MARION, Ind. – After picking up a second-round victory over Southwestern last week, No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan football returns to Wildcat Football Stadium this weekend in the NAIA Football Championship Series Quarterfinals against No. 9 Benedictine (Kan.) on Saturday.

 

PREVIEW

• NAIA FCS Quarterfinal: No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan (11-1) vs. No. 9 Benedictine (Kan.) (10-2)

KICKOFF

• Kick-off for the NAIA FCS Quarterfinal will be at 12:00 p.m. ET in Wildcat Football Stadium

HOW TO FOLLOW

• Fans can visit the Championship Central page by clicking HERE.
• Live Video is available by clicking HERE.
• Fans can listen on the radio on 94.3FM The Fortress.
• Live Stats are available by clicking HERE.
• Tickets are highly encouraged to be purchased in advance by clicking HERE.

THE SERIES

• This marks the second meeting between the two squads in the quarterfinal round of the NAIA FCS.
• The Wildcats earning a berth to the 2022 NAIA FCS Semifinals with a 24-13 win over the Ravens. IWU controlled the game on both sides of the ball, highlighted by 348 yards of total offense and 4 defensive interceptions.
   

BACK IN THE QUARTERFINALS

• This marks the third-consecutive season the Wildcats have earned a berth in the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals. Last year, the team bested Morningside 24-21 to square off against Georgetown in the quarterfinals. In 2022, IWU downed Avila 14-7 for a spot in the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals.
• This season, IWU knocked off Southwestern last Saturday by a score of 24-13 to reach the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals once again.

WILDCAT LEADERS

• The Wildcats rank Top 5 in the NAIA in 15 offensive categories, and Top 10 in six defensive categories. Click HERE see more.
   
• Kyle Antoine is hitting 64.33% of his attempts, ranking 12^th in the NAIA. His 2,659 yards and 26 touchdowns are good for Top 15 in the nation.
• Isaac Smith ranks 4^th in the NAIA with 14 touchdowns and ranks 13th with 1,017 yards. Levi Tidwell has 815 yards, while Myles Cox has 337 yards receiving.
• The dynamic duo of Ryan Whitwell and Roosevelt Cage are two of the best in the NAIA. Cage comes into the game with 1,102 yards in ten games. His 7.9 yards per carry are good for 3^rd in the NAIA and his 16 touchdowns rank 9^th in the nation. Whitwell has totaled 1,055 yards in nine games. He is averaging 117.22 yards per game, ranking 7^th in the NAIA.
   
• Clayton Mosher has a team-best 91 total tackles while Luke Bays is close behind with 86 tackles.
• Mosher's three defensive touchdowns rank 1^st in the NAIA, and he has a team-best 13 tackles for loss.
• Da'Veon Turner's four interceptions are good for 12th in the nation.
• Anthony Cheesebourough leads the team with six sacks this season.
   
• Josh Clifton has scored 103 points this season, ranking 3^rd in the NAIA. He has hit 11 of his 14 field goal attempts with a long of 37. He has converted 70-of-73 extra-point attempts.
• Jaden Downs is averaging 37.26 yards per punt and has placed 10 inside the 20-yard line.
• Myles Cox owns the return duties with over 300 yards in both kickoff and punt returns.

RAVEN LEADERS

• The Ravens rank Top 5 in the NAIA in 10 offensive categories, and Top 6 in three defensive categories. Click HERE see more.
   
• Jackson Dooley leads the way for Benedictine with 40 touchdowns, good for 4^th in the NAIA. He ranks 3^rd nationally with 3,766 total yards through the air and 6^th with 229 completions. Howell is a dual-threat quarterback with 322 rushing yards and a team-high seven rushing touchdowns.
• Dooley's primary target is Jacob Gathright who leads the way with 1,215 total yards and 23.4 yards per catch, ranking 4^th in the NAIA. His 12 touchdowns are good for 12^th in the nation. JaShawn Todd has 619 yards and 6 touchdowns, and Tanner Zimmerman is just behind with 412 yards.
• Dalton Witherspoon leads the ground attack with 753 yards and nine scores. Xavier Ugorji has totaled 421 yards, while averaging 7.3 yards per carry. 
   
• Zachary LaCombe leads the defense with 56 total tackles and a team-best 4.7 tackles for loss. Blue Caplinger is second on the team with 52 total tackles.
• Heath Baker has registered eight sacks and Isaac Anderson has tallied 6.5.
• LaCombe has picked off six passes this year for the Ravens, ranking 2^nd the NAIA.
   
• Harry Balke has connected on 13 of his 15 field goal attempt with a long of 53 yards. He has converted 66-of-67 extra-point attempts.
• Cullen Bruner is averaging 36.4 yards per punt with a long of 66 yards.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• Both teams have an elite offense. IWU has scored 47.3 points per game, while the Benedictine put up 46.6.
• The Wildcats only give up 11.08 points per game compared to 25.2 for the Ravens.

UP NEXT

• Should IWU be victorious, the Wildcats would compete in the NAIA FCS Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 14.
• The contest would be on the campus site of the matchup's higher seed en route to the NAIA National Championship in Durham, N.C., on Dec. 21.

FOLLOW THE WILDCATS

• Follow Athletics (@IWUWildcats): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Follow Football (@IndWesleyan_FB): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook