MITCHELL, S.D. - The Tigers suffered their first loss of the season last weekend against No. 8 Doane College 42-17. The Tigers were held off the scoreboard in the second half and could not stop Doane.
Things do not get easier for the Tigers today against GPAC powerhouse Morningside College, which comes in ranked No. 3 in the nation. Morningside cruised by Hastings College 69-10 last weekend. DWU needs to come away with a win today to continue its pursuit of a GPAC championship and a berth in the NAIA postseason for the first time since 1992.
Celebrating History
On Oct. 9, 1915, a DWU freshman cemented his place in the all-time college football record books. Mark Payne, a native of Lake Andes, S.D., hit a 63-yard drop kick in a game against Northern Normal and Industrial School of Aberdeen, S.D.
The kick was a national college football record that will likely stand for all time as the drop kick is a play that has been all but abandoned in modern football. The 1915 DWU football team had one of the school's best seasons with a 7-2 record, including wins over Madison, Aberdeen, Spearfish, Sioux Falls and Huron.
About the Series
This will be the 31st meeting between Dakota Wesleyan and Morningside in the all-time series. The Mustangs have won the last 12 meetings and hold a 23-6-1 advantage. The last DWU win came in 2002, the first year for Morningside in the NAIA.
Last season, Morningside topped DWU 50-7 in Sioux City, Iowa. The Mustangs racked up 793 total yards to 288 from DWU. Former Morningside running back Brandon Wegher, now a member of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, ran for 327 yards on 30 carries and scored four touchdowns.
About the Coaches
Dakota Wesleyan head coach Ross Cimpl is in his fourth season leading the Tigers. His career record is now 26-12 overall. Cimpl, a Wagner, S.D., native, is the fifth winningest coach in the more than 100 years of DWU football.
Steve Ryan is in his 14th season as the head coach of Morningside and has a career record of 120-35.
Not a Secret Anymore
After he nearly rewrote the DWU receiving record books in the first half against Briar Cliff University earlier this season, Tiger Head Coach Ross Cimpl said that sophomore receiver Hayden Adams is no longer a secret in the DWU passing game.
Before last week's loss to Doane College, Adams had scored at least one touchdown in each game in 2015 for the Tigers and has six entering today. He had a breakout game for the Tigers in a 55-14 win over Briar Cliff in week three. Adams caught a season-high seven passes for 209 yards and a score. He also had more than 100 yards receiving in DWU's biggest win of the season against No. 14 Ottawa University, catching five balls for 110 yards and a score.
Adams ranks 14th in the country in total receiving yards with 555 and 29th in total receptions with 28.
About the Morningside College Broncos
Morningside comes into today's matchup on the heels of a blowout win over Hastings College last weekend. The Mustangs rolled up 69 points, which is a far cry from the team's season high. Morningside has point totals of 77 and 86 points so far this season and leads the NAIA in total offense and points per game.
Morningside is 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the GPAC. The team's lone loss came at home against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, which is the top ranked team in NCAA Division III.
The Mustangs are led by quarterback Ryan Kasdorf, who leads the NAIA in pass efficiency at 200.5. Kasdorf is also seventh in the nation in total offense with 1,682 yards. Morningside running back Tyler Kavan was as efficient as a running back can be in the team's win over Hastings. He carried the ball four times and scored four touchdowns, racking up 101 yards on the ground.
