes come his way this fall. Also at the position, Jonny Puelz and Ian Medeck are former college basketball players with tall frames and the potential to make a significant impact. Plenty of other returners could be a factor. On the topic of pass catchers, Concordia must replace two tight ends (John Goodwin and Daylan Russell) who combined for 10 touchdown catches last season. Maddox Rickertsen and Dustin Kapke are ready to step in. Jesse Herndon has also migrated to tight end.
Van Cleave knows as well as anyone in regard to where Stark and the passing game stand heading into the 2025 opener. Said Van Cleave, “Gideon is kind of on the same lines as Max. He’s been putting in his time over the years. I think he’s in place for a really good year this year. As a leader, he’s in a spot where he can command the offense. He backs that up with his play. Throughout the season, they’re going to realize that this guy is going to be a legit quarterback for us this year.”
In 2024, an offensive line held down by five seniors paved the way for Mark Arp and Carlos Collazo to combine for 1,755 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. As a team, Concordia averaged 5.3 yards per carry and surrendered a grand total of four sacks. Those statistics won’t be easy to duplicate, but Collazo is back in the fold to batter opponents with the help of a revamped offensive line.
The projected starter at center, Brevin Damrow stepped in to start at Doane last season. However, for the majority of the offensive linemen that trot out there on Sept. 6, the 2025 opener will represent their first career starts. The happenings this offseason have eased the concerns Daberkow had when last season ended and the Bulldogs said goodbye to All-American tackle Blake Schlegel and company.
“We replaced five senior starters from last year,” Daberkow said. “Last November I was nervous about that and then we went through the offseason and went through spring ball and grew in confidence. I’ve only grown in confidence with that group. Derek Campbell at left tackle, Kadence Velde at guard, Brevin Damrow at center and we’ve got Carter Meier, Layne Bugarske, Seth Moore, Jeremiah Vazquez, Thomas Thomas and Josh Luehr. All of those guys are going to be contributors this season. I feel really good about our offensive line group with the work they’ve put in and the leadership we have there. I’m excited to see that group get this opportunity because they’ve all been kind of waiting. These opportunities haven’t caught anybody off guard.”
Thus the reason for optimism. In place of the departed starters step a host of players who have been immersed within the program for two and three years. A junior from Marquette, Neb., Collazo could be in line for his big breakout. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry as a sophomore and produced two 100-yard rushing games. That came on the heels of a freshman season hampered by injury. Collazo is leaner and faster than he was a year ago. Tyler Douglass also saw time at the position last season.
If the offensive line comes together the way that Daberkow expects, the unit as a whole has the potential to churn out points and yards in bunches once again. In this attack, Concordia can spread it out and also play slam ball with a power run game. Daberkow leans on assistant Greg Nelson (former head coach at Lincoln Lutheran) to call the plays.
Says Van Cleave, “I think we’ve changed our offense, making it more spread out and focused on distributing the ball. It’s not just a run heavy team. That takes time to do that. I think last year was the turning point where we really understood what our jobs were and being able to excel in our roles, whether it be the o-line not giving up a sack most of the year or our receivers doing well and then Mark Arp being who he was as a running back.”
As for the new signal caller Stark, he had this to say at a July media event, “I’ve put in my time. I’ve been watching DJ go these last three years. He’s been a great role model, showing me how to be a leader on the team and showing me how to read defenses. I’ve learned a lot through my time here and I’m ready to go.”
Defense
Corby Osten’s tenure as Defensive Coordinator has coincided with Daberkow’s timeline as head coach. The defense made a major leap forward from 2023 to 2024 as the opposition’s scoring average plummeted from 31.9 points per game to 18.4. The improvement was spearheaded by a defensive line that featured starters Carson Fehlhafer, Devon Polley and Kyle Sterup. Fehlhafer returns at nose guard to anchor the unit in 2025.
Seven starters are back on a defense that will be most experienced on the back end, which is headlined by returning All-American safety Daylon Henson. The Pearland, Texas, native emerged as ball hawker who played a major role in opponents turning it over 24 times last season (15 interceptions and nine lost fumbles). At every level of the defense, Concordia boasts at least one high-end, proven veteran performer.
Says Henson of the secondary, “I feel like we’re not where we’re supposed to be yet, but we’ve shown way more growth than the previous years. Everybody’s older now. We used to be the young guys on the defense and let everybody else run the show. I feel like we can run the show now. We have that chemistry and we’re getting better each and every day.” He added, “Coach O holds us to the same expectations every year. Nothing’s different. We just have to keep getting better every day.”
Henson projects as one of the top safeties in the entire NAIA after he notched six interceptions (one pick-six), seven pass breakups, 11.5 tackles for loss and a pair of fumble recoveries as part of his eye-popping junior season. Other returners with starting experience in the secondary include Blake Mosenteen, Luke Penrod, Will Potratz and Jaden Seier. Penrod, Potratz and Seier each collected more than 40 tackles last season. Transfer Jacob Rolen has also been impressive during preseason camp.
On the interior of the defensive line, Fehlhafer’s presence will be felt on every Saturday this fall. The Utica, Neb., native earned NAIA National Player of the Week honors last October after he notched three sacks in the win at No. 2 Northwestern. Not only does Fehlhafer make plays himself, he frees up teammates by eating up blockers. The staff sees Fehlhafer as another All-America caliber player on the defense.
“He should be (at the top of opposing scouting reports),” Daberkow said. “He’s going to be a problem. He’s kind of got Paul Bunyan status with our freshmen. He kind of looks like him too. The legends kind of grow. I think everyone expects him to take the center and guard and knock their heads together and go sack the quarterback every play. We’re not going to ask him to do that. He’s going to be an anchor though. He’s a tough football player.”
On the defensive front, Fehlhafer will be flanked by the likes of Carson Adams, Zachary Downs, AJ Frazey, Luke Laffler, Brock Ostdeik, Terry Sebek and others. It’s their time to make their mark after the graduation of not only Polley and Sterup but Stephen Hughes and Tal Solo. The d-line set the tone for a ’24 defense that held opposing teams to 109.1 rushing yards per game and racked up 28 sacks.
At linebacker, Lincoln Southwest High School alum Grant Huss returns after posting a team high 87 tackles in 2024. Huss headlines a linebacker core that replaces starters Michael Grindey and Nick Leader. On the plus side, Deegan Barnes brings starting experience of his own while Drake Trent is ready to emerge beyond a special teams. A major addition is Dylan Meyer, a transfer from Chadron State College. The list goes on to include Mason Fortney, Logan DeCoste and others. Those who don’t start will have opportunities to excel on special teams.
Says Daberkow, “We have some upperclassmen that have really been putting in time and have worked their way into being contributors. We have a good group of linebackers and I’m excited to see them make an impact this year.” Daberkow also commented, “Grant Huss is going to be a stud for us.”
The 18.4 points per game allowed by the ’24 team were the fewest for a Concordia defense since 2013. If the Bulldogs are able to stop the run and take the ball away once again, they will have a chance to contain the high-powered offenses of the GPAC. Concordia held seven of its 10 opponents last season to fewer than 20 points (7-0 in those games).
Specialists
Daberkow believes the pieces are in place for strong special teams units. The Bulldogs bring back their kicker (Peyton Atwood), punter (Braxtyn Koch), return man (Adam Van Cleave), long snapper (Max Wurdeman) and holders (Gideon Stark and Braylen Muhle). Last season, Atwood broke a school record for PATs in a season (44) and went 4-for-4 on field goals while Koch (the son of former Baltimore Ravens punter Sam Koch) averaged 37.7 yards per punt as a freshman.
Concordia could choose to use different kickers depending on the situation. John Fehlhafer and Admir Mujkic also bring experience kicking off and sophomore Ashton Gazga is pushing for time. As Daberkow says, “Our specialists are going to be a strength for us this year.”
Final Thoughts
The anticipation will give way to a real countable football game on Saturday, Sept. 6 when the Bulldogs welcome Doane to Bulldog Stadium for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff. While the rival Tigers aspire to show progress under their second-year head coach, Concordia will aim to back up its NAIA preseason top 25 ranking. Thankfully, the talking season is over. It’s now about action.
