Game 6 Preview: Hamline at Concordia

GAME 6: Hamline (4-1/2-1 MIAC) at Concordia (3-2/2-1 MIAC) 

DATE: October 15, 2015
LOCATION: Moorhead, Minn. (Jake Christiansen Stadium)
GAME TIME: 1 p.m.
RADIO: WDAY 970-AM in the F-M area

Live Video: Cobber Primetime GameDay

Live Stats: Cobber Primetime GameDay

Live Audio: WDAY 970-AM 

Cobbers vs. Hamline Series History:
Series started: 1936

Cobbers lead overall series: 60-11-0

Series Synopsis: Concordia has won the last 24 meetings between the two teams. The last time the Pipers prevailed was in 1991 when they won 30-20 in St. Paul....the Cobbers have beaten Hamline 15 straight times in Moorhead. The last time that HU beat CC at home was in 1983…the teams have played two games in domes with Concordia winning both. The Cobbers won 49-19 in the Fargodome in 1997 and 28-24 in the Metrodome in 1987…the most points ever scored by a team in a single game is 64. That occurred in Concordia's 64-14 win in 1955...Cobber head coach Terry Horan is 15-0 vs. Hamline.

Cobber vs. Piper Complete Series History (pdf)

Cobber Football in the Fargo-Moorhead Media:

Fargo Forum
- Former Cobbers wide receiver Zylstra flying high in CFL

Cobber Sports Information
- Cobber Coaches' Show - Oct. 13, 2016

Stat Central:

- 2016 Concordia Statistics

- 2016 Hamline Statistics

- 2016 MIAC Statistics

- 2016 Concordia NCAA Team/Individual Rankings

- 2016 Hamline NCAA Team/Individual Rankings

Pick 6 - 6 Items To Help You Take It To The House:
1. Try and Stop Them – This is the fourth straight week that the GameDay staff is including the Concordia ground game in the "Pick-6" and with good reason. The Cobbs racked up 272 rushing yards last week and they average 275.2 yards per game. That mark is good for first in the MIAC and 13th in the nation. 
2. Young and Experienced – Concordia's defensive line does not start any seniors yet they are second in the MIAC in rushing yards allowed. The Cobber defense only allows 91.4 rushing yards per game.
3. October Chadness – Chad Johnson is a freight train that is not showing signs of slowing down. The former D-G-F Rebel is averaging a conference best 6.92 yards per carry, which is also 18th in the nation, and has eclipsed the 100-yard mark the past two weeks for the first time in his career. Johnson's eight touchdowns is second in the conference. 

Joshnson has flourished in the month of October. In the two games played in the 10th month of the year Johnson has rushed for 336 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers are in contrast to his three games in September when he rushed for a total of 100 yards and only two scores. Last week he rushed for 146 yards against #4 St. Thomas which was the most against UST by an MIAC back in a single game since the 2012 season. Johnson now has 436 rushing yards and eight rushing TD's. He currently leads the MIAC in total rushing yards and is second in touchdowns.
4. 24 and Counting – The Cobbs have not lost to the Pipers since 1991 when Hamline defeated CC 30-20. Concordia has beaten HU by an average of 26.3 points per game over the last 10 meetings.
5. Justice League – Justice Spriggs starts under center for the Pipers is among the nation's best passers. His 312.6 yards per game average is good for 20th in the nation and the Pipers have the best aerial attack in the MIAC. Spriggs is also 13th in completion percentage (67.9%) and 14th in passing efficiency (171.9). Concordia's run defense is stout, the pass defense has allowed 254.4 yards per time out. 
6. 4th and Long – Another week, another 4th and long included in this week's juicy preview. After converting an improbable 4th and 23 for a 89-yard hook-and-ladder in the last minute of the St. Thomas game, Concordia is 8-of-9 on fourth down conversions which leads the MIAC and is fifth in America. Four teams are tied for first as they are perfect on fourth downs this season.

Scouting the Pipers: 
Hamline enters Saturday's game with a 4-1 record - which already equals their win total from last season's campaign. It is also their best five-game start in 28 years. The Pipers won their first seven games of 1998 but then lost 41-38 to the Cobbers in Moorhead.    

As aforementioned, Spriggs lines up under center for the Pipers. He is the MIAC's top passer and has had success against Concordia last season. Spriggs went 21-of-32 and threw for 246 yards with two touchdowns in Hamline's 30-25 loss against CC in 2015.

Spriggs will hand off to Jaimen Hampton and Naji El-Araby. Hampton averages 44.5 yards rushing per game and has found the end zone once while El-Araby is listed as the feature back on the depth chart and averages 41.8 yards per outing. El-Araby's 209 rushing yards is the most on the team.

The Pipers' deadly passing attack has three consistent targets and the trio has proven to be dangerous. Spriggs' top target is senior tight end Josiah Harris. The River Falls, Wisconsin product averages 73.2 receiving yards per game and has caught eight touchdowns. Harris is a big-time red zone target for the Pipers. Harrison Jones and Nick Kampa are also effective threats for Hamline as Jones averages 70 yards a game and has snagged four touchdowns while Kampa goes for 67 yards per contest and has caught two scoring passes this season. 

Linebacker Jonny Nguyen and defensive back Zach Schwalbach lead the Piper defense with 37 tackles apiece. The Pipers give up 21.2 points per game which is fourth in the MIAC but their 393.8 yard per game average is sixth in the league. Sophomore defensive tackles Mitchell Maday spends the majority of his time in the opposing team's backfield. Maday leads the MIAC in sacks and is second in tackles for a loss. 

Cobber SID Picks To Click:
Once again we will choose one offensive player and one defensive player who we think will have a chance to have a big game on Saturday. It will give the fans a chance to watch the "key" players on either side of the ball. It will hopefully give an insight into what the keys to success might be.

Offense – RB #21 Chad Johnson – Last we checked it is still October so it's hard to go against October Chadness. It's a thing. Hard to pick against a bus whose wheels keep moving. Johnson has rushed for 190 and 146 yards in two games this month and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Defense – CB #18 Aaron Ahrndt – Ahrndt is one of the younger members of the Cobber secondary but the sophomore from Benson gets better each week. Spriggs is experienced and he might choose to go after the young corner, but Ahrndt is more than ready for the challenge. 

Cobber Coaches' Show - Oct. 13, 2016: