Tigers Head to Lincoln for Late Season Test

MITCHELL, S.D. – The No. 19 Dakota Wesleyan University football team has three games remaining in the regular season, leaving the Tigers with just a few opportunities to impress voters in the heading into the national playoffs.

The Tigers sit at 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference with a matchup against Nebraska Wesleyan University at 1 p.m. Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.

Sixteen teams make the NAIA playoffs and with three games left on the schedule. DWU will need to win out to put itself in position to earn a berth. Last week the Tigers picked up their most lopsided victory of the season, with a 42-21 win over Midland University last weekend at home.

Against the Warriors, senior running back Francois Barnaud (Belle, Fourche, S.D.) moved into second place on the Tigers' all-time rushing list with 109 yards in the win. Barnaud now has 3,258 yards, putting him 71 yards short of breaking Josh Endres' career mark.

Barnaud, who has been battling injuries for the majority of the season, sits fourth in the NAIA in total rushing and is averaging 138.6 yards per game on the ground. His three touchdowns against Midland gives him 12 total scores this season.

The Tigers got a boost in the second half of last week's game from the passing attack led by true freshman quarterback Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.). Turner was efficient, going 11-for-17 passing for 152 yards and three second-half scores. After not finding the end zone through the air in the first three games of his career, Turner has seven touchdown passes in his last four games.

The Prairie Wolves come into play against DWU with a 2-5 overall record and 2-4 mark in the GPAC. Last weekend, NWU fell on the road to Dordt College 24-20.

NWU is led by the passing tandem of quarterback Tyler Francis and wide receiver Connor Zumpfe. Francis ranks fourth in the NAIA with 293.6 passing yards per game, while Zumpfe is fourth in the nation with 121.7 yards receiving per game.

Against the Defenders, Francis was 24-for-40 for 280 yards and three scores. He was also intercepted two times. Zumpfe caught five passes for 79 yards and a score in the loss to Dordt.

Saturday is the first of two straight road contest for DWU, the first back-to-back games away from home this season. The Tigers travel to Concordia University next weekend before closing the regular season at home against Dordt.