“I think we have a hungry group,” Daberkow said. “When I think about the leadership on this team, offensively, there are guys stepping into new roles. Defensively, we’re a little more established in some playmaking roles. It’s been fun to see that progress and to see that group coalesce and learn. It’s going to be fun to see it play out on Saturdays.”
Added Van Cleave, “We’re looking at it as it’s a clean slate. They’re not going to give us any wins for what we did last year. We’re starting over and we have to build our way back to that and to the playoffs if we want to make it there. The work has just begun. We have to take that mindset and stay hungry, not taking anything for granted. I think that’s the best way to approach the season regardless if it was successful last year.”
And there’s nothing wrong with dreaming big. Says the All-American Henson, “Going into this season, we’re just a hungry group. We don’t want to put it in anyone’s hands anymore. We want to win the GPAC so they have nothing to say.”
The complete 2025 Concordia Football schedule can be found HERE. Check the team’s homepage each week for game notes previewing upcoming matchups.
Opportunistic Bulldogs make Doane pay, roll in opener
Sep. 7, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – A somewhat new-look squad picked up where it left off last season as the Concordia University, Nebraska Football team made rival Doane pay dearly for its mistakes. The opportunistic Bulldog defense forced four turnovers that led to 21 points and a lopsided 35-7 final score on a picture perfect Saturday (Sept. 6) night in Seward. A pregame flyover preceded three Carlos Collazo rushing touchdowns, a highlight-reel house call from Adam Van Cleave and near pick-six from Will Potratz.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s program has won three straight and five of the last six in the series with the rival Tigers. Twenty-first ranked Concordia has started 1-0 after going 8-2 in 2024.
“I’m happy we got the win. It’s good to come out on top,” Daberkow said. “I think we have a lot of things we need to get better at. I probably sound like every coach in America right now. It’s week one. You just have to take care of the football and not shoot yourself in the foot with penalties. I think we did a subpar job of that in moments in this game. Some of the aggressive penalties I can live with. We’ll watch film and fix it.”
The early stages of the 70th all-time Concordia-Doane matchup on the gridiron provided a glimpse of what would become a theme. The Tigers coughed up the football (recovered by Drake Trent) on their opening possession, setting up an eight-yard Gideon Stark touchdown strike to Jonny Puelz three plays later. Just as Doane found a bit of traction in the third quarter, pulling within 21-7, the Bulldogs barked back.
Will Potratz snagged an interception of an overthrow, raced 38 yards to the one and teed things up for a short Carlos Collazo touchdown run. On the ensuing kickoff, Kannen Willis burst through a seam before losing the football, which was scooped up by Concordia kicker Peyton Atwood. Seven plays later, Collazo bulldozed his way over the goal line from one yard out for touchdown No. 3. That sequence capped the evening’s scoring.
From an offensive perspective, Van Cleave’s touchdown late in the first half stood out as the eye-popping effort of the night. On the play, Van Cleave caught a swing pass to the left, trucked a defender, found a gap in the middle of the field and then outran everybody for a 53-yard sprint to the end zone. The Columbus native finished with 13 grabs for 173 yards as he assumes the No. 1 receiver role.
In Stark’s first career start, the offense totaled 401 yards, including 278 through the air and 123 on the ground. The Magnolia, Texas, native Stark completed 24-of-43 passes and fired two touchdowns to go against two picks. Six different Bulldogs caught at least one pass (Max Bartels hauled in four catches for 48 yards). On the ground, Collazo racked up 95 yards on 28 bruising carries behind a revamped offensive line. The group did not allow a sack on Saturday.
Stark knows there is work to be done, but it was a solid week one showing for the offense. Said Stark, “We came out with the win. We have a lot to clean up, but the big guys up front kept me clean and the running backs clean. We moved the ball pretty well. We have a lot to clean up, and we’re looking forward to improving next week.”
Headlined by nose guard Carson Fehlhafer up front, the Concordia defense wreaked havoc in the Doane backfield. Fehlhafer came up with 1.5 sacks on an eight-sack night as a team. Terry Sebek led the way with three sacks while AJ Frazey and Daylon Henson added one apiece. At linebacker, Drake Trent (14 tackles) and Grant Huss (13 tackles) cleaned up Tiger ballcarriers. Huss and Deegan Barnes were also credited with a forced fumble apiece. In the secondary, Luke Penrod broke up five passes.
Doane (0-2, 0-2 GPAC) was limited to 252 total yards. The Tigers were also flagged for 12 penalties. Doane averaged only 2.8 yards per play against a stingy Concordia defense. Quarterback Sam Hartman led the visitors on a 12-play, 73-yard drive in the third quarter for their lone touchdown.
Said Potratz afterwards, “Defensively, it was a beautiful night. We’ve been putting this work in for three years. We have a veteran group on defense for sure. You have to give credit to the line … As a whole team, we’re here to play. We’re hungry. We’ve never been as hungry as we are this year. After last year, we’re on to new things.”
Added Daberkow, “Our defense does a really good job of checking everybody on their ball security. I was proud of the effort. There are going to be things that we’ll watch and think, oh my goodness, I can’t believe we left that out there. Any time you can beat a rival school in conference at home under the lights in front of a full stadium with 70-degree weather – I don’t think it gets better than that.”
Dating back to last season, the Bulldogs have won six consecutive games, marking the longest active win streak among GPAC programs. Concordia has won five straight against in-state rivals and has outscored Doane by a combined total of 135-43 over the past three meetings. With career win No. 41, Daberkow has pulled even with Vance Winter for the fourth most coaching victories in program history.
Another night game is on the docket for next Saturday (Sept. 13) when the Bulldogs will welcome Dakota Wesleyan (1-1, 0-1 GPAC) to town. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT. The meeting that took place last season in Mitchell, S.D., resulted in a 42-7 Concordia victory. In Saturday’s action, the Tigers were blown out at No. 19 Dordt, 66-7.
Puelz breaks out for TD hat trick; No. 21 Bulldogs hold off Tigers
Sep. 13, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – A former collegiate basketball player, Jonny Puelz was Jonny on the spot on Saturday (Sept. 13) night as the 21st-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Football team survived a scare from visiting Dakota Wesleyan. A hat trick’s worth of touchdowns from the Lincoln Lutheran alum Puelz and a pair of fourth quarter field goals from Peyton Atwood lifted the Bulldogs to a 27-22 down-to-the-wire victory. On the defensive end, nose guard Carson Fehlhafer was nearly unblockable.
Back-to-back Saturday night games have ended with Head Coach Patrick Daberkow and company ringing The Victory Bell. As a program, Concordia has won seven straight games.
“I just told the locker room, we’re not going to apologize for it,” Daberkow said. “A win’s a win. A lot of people would call that an ugly win. We had more adversity this week with some weird injury things and then you lose your running back. I’m proud of our team. That was a team win – offense, defense and special teams. Everybody worked together. We did what we had to do and I was happy to get out of here with a win.”
Plenty of nervous energy filled the seats at Bulldog Stadium as the Tigers (1-2, 0-2 GPAC) of Mitchell, S.D., drove to Concordia’s 41 while trailing 27-22 in the final moments of the game. On third and 3, Bulldog junior cornerback Will Potratz emerged with an interception that sealed the victory. Though he was unable to lead a game-winning drive, DWU quarterback Jed Jensen and his slipperiness (253 yards passing and 58 yards rushing) made it a nail-biter.
Just when it looked like the Bulldogs could breathe easy (with leads of 14-0 and 21-9), Jensen engineered third quarter touchdown drives of 65 yards (nine plays) and 66 yards (10 plays), respectively. Jensen found Chase McGillivary for five-yard touchdown toss with 3:14 remaining in the third quarter, staking the Tigers to their first lead, 22-21. The DWU offense managed to pile up 395 yards and 26 first downs despite the ferocity of Fehlhafer up front.
However, Concordia quarterback Gideon Stark and his side had an answer. After the Bulldogs fell behind, Stark marched the offense 66 yards on 11 plays with the drive highlighted by a 29-yard pitch and catch to Ian Medeck. Atwood drilled a 41-yard field goal to provide a 24-22 advantage. The game’s next three possessions resulted in punts before Stark led Concordia on an 11-play, 68-yard drive capped by a 26-yard Atwood field goal. On this night, it was just enough.
