Tigers battle Mustangs in Sioux City on Saturday

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University football team hits the road once again for a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup versus conference foe Morningside College on Saturday in Sioux City, Iowa. DWU faces a tall task as Morningside has won 46 consecutive conference games dating back to the 2014 season.

 Eyes of the Tigers

 Midway through the 2020 campaign, the Tigers sit with an overall record of 1-4 including a 50-14 loss a week ago to Midland University at Joe Quintal Field. Despite the outcome, Dakota Wesleyan showed bright spots on both sides of the ball.

 Senior wide receiver Spencer Neugebauer (Mitchell, S.D.) continued his strong offensive play hauling in 10 receptions in just the first half a week ago. Neugebauer finished the game with one receiving touchdown while averaging 8.5 yards per catch.

 Through five games this season the hometown product ranks nationally in 11-offensive and special teams categories including total receptions and kickoff-return yardage with 37 receptions and 357 yards, respectively. He most recently surpassed 2,000 receiving and 4,000 all-purpose yards in a breakout performance versus Doane earlier this season.

 Defensively, while the Tigers struggled to slowdown the Warriors last week, junior defensive back Jacob Zamora (Sylmar, Calif.) notched his team-leading third interception of the season. As a team, Dakota Wesleyan has already tallied seven interceptions on the season giving them 10 total takeaways.

 In just his first year with DWU, Zamora's three interceptions places him second nationally in total interceptions. The California native has also recorded 14 tackles from his cornerback position including one tackle for loss.

 Beyond the Stripes

 Dakota Wesleyan trails 6-28-1 in the all-time series against Morningside, including a 69-0 loss at Joe Quintal Field in week nine of the 2019 season.

 Keeping it Cimpl

 Head coach Ross Cimpl is in his ninth season at the helm for the Tigers where he currently resides as the second winningest coach all-time. He currently boasts an overall record of 50-42 while becoming just the second coach in program history to amass 50-career victories.

 The opposing sideline will feature head coach Steve Ryan who enters his 19th season with the Mustangs boasting a 184-36 record. The eight-time GPAC Coach-of-the-Year has led Morningside to 16 consecutive postseason appearances in the NAIA National Championship Series.

 Stocking the Hunt

 Morningside enters the week six matchup with a 46-game winning streak in conference play including four straight conference victories to open up the season. Ryan and company have outscored their opponents 209-48 while limiting the opposition to just 10 points over the last two weeks.

 The Mustangs' passing attack is led by junior quarterback Joe Dolincheck who ranks second nationally in passing yards per game with 332. The dual-threat quarterback also ranks third nationally in yards per game with 337 and has recorded 15 total touchdowns.

 Meanwhile, the Morningside defense ranks second in the country in sacks per contests averaging 4.3 per 60 minutes. The unit features eight players who have secured a sack including senior linebacker Tyler Wingert who sits second nationally with 5.0 sacks on the season. Wingert has also posted 24 tackles and is second on the team with 5.5 tackles for loss.