Preview of the 2023 NAIA Football Championship Series Quarterfinals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [FCS Schedule] The NAIA Football Championship Series continues on Saturday, December 2nd at four campus sites across the country. The four winning teams from the Quarterfinals will continue their battle next weekend in the Semifinals.
The 68th Annual NAIA Football National Championship will culminate on December 18th at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, N.C. For more information on the 2023 NAIA Football National Championship, click here.
No. 1 Northwestern (Iowa) 12-0 vs. No. 12 Saint Xavier (Ill.) 8-3
The Red Raiders continue to ride their hot streak stretching 25 games after picking up the 7-0 win last weekend over conference foe Dordt (Iowa).
NWC sits sixth in the country in points allowed per game, averaging only 14.6, while they are eighth in touchdowns having 61.
Saint Xavier (Ill.) is coming off a big offensive game last weekend where they took down No. 5 Marian (Ind.) by 10 points.
SXU is putting up 330.6 total yards of offense per game with 115.4 of those yards on the ground.
The Cougars are on a hot streak of their own winning their last four games by a margin on 10 points or more.
No. 2 Grand View (Iowa) 11-0 vs. No. 11 College of Idaho 9-2
Grand View (Iowa) is the only other remaining undefeated team in the FCS at 11-0.
The Vikings are averaging 438.3 yards per contest with 242.5 of those yards through the air, to put up a staggering 42.9 points per game.
College of Idaho is coming off a 49-42 win at Montana Western in the Second Round of the NAIA FCS, as they were one of two teams in the second round to post and upset.
The Coyotes are allowing only an average of 24.7 points per game, while they are putting up an average of 41.2 points per game and 457.5 yards per game.
No. 3 Keiser (Fla.) 9-2 vs. No. 7 Bethel (Tenn.) 11-1
The Seahawks are marching into the Quarterfinals with some momentum as they push their win streak to eight on the season.
Keiser (Fla.) is averaging 187.5 yards through the air and 214.1 rushing yards per game this season.
The KU defense is strong allowing only 97.6 yards per game on average.
The Wildcats are six wins strong heading into the Quarterfinals after a 40-13 victory last weekend.
Bethel (Tenn.) ranks second in the nation for total offense in 5,365 yards with 3,330 of those total yards through the air.
No. 4 Georgetown (Ky.) 9-1 vs. No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan 10-1
Georgetown (Ky.) is averaging only 37.4 points per game this season and allowing only 12.8 on average.
The Tigers rank first in kick return average with 28.7 yards and tenth in rushing touchdowns with 28 on the season.
Georgetown (Ky.) is a rush-heavy team with 213.8 rushing yards per game on average compared to the 162.8 yards through the air.
The Wildcats of IWU are putting up a mean of 432.2 yards per game with 257.5 of those yards through the air.
IWU has been scoring nearly double the points they have allowed this season with a mean of 34.1 per game and allowing only 17.3.