“We just had to play to the final whistle,” Fehlhafer said. “We practice that the last 50 seconds of practice all the time. We’re kind of used to those situations. When you make the play that counts, that’s when it matters … It’s nice to know that even when it looks sloppy, we can get the job done. We just keep trucking onto the next.”
Puelz took advantage of his chance to grab the spotlight on Saturday. With top receiving target Adam Van Cleave sidelined, Puelz emerged in a big way as he pulled down touchdown catches that covered distances of 19, 49 and 74 yards, respectively. On the latter score via rifle of a pass from Stark, Puelz used a stiff arm inside the 10 to propel himself into the end zone. Puelz finished with seven grabs for 176 yards. In making his second career start, Stark completed 20-of-34 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns (against one pick).
Said Puelz of his breakout performance, “I think I just got lucky. We move on through the reads and (Gideon) throws me the ball. It was great celebrating with the guys after the touchdowns. It’s a feeling that’s unmatched. There’s really nothing like it.”
An interior defensive lineman isn’t supposed to put up the numbers that Fehlhafer did on Saturday. He stuffed the stat sheet (and DWU ball carriers) with 13 tackles, seven stops for loss, four sacks and two blocked kicks (one field goal and one PAT). Fehlhafer and the defense were on the field for 89 plays and 41:52 in time of possession. They made the most of it with a second straight eight-sack effort. Two sacks were credited to Dylan Meyer and one apiece was claimed by Deegan Barnes and Terry Sebek. Barnes (12) and Grant Huss (13) also reached double figures in tackles. Jaden Seier led he secondary with seven tackles and two pass breakups.
Offensively, Concordia’s run game took a hit when Carlos Collazo (five carries for 42 yards) sat for the final three quarters. Calvin Sassaman ran nine times for 55 yards. In backing Puelz in the pass game, Maddox Rickertsen (three for 37), Max Bartels (four for 35) and Carter Skleba (three for 34) each snared multiple receptions. Up front, Carter Meier made the start at left guard in place of Kadence Velde. That group continues to progress while breaking in all new starters.
Said Daberkow in summing things up, “Gideon did a great job taking what was there. That was a good team win … There was no tension on our defense during that entire drive (that clinched the win). We had guys who were excited for that moment and excited that the game was in their hands. We’ll have this in our back pocket the entire year knowing we can win close games. We had to get creative with the injuries we dealt with this week. We wanted it to look a little different. It is what it is – I’m super proud of them.”
Dakota Wesleyan played the Bulldogs to the wire one week after a blowout loss at No. 19 Dordt. Jensen’s main target on Saturday was Cole Holden, who reeled in 10 catches for 119 yards and a score. The Tigers got themselves back into the game in the second quarter when Mikey Hart took a pick 74 yards for a touchdown.
Following back-to-back home victories, the Bulldogs will have a bye next Saturday. The next opponent will be Waldorf (0-3, 0-3 GPAC) on Sept. 27 when Concordia will make its way to Forest City, Iowa, for its first ever road matchup with the Warriors. Waldorf is in its second season as a GPAC member and is still seeking its first GPAC win after falling at Midland, 53-0, in its third game of 2025.
Stark fires three TDs, Sassaman runs for two scores in blanking of Waldorf
Sep. 27, 2025
FOREST CITY, Iowa – Two streaks continued on Saturday (Sept. 27) as Concordia University, Nebraska Football kept up its winning ways and the skid for Waldorf was extended with another blowout decision. While making their first ever appearance in Forest City, Iowa, the 21st-ranked Bulldogs accumulated 31 second-quarter points in rolling the Warriors by a 54-0 final score. In the process of pitching a shutout, the defense forced three turnovers. In addition, Gideon Stark threw three touchdown passes and four Concordia players found the end zone.
Off a bye, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad improved to 3-0 on the season, pushing the NAIA’s second longest active win streak to eight. The margin of victory was the largest for the program in a shutout win since defeating Briar Cliff 56-0 in 2016.
“It was really good to see some of the guys we hadn’t seen play in games yet have opportunities today,” Daberkow said. “I’m glad we had the opportunities we did. It took us longer than we wanted to get going, but once we got going, we didn’t punt for a while. Our defense really stifled the run, which eliminated a lot for them. I’m just really proud of the effort.”
To top off the rout, kicker Peyton Atwood even broke a school record by drilling a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter (previous standard was 47 yards by Kenny Zoeller in 2011). Atwood was one of three Bulldogs to connect on a field goal as the lead ballooned beyond 50 late in the third quarter. The onslaught came after a slow start that saw Concordia punt on its first two possessions. The seal broke when Stark found Adam Van Cleave for a 14-yard scoring strike at the 1:52 mark of the opening quarter.
The Bulldogs piled on as Stark also delivered first-half touchdown tosses of 16 yards to Van Cleave and 26 yards to Max Bartels. A 64-yard hookup from Stark to Van Cleave set up the game’s first touchdown. Stark wound up 11-of-19 for 223 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers or sacks. After missing the win over Dakota Wesleyan, Van Cleave returned to snag six receptions for 121 yards and two scores. On the ground, it was a career day for Sassaman, who grinded out 125 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.
On the other side of the ball, Waldorf (0-5, 0-5 GPAC) found no traction as it averaged 1.9 yards per play (104 total yards) and managed just six first downs on the afternoon. Furthermore, the Warriors punted nine times and turned it over three times. On one attempted punt, a bad snap resulted in a touchdown for All-American safety Daylon Henson, who jumped on the ball in the end zone. After the contest, Daberkow shouted out Tanner Frahm for coming through with an interception and Kaden Thompson for forcing and recovering a fumble. Grant Huss led the team with eight tackles while Henson was credited with three stops for loss.
The lopsided nature of the contest allowed the Bulldogs to showcase the entire varsity roster. Camden Jensen relieved Stark and threw 15 times and recorded 38 passing yards. Eight different Concordia receivers caught a pass. In teaming up with Van Cleave, Bartels hauled in five passes for 73 yards. A native of Wahoo, Neb., Sassaman scored on runs of two and 35 yards. He is the Bulldogs’ first back this season to eclipse 100 yards in a game.
Said Daberkow, “You saw what happens when we have more of our arsenal at our disposal. Having Van Cleave back gave us some juice for sure. Seeing the progress that Gideon Stark has made and our offensive line protecting has been incredibly encouraging. It gives me a lot of confidence moving into the next stretch of our season. I’m excited to see guys execute.”
In addition to the 50-yard field goal, Atwood also converted from 26 yards out. Meanwhile, John Fehlhafer booted a 25-yarder and Ashton Gazga put through a 36-yarder. At punter, Braxtyn Koch pinned the Warriors inside the 20 on two of his three attempts.
The Warriors continue to seek their first win since becoming a member of the GPAC. One of the few bright spots on Saturday for Waldorf was that it hung within seven points through the first quarter before the wheels came off. Concordia has defeated the Warriors by a combined 99-7 over the past two years.
The Bulldogs will be back on the road next Saturday when they head to Yankton, S.D. Concordia and Mount Marty (3-1, 2-1 GPAC) are slated to kick off at 1 p.m. CT from Crane-Youngworth Field. The Bulldogs have won each of the four meetings with the Lancers since Mount Marty’s first season of football in 2021.
Collazo bulldozes to rushing record as Bulldogs ride rollercoaster to 52-43 victory
Oct. 4, 2025
YANKTON, S.D. – This game was out to lunch and heavily medicated. To call it wild would be saying the least. Carlos Collazo ran for a school record 283 yards. There were 95 combined points. The two sides combined to run 173 plays. At one point, the Bulldogs led 31-7. Then they trailed 35-31. Later they rebuilt a 52-35 lead. The 19th-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Football team ultimately won by a zany final score of 52-43 on Saturday (Oct. 4) over an ascending Mount Marty program that received votes in the latest NAIA coaches’ poll.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad will return from Yankton, S.D., with a 4-0 record. The latest victory pushes the program win streak to nine, tying a Bulldog Football best during the GPAC era. As for Collazo, he took the ball for 39 bruising carries in his record-setting performance.
