Game 8 Preview: Carleton at Concordia

GAME 8: Carleton (1-7/1-5 MIAC) at Concordia (5-2/4-1 MIAC) 

DATE: October 29, 2016
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. Carleton Series History:

Series started: 1921
Cobbers lead overall series: 28-6-0
Series Synopsis: Concordia has won 22 of the last 23 meetings between the two teams. The Knights snapped a 15-game losing streak in the series in 2008 when they won 41-28 in Moorhead. That win was also the third for Carleton at Jake Christiansen Stadium in the series...The Cobbers are 12-3 at home vs. the Knights…the recent series has been dominated by the offense as the last 11 games have averaged 60.1 points per game by the two teams. During that steak the teams have not scored less than 40 points in a single game…Cobber head coach Terry Horan is 14-1 vs. Carleton.     

Cobber vs. Knight Complete Series History (pdf)

Last Year: Concordia 27 at Carleton 24

Concordia built a 27-10 lead after the third quarter but had to hang on to pull out a 27-24 win in Northfield. The Cobbers trailed 7-0 midway through the opening quarter but then a pair of rushing touchdowns gave CC a 13-7 lead heading into the second quarter.

Michael Herzog scored the only TD in the second period as he plowed over the goal line from 2-yards out as time expired in the half. Herzog then connected with Jon Baune for a 52-yard pitch-and-catch towards the end of the third quarter and Concordia looked to be cruising with a 27-10 lead. The Knights came out in the fourth quarter and put together a 12-play, 59-yard drive to cut the lead to 27-17.

CC was forced to punt after six plays and then Carleton went 80 yards in 10 plays to put the game within three points at 27-24 with 3:49 left in the game. The Cobbers then held the ball for eight plays and finished off the game on offense. Concordia outgained Carleton 451-442 in total offense and had 247 rushing yards. The Knights fumbled once as opposed to only one fumble for the Cobbers. 

Cobber Football in the Fargo-Moorhead Media:

Fargo Forum
- Cobbers crooner: Moline a hit musically and on the football field

Cobber SID
- Cobber Coaches' Show - Oct. 26

Stat Central:

- 2016 Concordia Statistics

- 2016 Carleton Statistics

- 2016 MIAC Statistics

- 2016 Concordia NCAA Team/Individual Rankings

- 2016 Carleton NCAA Team/Individual Rankings

Pick 6 - 6 Items To Help You Take It To The House: 
1. May The Odds Ever Be in Your Favor – Concordia's triple-option scheme is just licking it's chops this week as they face the league's second worst run defense in Carleton who gives up 170.3 rushing yards per game. The Cobbs average 268.6 yards on the ground per game – which is tops in the MIAC and 13th in the country. CC also boasts the league's top rusher in Chad Johnson who averages 81.9 yards on the ground every Saturday.
2. STUDENT-Athletes – The MIAC is a top-notch league both academically and athletically and this weekend's matchup features two of the smartest (most disciplined) teams in the conference. Before last week CC was the least penalized team in the MIAC at 4.8 flags drawn per contest until they had 10 last weekend against Augsburg. Concordia's 5.6 penalties is second best in the league behind – you guessed it – Carleton's 4.9 per game average.
3. Scoring When It Counts – When CC finds its way inside the red zone, they generally turn it into points. In fact, Concordia's 91.7% scoring percentage when inside the 20-yard line is the best in the conference and ninth in the nation. This should bode well for the Cobbers this weekend as Carleton allows opponents to score on 94.3% of their trips in the red zone – which is 243rd of 244 teams in Division-III.
4. Pivotal Stops – Flip the script on red zone efficiency and Concordia's defense gets stops when teams enter the red zone. Opposing offenses only score on 66.7% of their red zone trips, which is first in the league and 38th in Division-III.
5. Fast Eddie – Concordia wins the field position battle more often than not thanks to All-MIAC punter Eddie Clifton. His right boot averages 38.3 yards per punt, which is the best in the conference.
6. Tip of the (Ice)Berg – Sophomore linebacker Alex Berg is putting together quite the sophomore campaign. The Moorhead native and Fargo-Shanley product paces the conference in tackles per game with 9.6 takedowns each outing. He has now had 12 tackles or more in three of the last four games and has 46 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, one pass break-up and one interception over that stretch.

Scouting the Knights:
Carleton enters Saturday on a three-game skid and 1-7 overall with their lone win coming against Hamline at home.

The Knights rotate two signal callers under center. Seniors Zach Creighton and Ethan Trujillo split reps as the team's quarterback. Creighton is the wildcat option as he is the team's leading rusher. His 33.5 rushing yards per game is tops on the team whose 79.1 rushing yards per game is lowest in the MIAC.

Trujillo averages 119.4 yards through the air per game and has thrown for six scores this season. Creighton chips in 54.5 yards passing a contest.

When Creighton isn't in the backfield he is split out as a wide receiver. He is the third leading receiver on the team at 45.1 yards per game and has caught 43 balls for 361 yards with three touchdowns.

Senior Chris Madden was the team's leading receiver through the first four games but he has not played since the Knights beat Hamline 34-31 on October 8th.

Freshman Mack Journell is the squad's top threat on the perimeter. He has amassed 437 receiving yards (54.6 yards per game) with two scores. He has caught 26 passes for a 16.8 yards per game average. 

The Knights are led on defense by senior defensive back Dylan Saline who leads them with 54 total tackles, 34 of them solo, and two picks with seven pass break-ups.
 
Saline leads the team in tackles because opposing teams go after Carleton's secondary. They allow 307.6 passing yards per game - which is at the bottom of the barrel in the MIAC and is ranked 234th of 244 teams in Division-III.

Four of the five leading tacklers for the Knights are members of the secondary and they all average 5.3 tackles or more per game. Only two of the Cobbers' five leading tacklers are members of the secondary and Dallas Raftevold could almost be considered an exception because he plays as a walk-up safety in many of CC's defensive packages.

Carleton boasts the most accurate leg in the MIAC. Brandt Davis is 8-for-9 on field goal attempts and his 88.9% conversion rate is first among kickers in the league and 12th among kickers in the nation. 

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 – FB #22 Conor Gessell – The junior fullback saw increased action last Saturday as he had a season-high eight carries for 41 yards and a touchdown at Augsburg. With the Knights below average run defense look for Gessell to possibly get more carries as Johnson and Montonye could see limited reps. The Baxter, Minnesota native just needs to find the seam and once he gets to the second level he can rattle off big gains – especially after contact. 

Defense – DL #94 Joshua Kolar – Kolar and the Cobbers' interior line goes up against the worst rushing attack in the conference and an offensive line that gives up over two sacks per game. Kolar has had two tackles for loss for minus-6 yards over the past two games. Look for him to add to that total on Saturday.

Cobber Coaches' Show