“That was a rollercoaster,” Daberkow said. “I told some of our guys that if we take care of the football today, I think we can win by multiple touchdowns. We didn’t do that, but this is life in the GPAC. Mount Marty is really good. I’m really pleased that we won this game. There have been years where we haven’t had the wherewithal to withstand a fumble recovery for a touchdown and an interception on the sideline. There were some things that happened in that third quarter that were really bizarre, and we found ourselves down in the fourth quarter. We didn’t flinch.”
Concordia appeared on its way to a comfortable win when it extended a 17-7 halftime lead to 31-7 as it came out of the break like gangbusters. Two separate 60-yard drives ended with Gideon Stark touchdown passes – one of five yards to Max Bartels and another of 14 yards to Jonny Puelz. That’s about the time the game went off the rails.
Mount Marty quarterback Rugby Ryken and the Lancer offense went to work. Mount Marty scored the contest’s next 28 points. First came an 81-yard touchdown drive, followed by a 43-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Arthur Oliver, a 67-yard scoring jaunt and a 51-yard possession ending in a nine-yard touchdown toss from Ryken to Moshe Richmond. With 10:11 left, the Bulldogs found themselves in a 35-31 hole.
Stark rallied the troops for a snappy five-play, 96-yard drive that quickly put Concordia back in front. Stark hit Puelz for the go-ahead touchdown, covering 38 yards with 8:31 remaining. The legs of Collazo finally helped put it on ice. The Aurora High School product ran for fourth quarter scores from five and 29 yards out, respectively. The first of those scores was set up by a Jacob Rolen interception at the Mount Marty 31. The Lancers managed to put up one more too-little-too-late touchdown.
Collazo reached the school record on his final carry, the 29-yard touchdown burst. The Marquette, Neb., native routinely gashed Mount Marty’s defense with repeated paper cuts. Collazo’s rushing total (283) eclipsed the former school single game rushing record of 266 yards shared by Ryan Durdon (2017) and Randy Pospishil (1972). The revamped offensive line helped pave the way for Collazo and still has yet to surrender a sack in 2025. Collazo sat out the Waldorf game due to injury. His previous high for rushing yards in a game was 124 yards last season versus Waldorf.
Said Daberkow of the offensive outburst, “It’s something that we’re really proud of that we can win in the run game. We can hurt you with the pass game. Offensively, we’re starting to get our legs under us. It’ll be a fun thing to see us go down the stretch … We know a lot more about our guys. We’ve had two fourth quarter comeback wins this season.”
Most of the offensive fireworks came after halftime. The Bulldogs mounted a lead in the first half with the help of special teams touchdown less than three minutes after kickoff. The Mount Marty punter was unable to handle a low snap and then failed to retrieve the ball before Daylon Henson scooped it up and trotted into the end zone from inside the 15-yard line. It marked the second week in a row that Henson scored on a botched punt snap. Also on special teams, reigning GPAC Special Teams Player of the Week Peyton Atwood nailed a 34-yard field goal and converted all seven PATs. Punter Braxtyn Koch pinned the Lancers inside their 20 on two occasions.
After a slow start, Stark and the passing game came alive. Stark finished with 160 yards passing and four total touchdowns (three passing and one rushing). Puelz caught three balls for 54 yards and two touchdowns and tight end Maddox Rickertsen hauled in two receptions for 48 yards.
On the other side, Mount Marty (3-2, 2-2 GPAC) ran an astounding 105 plays. Ryken put the ball up 74 times and threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns. A long day on the field meant plenty of opportunities for tackles for Concordia defenders. Linebacker Dylan Meyer tallied 13 tackles, including 4.5 for loss. Meanwhile, Rolen tallied 12 tackles and three pass breakups to go with the pick, Grant Huss registered a sack and both Deegan Barnes and AJ Frazey forced a fumble. The anchor of the defense, Carson Fehlhafer made stop for loss, hurried the quarterback four times and blocked an extra point.
It was stressful and frustrating at times, but the Bulldogs haven’t suffered a defeat in more than 365 days. They have won all five series meetings with Mount Marty, who earlier this season knocked off then seventh-ranked Northwestern.
Said Daberkow, “Our guys did what we needed to do to get out of here with a win. We’re going to watch some ugly stuff on film and we’re going to be like, ‘Guys, what were we doing here?’ But right now, I’m really proud that we got a win and we’re undefeated. It’s October and that’s a fun thing to say.”
After two on the road, the Bulldogs will return to Bulldog Stadium for homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 11. Midland (2-3, 2-2 GPAC) will be in town for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. The Warriors had a bye this week following a 19-18 home loss to Doane. In last season’s matchup in Fremont, Neb., Concordia blew out Midland, 45-13.
Bulldogs squander 38-7 lead, falter in double OT clash with Midland
Oct. 11, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – The circumstances played out in eerily similar fashion to a week earlier when Concordia University, Nebraska Football overcame the furious rally of Mount Marty. However, the 17th-ranked Bulldogs’ homecoming Saturday (Oct. 11) rivalry renewal ended in heartbreak when visiting Midland celebrated a 60-52 double overtime victory. The Warriors came all the way back from a 38-7 third-quarter deficit behind seven touchdown passes from quarterback Brodey Johnson.
The defeat snapped a nine-game program winning streak for Concordia, which had gone since September 2024 without enduring a loss. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad slipped to 4-1 overall (4-1 GPAC).
“Of course we’re disappointed,” Daberkow said. “There are so many lessons we’re going to learn from this, and that’s the approach we’re going to take. We’re going to do the next right thing. There are a lot of crazy things that happened. It’s frustrating to drop this one for sure. We’re still capable of doing a lot of things. As wild as last weekend was, I think this one was wilder.”
The Bulldogs appeared to be on their way to a homecoming throttling when their opening drive of the third quarter covered 56 yards on five plays and culminated with Carlos Collazo’s 15-yard rushing touchdown. The Aurora High School product’s third touchdown of the gave Concordia a seemingly commanding 38-7 lead at the 11:20 mark of the third quarter. In three quarters of action, Collazo racked up 171 yards a week after his school record 283-yard performance at Mount Marty.
With their backs against the wall, the Warriors abandoned a nonexistent rushing game and leaned upon the arm of Johnson. The North Bend, Neb., native proceeded to throw all seven of his touchdown passes after halftime. Concordia aided Midland’s comeback efforts with a pair of lost fumbles, one that led to a Johnson touchdown pass of 22 yards to TJ Covington and another that gave way to a 10-yard touchdown toss form Johnson to Tyson Denkert.
The Warriors caught up to the Bulldogs at the 6:17 mark of the fourth quarter when Payden Alexander knotted the score, 38-38, via a 39-yard field goal. The final five minutes of regulation then saw plenty of drama. Midland scored 38 straight points by the time Johnson connected with Kevin Adams Jr. for a 30-yard score. The visitors suddenly led, 45-38. The Bulldogs responded by marching 65 yards on 12 plays and evened things back up with Gideon Stark’s 13-yard touchdown whirl to Max Bartels.
In overtime, Concordia struck first on a 22-yard touchdown hookup from Stark to Adam Van Cleave on third and seven. But Johnson wasn’t done carving up the Bulldog secondary. His sixth and seventh touchdown passes of the contest pushed the Warriors to the winner’s circle. Midland sealed the victory when Stark’s fourth down pass from the Warrior 14 fell incomplete in double overtime.
The miraculous rally overshadowed what had been a first half full of big plays for the Bulldogs. Concordia scored on three separate plays of at least 50 yards, including a 57-yard pitch and catch from Stark to tight end Maddox Rickertsen (first career touchdown), a 50-yard burst by Collazo and a 55-yard dart over the middle from Stark to Jonny Puelz. Defensively, the Bulldogs got a pick and 34-yard return to the 2-yard-line from safety Luke Penrod on Midland’s first offensive play of the game. Concordia quickly cashed in on Collazo’s two-yard touchdown rush.
Unfortunately, Collazo was lost to injury at the 14:26 mark of the fourth quarter. On the play, Collazo lost a fumble. The Bulldog offense finished with 482 total yards with 294 coming through the air from Stark (20-for-44 for four touchdowns). Van Cleave made nine grabs for 105 yards and a score and Rickertsen (three for 95) came up just shy of the century mark. In helping build the lead, kicker Peyton Atwood drilled a 37-yard field goal and made all seven PATs.
Midland (3-3, 3-2 GPAC) managed to reach 60 points despite being held without a single first down in the first quarter. By game’s end, the Warriors ran 91 plays and racked up 441 passing yards. However, Concordia shut the run game down (43 yards on 29 attempts). In pacing the Bulldog defense, Deegan Barnes, Carson Fehlhafer and Grant Huss registered a sack apiece. Huss also forced a fumble. A key for the Midland offense was its ability to convert fourth downs (3-for-3).
In a game high on possessions, the two teams actually combined to punt 15 times. Concordia punter Braxtyn Koch punted seven times and pinned the Warriors inside their 20 on three occasions.
Two weeks in a row, the Bulldogs relinquished leads of 24 points or more. There have been a combined 207 points in Concordia’s past two games. The miscues, in tandem with a red-hot Midland passing game, came back to bite the Bulldogs this time around.
Said Daberkow, “You have to care of the football. We didn’t do that well enough. They capitalized on both of them. That’s how you get back into a game if you’re down big. We had them down big and we just haven’t developed that killer instinct yet. You have to make the big plays in the big moments. As we learn and grow, I hope to see us make those plays. We have a lot of season left and a lot of good football ahead of us. I’m excited about the opportunities that are still out there.”
Another in-state matchup is on the docket for next Saturday (Oct. 18) when the Bulldogs will be at Lloyd Wilson Field for a clash with Hastings (3-3, 3-3 GPAC). The Broncos had a bye this week following their 10-9 road upset of No. 22 Northwestern on Oct. 4. Concordia has won five of the past six meetings with Hastings.
Van Cleave keys frantic game-winning drive as program road win streak moves to 10
By Jacob Knabel on Oct. 18, 2025
HASTINGS, Neb. – This Concordia University, Nebraska squad just isn’t capable of playing a normal football game, apparently. The Bulldogs overcame a rash of gaffes on a gusty Saturday (Oct. 18) afternoon in Hastings and squeaked by the host Broncos, 32-29. After surrendering the fourth-quarter lead on a punt block that went for a touchdown, Concordia scored the game’s deciding points when Gideon Stark lofted a 26-yard touchdown pass to Adam Van Cleave in the final minute.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad shook off last week’s homecoming defeat in a bounce-back performance from the defense. The Bulldogs have improved to 5-1 while defeating Hastings for the sixth time in the past seven series meetings.
“Good feeling is an understatement,” said Daberkow when asked about the atmosphere in the postgame locker room, “These guys are crazy. Coaching this group is such a wild experience. I just love them so much and I’m so proud of them. In the biggest moments of this game, we did what we needed to do. We made the plays we needed to make. We had guys have some really bad plays today and then come back and keep swinging. We needed them to do that, and they did that. I’m just so proud of that.”
In the process of winning five of its first six games this season, Concordia has rarely made it easy on itself. At the 2:40 mark of the fourth quarter, Hastings turned a 26-21 deficit into a 29-26 lead when a blocked punt near the goal line resulted in a touchdown for Wyatt Ryan. With the game on the line, the Bulldogs turned to the do-it-all Columbus native Van Cleave. As part of the game-winning drive (11 plays, 75 yards), Van Cleave rushed six times for 30 yards and capped it by breaking free down the left sideline for a touchdown grab from Stark.
With the NAIA’s leading rusher (in terms of yards per game) Carlos Collazo sidelined by injury, Van Cleave worked overtime on Saturday. He finished with 13 receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 30 times for 110 yards and another score. Concordia used Van Cleave in the backfield and in his familiar spot in the slot. In the passing game, Stark went 29-for-55 for 306 yards and two touchdowns. The offense piled up 453 yards to the Broncos’ 252 (with a first down advantage of 30-15).
Though Hastings (3-4, 3-4 GPAC) struggled on the offensive end, it found creative ways to stay afloat. The Broncos’ first points came late in the first half when Sam Ahl jumped a Stark pass and raced 70 yards to the end zone for a pick six. Hastings also got the benefit of two 15-yard penalties on a punt return that set up a short, 37-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter. Hastings picked off Stark three times (once in the red zone), gained another turnover via a fumble recovery and held the Bulldogs to four field goal attempts.
Fortunately for Concordia, junior kicker Peyton Atwood was up to the task when called upon to cut through the winds on the great plains. Atwood connected on field goals from 34, 38, 20 and 37 yards, respectively, while improving to 10-for-11 this season on field goal tries. The Grand Island native also broke a school record on Saturday for career PATs, pushing his tally to 109 (previous record was 108 by Adam Meirose). In another key special teams play, Braxtyn Koch pinned Hastings at its own 3 with a 61-yard punt.
Not only did the Bulldogs persevere through their own mistakes, they managed through injuries that kept out not only Collazo, but also starting safety Luke Penrod. Then, early in the second quarter, dominant nose guard Carson Fehlhafer left the field and did not return. On the heels of last week’s homecoming shootout, the Concordia D rose to the occasion and held Hastings to only 3.6 yards per play. Deegan Barnes, Daylon Henson and Grant Huss each made nine tackles on Saturday. In the final minute, linebacker Dylan Meyer came through with the game sealing interception. Treven Weddle, who stepped into the starting lineup, also emerged with a pick that thwarted a Bronco red zone drive.
The Bulldog defense contained a strong Hastings running game to 130 yards on 31 attempts. Dalton Armbruster paced the team with 62 yards on 11 carries. Henson and the secondary made for a tough day for Bronco quarterback Carson Kudlacek. He completed only 14-of-39 passes for 122 yards. Both quarterbacks had to battle through the elements.
Said Daberkow, “That’s about as windy as it gets in this conference. That’s saying a lot. Into the wind, game-winning drive when we needed it – didn’t want to kick a field goal and go into overtime. We just wanted to win that one in regulation. I thought Coach (Greg) Nelson did a great job calling plays and putting us in position. We did some unorthodox stuff that worked. With Carlos out and having Van Cleave at running back, I think the entire room played well today. We’re proud of our guys.
“Peyton Atwood – I can’t say enough flattering things about him. He’s just not a guy we worry about. He’s going to do his job. We have to get things shored up on that blocked PAT … It was fun to see some things that we practiced come to fruition. We’ve been through the ringer. These last three weeks have been some dogfights and some rollercoasters. I think they’re aging the head coach at a rate that’s probably not sustainable.”
The program road win streak of 10 dates back to the 2023 season. Concordia has amassed leads of at least 13 points in every game in 2025.
Next up will be a road trip that will send the Bulldogs to the home of the GPAC’s highest rated team, No. 4 Morningside (5-2, 5-1 GPAC). In Saturday’s action, the Mustangs were upset at Northwestern, 14-13, in a battle between perennial NAIA playoff qualifiers. Last year’s Concordia-Morningside meeting in Seward resulted in a 51-21 win for the Mustangs. Next Saturday’s game will kick off at 1 p.m. CT from Elwood Olsen Stadium.
Van Cleave strikes for two touchdowns; top 25 matchup goes to Morningside
Oct. 25, 2025
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – In a matchup between NAIA top 25 teams tied for second place in the GPAC standings, the offensive firepower of Morningside made the difference. An 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Adam Van Cleave supplied the day’s biggest highlight for Concordia University, Nebraska football, which fell, 59-21, at the hands of the 11th-ranked Mustangs. The do-it-all Van Cleave scored two of the Bulldogs’ three touchdowns.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s 23rd-ranked squad (5-2, 5-2 GPAC) falls two games behind Dordt (7-0 GPAC) atop the league standings. In addition, the program’s 10-game road winning streak was snapped.
“As the head football coach, I wear this loss,” Daberkow said. “I ask our players to do that in film sessions. We’re all going to evaluate how we can do things better. We’ll do everything we can to not repeat our mistakes. I’m really proud of some guys who stepped into roles today who had not yet been in those roles. I thought they fought. Ultimately, we didn’t do what we needed to today. You have to play really flawless football, and we did not do that.”
Concordia had dug itself a 21-0 hole by the time it cracked the scoreboard. Following a passing touchdown by Morningside quarterback Zack Chevalier, the dynamic Van Cleave took the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for a house call. In the third quarter, Van Cleave capped a 38-yard touchdown drive with a one-yard plunge for his second score of the day. On the season, the reigning NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week has scored touchdowns via reception, rushing and kick return (nine total touchdowns in 2025).
However, the exploits of Van Cleave were not enough to overcome the prolific passing of Chevalier, who threw for 355 yards and five touchdowns. As part of a gaudy offensive day (606 total yards), the Mustangs also got 106 rushing yards and a touchdown from Jaylen Burch. Meanwhile, Drew Sellon (10 for 177) and Lennx Brown (10 for 96) were both on the receiving end of 10 Chevalier passes. Morningside added an exclamation point on defense with a 10-yard pick-six from Blake Belllamy late in the third quarter. It made the score 52-14 at the time.
The Concordia offense was limited to 247 yards and 15 first downs. Quarterback Gideon Stark fired a 54-yard touchdown pass to tight end Maddox Rickertsen just before the close of the third quarter. Stark wen 15-for-36 for 211 yards (three interceptions) through the air. The Mustangs stuffed the Bulldog running game to the tune of 33 yards on 24 attempts. Van Cleave posted 69 receiving yards (five catches) and 35 rushing yards. Dane Omel and Jonny Puelz collected three receptions apiece. Program all-time PAT leader Peyton Atwood drilled three more extra points.
Defensively, the Bulldogs were paced by the 14 tackles from linebacker Grant Huss. In the absence of First Team All-GPAC nose guard Carson Fehlhafer, Terry Sebek stepped in and posted two tackles for loss and a sack. Linebacker Deegan Barnes came up with an interception that led to Van Cleave’s rushing touchdown.
Morningside (6-2, 6-1 GPAC) played with urgency after its 14-13 upset loss last week at Northwestern. The Mustangs improved to 23-1 all-time versus Concordia. Morningside’s showdown with No. 7 Dordt will occur in mid-November.
The Bulldogs wished they still had the talents of Fehlhafer and running back Carlos Collazo in the lineup. Both were sidelined by injury. However, Daberkow did not make any mention of injuries in his postgame remarks. This was the first game all season in which Concordia did not enjoy a lead on the scoreboard.
Said Daberkow, “We will certainly learn lessons from this. We’re going to do the next right thing. I hate saying it because you don’t want to be in this situation. The reality is we’re 5-2. We’re a good football team. We have a lot of football left and we still have stuff to play for. We can’t lose sight of that. We’re going to keep focused on the positives while still dealing with the reality of the situation and things we’ve got to work on. I know it won’t be an effort problem.”
After two weeks on the road, the Bulldogs will be back at home next Saturday (Nov. 1) to host Briar Cliff (5-4, 4-4 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium. In this weekend’s action, the Chargers protected their home field with a 28-21 win over Doane. Concordia has won each of the past six meetings with Briar Cliff.
Sassaman enjoys career day as Bulldogs pound the rock in win over Briar Cliff
Nov. 1, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – Ground and pound became the theme as the afternoon wore on from a chilly Bulldog Stadium. A career best effort from junior running back Calvin Sassaman helped power the Concordia University, Nebraska Football team to a 34-17 win over Briar Cliff on Saturday (Nov. 1). Four different Bulldogs rushed for a touchdown as the victors churned out 233 yards on the ground.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad moved to 6-2 (6-2 GPAC) while keeping postseason hopes alive with two games remaining in the regular season.
“It’s been a wild ride with this group with the amount of injuries we’ve dealt with this season,” Daberkow said. “It’s just been unlike any I can remember. We came out with a positive outcome and scored 34 points on them. I’m really proud of the team win. We threw a lot of stuff out there today, and did what we had to do.”
The energy in the stadium wasn’t quite the same as it was three weeks earlier for homecoming, but Concordia fed off the physicality of its offensive line. The group paved the way for Sassaman to rush for a career-high 152 yards and a score on 29 bruising carries. The starting group up front included Derek Campbell and Jeremiah Vazquez at the tackles, Kadence Velde and Seth Moore at the guard spots and Brevin Damrow at center.
As a marker of how the game went down, the Bulldogs played slam ball to the tune of 65 yards on 16 plays (4:32) on their first touchdown drive and 81 yards on 14 plays (6:36) on their final touchdown drive. The Concordia ball carriers to find paydirt were Adam Van Cleave (one yard), Tyler Douglass (five yars), Sassaman (three yards) and backup quarterback Nixon Ligouri (seven yards). Dependable kicker Peyton Atwood also drilled field goals from 38 and 20 yards out.
Said Sassaman in explaining the running success, “I would say consistency on the offensive line. They always do a great job. When we just keep running the rock and running the rock, we’re going to hit it big. That’s what we saw today with every running back that was in today – Van Cleave and Doug. We were all able to have a lot of success today because of the o-line.”
The Bulldog offense amassed 420 total yards and did not commit a single turnover, a feat that was emphasized following last week’s loss at Morningside. In addition to Sassman’s 152-yard output, Van Cleave piled up a combined 104 total yards (54 receiving and 50 rushing). It was also a fine day for senior receiver Max Bartels, who snared seven receptions for 89 yards. Quarterback Gideon Stark completed 19-of-39 passes for 187 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Briar Cliff (5-5, 4-5 GPAC) finished with 394 total yards (with 96 coming on a game closing touchdown drive with the game well out of reach). The Chargers were limited to 80 yards rushing. Quarterback Brock Saya’s stat line (24-of-45 for 301 yards) was hurt by drops, including one in the second quarter that may have gone for a long touchdown. Saya threw a touchdown and caught one on a trick play.
The Bulldog defense did its job. Briar Cliff’s first six drives went: punt, punt, punt, punt, interception, lost fumble. Those results helped Concordia build a 17-0 first-half lead. As highlights for the Bulldogs, Blake Mosenteen picked off a pass and Luke Penrod forced a fumble that teammate Will Potratz scooped up and returned 48 yards to the Charger 5-yard line. The turnover set up Douglass’ second quarter touchdown. Senior linebacker Grant Huss led the defense with eight tackles, in addition to his half a sack, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
Said Huss of the defensive effort, “We wanted to continue to play our football. Honestly with last week’s game, we wanted to come out this week and wash away and learn what we needed to from that game. We wanted to fix our mistakes and go out and play our football. That’s exactly what we did today. It always feels good to get back into the win column.”
Once again, the Bulldogs played without stars Carlos Collazo and Carson Fehlhafer, and Van Cleave did not return in the second half on Saturday. Concordia stands at 6-2 after eight games for the second straight season while relying on the next man up. The Bulldogs have even used linebacker Drake Trent up front as an edge rusher. As a compliment to the special teams performance, punter Braxtyn Koch twice pinned Briar Cliff inside its own 20.
The brightest star statistically on Saturday was Sassaman. Said Daberkow, “He did a great job. When you put out a depth chart at the beginning of the season, it’s a joke to think that’s how it’s going to play out for 10 weeks. We’ve had so many guys that have stepped up in big moments. Tyler Douglass scored his first career touchdown and Nixon Ligouri scored his first career touchdown. We had freshmen get in today because we needed them. We’ve had linebackers playing d-line. It’s been a weird year, but we’ve been able to overcome some things. I’m proud of this team and excited to move forward. It’s fun to be 6-2 in November.”
Concordia’s final road trip on the 2025 schedule is coming up next Saturday (Nov. 8) when it will be headed to Sioux Center, Iowa. The Bulldogs will take on No. 6 Dordt (8-0, 8-0 GPAC) at 1 p.m. CT from Open Space Park. In Saturday's action, the Defenders won a close one, 31-26, at Hastings while remaining unbeaten and atop the GPAC standings.
Bulldogs succumb to unbeaten Dordt on wintry-like weather Saturday
Nov. 8, 2025
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – A blanket of snow surrounded Open Space Park Field, providing a backdrop for old school GPAC football on Saturday (Nov. 8) afternoon. After a couple of close calls over the past two weeks, sixth-ranked Dordt ramped up the offensive firepower and rolled past the Concordia University, Nebraska Football team, 56-20, in chilly Sioux Center, Iowa. The Bulldogs cut their deficit to 21-14 in the middle of the second quarter before the Defenders took control with their punishing rushing attack.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad slipped to 6-3 with one game remaining on the 2025 schedule. Two of the losses have come on the road against teams currently ranked in the NAIA top 10.
“You can’t miss opportunities against the No. 6 team in the country,” Daberkow said. “We missed opportunities on both sides of the ball. We did some good things in our kicking game, but it’s just not enough. We didn’t play well enough to win, and we didn’t deserve to win. That’s the result that you get. I did like the way our team responded to the weather. I didn’t think at any point that was a factor for us. I was happy to see that. We have a ton of tough young men, and I love coaching them.”
Concordia entered the game allowing fewer than 100 rushing yards per game, but GPAC leading Dordt gashed the Bulldogs, who remained without First Team All-GPAC nose guard Carson Fehlhafer. Defender running back Daniel Dickerson carried the ball 12 times for 97 yards and four touchdowns and Preston McCoy added two scores on the ground. Seven of Dordt’s eight touchdowns came via the rush as the home team bullied its way to 354 yards on 51 attempts (6.9 per carry).
The two sides traded touchdowns in the second quarter. Trailing 14-0, the Bulldogs mounted a eight-play, 74-yard drive that was capped by quarterback Gideon Stark’s 10-yard rushing touchdown. After a Dickerson score, Concordia went back to work and went 75 yards on 10 plays. Stark found tight end Maddox Rickertsen from three yards out for a touchdown. From that point on, it was all Defenders, who outgained the Bulldogs, 575-322.
In his postgame remarks, Daberkow commended his squad for fighting through injuries. Starting offensive lineman Kadence Velde played both ways along the line of scrimmage. Daberkow also made mention of the likes of Rickertsen and linebacker Drake Trent for their toughness. The effort was there, but it was tough sledding against a Defender squad that has now clinched at least a share of the GPAC championship (first in program history).
“In a game like this – and against Morningside – we have a gap that we need to close,” Daberkow said. “That’s the reality of it. There are some performance gaps and some weight room gaps that we need to shore up. There’s no aspect of the program that’s not under a microscope. When you look at the small simple things that it takes to win, you just have to stack all of them. We’re not there yet, but we’re working towards it.”
Added Daberkow, “There are still a lot of things we can look back on and say that team 99 had a great season. A win against Northwestern on senior day next week would do that. That’s going to be where we pour all our focus in.”
Stark finished 18-for-36 for 215 yards and two touchdowns (against one pick). Stark pushed his season touchdown pass total to 20. One of those scoring tosses covered eight yards to Jonny Puelz (at the 3:18 mark of the third quarter). Puelz led the team with five receptions for 84 yards. At running back, Calvin Sassaman ran 25 times for 72 yards. Concordia was without star receiver/running back Adam Van Cleave, who missed the second half of last week’s win over Briar Cliff.
Defensively, Bulldog linebacker Grant Huss tied for a team high with six stops on the day and boosted his season total to 91 stops. The defense surrendered 221 passing yards as Defender quarterback Kolson Kruse completed 11-of-18 passes for one touchdown. On special teams, Braxtyn Koch punted seven times and had one punt that pinned Dordt inside its 20.
The Bulldogs will celebrate their senior class next Saturday (Nov. 15) while hosting No. 20 Northwestern (6-3, 6-3 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT in Seward in what will be the regular season finale for both sides. In this weekend’s action, the Red Raiders played their final home game and defeated Doane, 51-20.
Meyer and the Dawgs sack No. 19 Red Raiders in senior day victory
Nov. 15, 2025
SEWARD, Neb. – On a pristine mid-November day inside Bulldog Stadium, Concordia University, Nebraska Football used a rugged second half defensive effort and a resilient rush offense to erase a 17-7 halftime deficit. A second half touchdown apiece from Jonny Puelz and Adam Van Cleave put the Bulldogs over the hump in what amounted to a 21-17 win over 19th-ranked Northwestern on senior day Saturday (Nov. 15). The Red Raiders managed a grand total of three first downs over the final 30 minutes as linebacker Dylan Meyer and the Concordia defense flexed their muscles.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has likely finished the 2025 season, barring an at-large playoff selection. At 7-3 (7-3 GPAC), the Bulldogs have placed third in the final GPAC standings.
“This is as fitting of a way as possible to send team 99 out,” Daberkow said. “I’m super proud of our guys. We are so thrilled about the result. We thought that the process was going to get us there … We’ve been having issues with getting to the quarterback in time. When we lost Carson (Fehlhafer), it was kind of a struggle. We have so many guys who have helped fill in and close the gap. We kind of finally figured it out today. Coach (Corby) Osten was mixing things up quite a bit. I felt like that was the most we’ve affected the quarterback all season.”
By halftime, Northwestern had piled up 236 yards of offense while finding the end zone twice via rushes by quarterback Colby Duncan. Meyer and his defensive teammates stiffened at just the right time. Concordia quarterback Gideon Stark and the offense did just enough, putting together separate touchdown drives that covered 61 yards on 10 plays and 63 yards on 10 plays. Leading 21-17, the Bulldogs made one final defensive stand and forced a turnover on downs to help seal the win.
Duncan shouldered a heavy load for the Red Raider offense and faced heavy fire. Meyer, a Chadron State College transfer, wreaked havoc with four sacks and a quarterback hurry. His final sack came in the fourth quarter – just after Concordia’s go-ahead touchdown – resulting in a three and out. Senior standouts Daylon Henson and Grant Huss (104 tackles for the season) notched 12 and 11 tackles, respectively, in their final games at Bulldog Stadium. Henson made a bone crunching hit on a third down play in the first quarter. A Northwestern fake field goal try was snuffed out on the next play.
The win one was a gritty one, especially considering how the first half played out. Said Meyer of the turnaround, “Our defensive coordinator said, when things go bad, you have to throw it out the window. You have to worry about right now. You can’t worry about what happened three plays ago … the locker room was ecstatic. One of our goals was to send these seniors away with a win, and we did that. It was such a good feeling.”
It was about ball control for the Bulldog offense. Van Cleave returned after missing last week’s game at No. 6 Dordt and rushed for 110 hard-earned yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. Stark finished 18-for-34 for 146 yards and two touchdowns (one passing and one rushing). On Concordia’s second touchdown drive of the game, the key play was a 33-yard pass from the receiver Puelz to Max Bartels for a first and goal at the 5. Bartels made six grabs for 69 yards.
The Bulldogs rushed for 98 yards in the second half against one of the NAIA’s stingiest defenses. Senior Seth Moore and his fellow offensive linemen have enjoyed a strong 2025. The big boys up front affectively replaced all five starters from the 2024 squad.
Said Moore postgame after posing in front of The Victory Bell with Stark and the rest of the offensive line, “We knew it was coming. We’ve all been here together for years now. Those guys who graduated last year are some of my best friends I’ll ever have. All of us this year knew it was our time. We were ready and weren’t afraid of the challenge. We were able to step up and have a good year.”
Before ending his comments, Moore also gave a shoutout to tight end Dustin Kapke, who was carted off the field late in the game. Players gathered for a prayer in support of Kapke, who may have some offseason recovery ahead of him. Kapke has teamed with Maddox Rickertsen for a solid tight end room.
In addition to lockdown defense after the break, punter Braxtyn Koch had one of his finest days at the collegiate level. He punted five times for an average of 45.2 yards per attempt. Three of his punts were downed inside the opponent’s 20. Peyton Atwood went 3-for-3 on PATs and Admir Mujkic handled kickoffs.
A total of 23 seniors were recognized prior to kickoff. As has become tradition in recent years, the seniors were presented with toolbelts. That group has helped the program to a combined 15 wins over the past two years. Under Daberkow, Concordia has won at least seven games in three of the past five years.
Said Daberkow, “This was a critical win for us. We needed to prove that we could beat this team. What we need to do in the offseason is to continue to grow the mindset and the expectation of winning and performing at a high level. It wasn’t an upset. Nobody in our locker room felt that way. It’s good to see us do what we knew we were capable of doing. I’m just rally happy for our seniors to go out with a win.”
The NAIA playoff selection show is scheduled for Sunday evening. Based on current rankings and projections, the Bulldogs were on the outside of the playoff picture, win or lose on Saturday. However, Concordia made a strong case to be included in the final NAIA top 25 for a second year in a row.
Season-In-Review: 2025 Concordia Football
Nov. 24, 2025
Offseason mode has just begun inside the Concordia University, Nebraska Football program. While the hunt for a postseason bid continues, the Bulldogs will carry winning vibes into 2026 thanks to a 21-17 victory over No. 19 Northwestern in the season finale. The conclusion felt especially satisfying considering the injuries that were dealt to some of the highest performing players on the roster. Whatever frustrations were felt, they faded as 23 seniors rang The Victory Bell on senior day.
The program’s ultimate goals are still out there, but Head Coach Patrick Daberkow (ninth season) felt a sense of pride in the character he observed in his players from August camp through the season finale in mid-November.
“I’m proud of the guys and their efforts,” Daberkow said a few days following the 2025 capper. “It was a great way to send out the seniors. Eight wins last year and seven wins this year is nothing to hang your head about. Certainly, we want to play in the postseason. That is the goal and that’s what we’re working towards. There’s zero doubt that these seniors left their mark, and it’s fun to send them out with a win.”
The season finishing triumph pushed Concordia to 7-3 and to third place by itself in the final GPAC standings. Those results put the program at 15-5 (.750) over the past two seasons, for a winning percentage surpassed only by Dordt and Morningside, among conference rivals. The 2025 Bulldogs proved the program has staying power after it returned only two offensive starters (and only one starting lineman on either side of the ball) from the ’24 squad that was ranked 18th nationally to finish the year.
This fall, Concordia opened at 4-0 and rose as high as No. 17 in the NAIA coaches’ poll. The season’s first loss was a difficult one to swallow – a 60-52 double overtime defeat at the hands of rival Midland after surrendering a 38-7 lead on homecoming. But the Bulldogs picked themselves up off the mat, and without stars Carlos Collazo and Carson Fehlhafer, rebounded to win games over Hastings, Briar Cliff and Northwestern over the second half of the season. The only two losses over that stretch came against the league’s two NAIA playoff qualifiers, Dordt and Morningside.
Daberkow and company avoided excuses even as injuries piled up. Daberkow never had to question the character of his group. An early indicator about the nature of these Bulldogs came at the start of fall camp when a storm with extreme wind gusts tore through Seward. Without prompt, members of the team dispersed throughout the town to assist with cleanup efforts.
“It’s pretty incredible if you think back to August,” Daberkow said. “We started out that first Saturday that we were together – about 4:30 in the morning that storm came through. I had a tree come through my dining room window. I had never seen Seward in that bad of shape as far as all the trees down and all the damage. I learned a lot about the character of our team early in fall camp with how our guys responded to that situation – with resolve, with tenacity and with urgency. It was cool to see that off the field and then to see that translate on the field.”
Within the team concept, plenty of Bulldogs enjoyed fine individual seasons. First Team All-GPAC accolades went to Fehlhafer, center Brevin Damrow, safety Daylon Henson, linebacker Grant Huss and do-it-all Adam Van Cleave. A total of 14 players were named all-conference honorees and a program record 24 student-athletes garnered NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition. Furthermore, four Concordia players also earned an NAIA National Player of the Week throughout the fall, including Fehlhafer, Van Cleave, kicker Peyton Atwood and punter Braxtyn Koch.
Two significant individual records were broken in 2025. A bruising tailback out of Aurora, Neb., Collazo set a new program standard for rushing yards in a single game when he bulldozed his way to 283 rushing yards in the wild 52-43 win at Mount Marty. Collazo was leading the nation in rushing yards per game (147.8) when he went down with an injury versus Midland. The week before Collazo’s monster performance, Atwood drilled a 50-yard field goal at Waldorf for a new program record. The Grand Island native enjoyed a stellar season that also saw him become the school career record holder for PATs (121). The likes of Atwood, Koch and long snapper Max Wurdeman helped make up a strong special teams unit.
The Bulldogs will never know what might have been had Collazo and Fehlhafer remained healthy. The nearly unblockable Fehlhafer posted an eye-popping stat line in this season’s win over Dakota Wesleyan. His ledger included 13 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks and two blocked kicks. Unfortunately, Fehlhafer missed the season’s final four games after suffering an injury at Hastings. In addition, Collazo missed six games and the game-breaking Van Cleave sat out two games (including the loss at Dordt).
Despite those dynamics, Concordia persevered. Said Daberkow, “We had several times this season where we had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to win. That takes character and that takes poise and resolve. I was really proud of our team for what they displayed. You think about the ups and downs of the season. Losing your starting running back, losing your All-American nose guard and having some of your most productive players miss games with injuries – it tests your depth. Our guys really rose to the occasion, and I was proud of players, our coaching staff, our athletic trainers and everyone involved.”
The evolution of the Bulldog offense has coincided with the program’s enhanced national profile. The ’24 team quarterbacked by DJ McGarvie averaged 38.5 points and 469.7 yards per game. This year’s squad parted ways with McGarvie, All-American Austin Jablonski, 1,000-yard running back Mark Arp and the entire starting offensive line. The results remained impressive as a unit steered by quarterback Gideon Stark averaged 34.8 points and 396.2 yards per game.
The Magnolia, Texas, native Stark was sacked only three times all season. He was kept clean by a starting offensive line of left tackle Derek Campbell, left guard Kadence Velde, center Brevin Damrow, right guard Seth Moore and right tackle Jeremiah Vasquez. With their help, Stark became the second quarterback in program history to eclipse both 20 touchdown passes and 2,000 passing yards in a single season.
Stark’s favorite target was Van Cleave, who amassed 1,341 all-purpose yards and 11 total touchdowns. Throughout the year, Van Cleave found the end zone as receiver, rusher and kick returner in a display of his versatility. Van Cleave earned the bulk of the carries at running back once Collazo was sidelined. Calvin Sassaman also contributed two 100-yard rushing games. The other top pass catchers were Jonny Puelz (31 for 519 yards and nine touchdowns), Max Bartels (40 for 446 yards and three touchdowns) and tight end Maddox Rickertsen (19 for 323 yards and three touchdowns).
On the defensive side of the ball, there were ups and downs. Concordia allowed averages of 31.0 points and 384.1 yards per game. The unit finished strong by shutting out Northwestern in the second half of the season finale. In that contest, Huss eclipsed 100 tackles for the season. Huss was joined at linebacker by transfer Dylan Meyer, who led the team with 16.5 tackles for loss. At safety, Henson continued to star as a playmaking safety and scored two touchdowns on botched punt snaps. An experienced secondary also included Luke Penrod, Will Potratz, Jacob Rolen and Jaden Seier.
With the season in the books, Daberkow and his staff shift focus to offseason player development while intensifying recruiting efforts. As part of his postgame remarks on the Bulldog Coaches Show, Daberkow went into a detailed discussion of how the program goes about the recruiting process.
“One thing we’ve really identified is how important it is to get to know players before you offer them,” Daberkow said. “A lot of what happens in college football is programs are offering kids before they really get to know them. I think it’s a recipe for disaster. We want to make sure we’re bringing the right guys into the program. We’re not the best fit for everybody. We want to make sure the kids get a feel for what it’s like to be here and for the standards and expectations that we have. We really feel like we have a good thing going. It’s hard to argue against that. I think that’s being recognized on the recruiting trail. We know what we’re looking for, and we feel like we have a lot to offer. It’s a fun place to be in. It’s pretty obvious the direction we’re headed. We’re confident in that and we feel like we can bring value to a young man who’s looking for a college football experience.”
In other words, the Bulldogs seek high character young men with the ability to get the program over the hump and into the NAIA Football Championship Series. Concordia will gear up to make another run at it in 2026.
Concluded Daberkow, “You want to die in battle in the playoffs, but the way we finished the season, I felt like was an exclamation point. It shows the direction the program’s headed. We’re excited to prep for team 100 now.”