MARION, IND.  - The 2025 Indiana Wesleyan football season kicks off with an exciting clash between the No. 6-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats and the No. 2-ranked Keiser University Seahawks. Keiser comes to Wildcat Football Stadium for a highly anticipated matchup as last year's NAIA National Championship Runner-Up. Here's a breakdown of the teams and how you can follow along.
 

THE ESSENTIALS

• #6 Indiana Wesleyan University vs. #2 Keiser University
• Location: Marion, Ind. | Wildcat Football Stadium
• Kickoff: 12:00PM ET
• 2024 Records: IWU: 11-2 | KU: 12-1

HOW TO FOLLOW

• Live Video: https://www.team1sports.com/indianawesleyan/
• Live Stats: https://iwuwildcats.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
• Tickets: https://iwuwildcats.com/sports/2020/10/18/TICKETS.aspx
• Football A-Z: https://iwuwildcats.com/sports/2020/8/26/football-a-to-z.aspx
• Digital Program: https://digitalprograms.learfield.com/indianawesleyan/football/13789/1

 
THE SERIES

• This marks the first meeting between these two nationally-ranked teams.
• Keiser comes to Marion as last year's NAIA FCS National Runner-Up.

 
AT THE HELM

• Head Coach Andrew Rode has quickly established himself as a formidable leader for the Indiana Wesleyan University football program, amassing an impressive array of accolades in his short tenure.
• Since taking the helm in 2023, Rode has guided the Wildcats to a 21-4 overall record, including an 11-1 mark in conference play, securing a MSFA Mideast Co-Championship in 2023 and the outright championship in 2024.
• He was named the MSFA Mideast Coach of the Year in 2023, while his teams have produced eight AFCA NAIA All-Americans, a Remington Award winner (Will Angel, 2024), and a Cliff Harris Award finalist (Clayton Mosher, 2024).
• With 26 MSFA All-Conference First Team selections and 33 NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes under his leadership, Rode has established the Wildcats as a national powerhouse heading into the 2025 season.

 
WILDCAT LEADERS | 2024 SEASON STATS

• Arjun Lothe, now stepping into the starting quarterback role for the Wildcats in 2025, showcased his potential in limited appearances last season. In his lone start against Olivet Nazarene, Lothe set a new program single-game passing record at the time, throwing for an impressive 374 yards.
• Isaac Smith, a senior wide receiver from Flat Rock, Michigan, had a breakout 2024 season with the Wildcats. Over 13 games, Smith hauled in 86 receptions (4^th in NAIA) for 1,115 yards (8th in NAIA) and 14 touchdowns (5th in NAIA), averaging 13.0 yards per catch and 85.8 yards per game. His explosive play-making ability included multiple multi-touchdown games, earning him MSFA Mideast Offensive Player of the Year and AFCA NAIA All-American Second Team honors.
• Ryan Whitwell, a junior running back from Batavia, Illinois, emerged as a key offensive weapon for IWU during the 2024 season, earning All-MSFA Mideast 1st Team honors. In 10 games, he ranked 7^th in the NAIA with 115.7 yards-per-game. He totaled 1,157 yards on 208 carries for 12 touchdowns.
• Anthony Cheesebourough, a senior defensive lineman from Carmel, Indiana, was a disruptive force for the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats in 2024. Over 13 games, he recorded 43 tackles (17 solo), 7.5 sacks (25^th in NAIA) for 66 yards (6^th in NAIA), 8.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup. He earned All-MSFA Mideast honors for the second-straight season, making him a vital anchor for the defense in 2025.
• Josh Clifton, a junior kicker from Bradley, Illinois, was a reliable scoring machine for the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats in 2024. He converted 12 of 15 field goals (80%, 7th in NAIA) with a long of 40 yards, and nailed 70 of 73 PATs (4th in NAIA), totaling 106 points (3rd in NAIA). His received All-MSFA Mideast honors for the second-straight season.

 
SEAHAWK LEADERS | 2024 SEASON STATS

• Shea Spencer, the starting quarterback for Keiser, delivered a record-breaking season in 2024. He threw for 3,118 yards, completing 227 of 337 passes (67.4%, second-best in school history), and set a Keiser single-season record with 30 touchdown passes. Earning Second-Team All-Sun Conference honors, Spencer also became the program's all-time leader in passing yards with 6,299 yards.
• Jaden Miller, a key running back for the Seahawks last season, rushed for a career-best 563 yards on 76 carries, averaging an impressive 7.4 yards per rush, and scored six touchdowns. Additionally, Miller showcased his versatility by catching six passes for 123 yards.
• Maurico Porcha, a standout wide receiver for KU in 2024, delivered an impressive season with 45 receptions for 681 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 11.4 yards per catch. He ranked second on the team in touchdown catches, placing third all-time in Keiser's single-season history with eight, and tied the school record for 100-yard receiving games with two.
• Tristan Vann leads the defensive unit heading into 2025. He helped anchored the defense last season with 62 total tackles, including 27 solo stops. He added 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack, while recording five or more tackles in six games.

 
UP NEXT

• IWU will be back at home next week on Sept. 6 for a night game at 6:00PM against Saint Xavier (Ill.).
• Links for tickets, video, and stats are available on IWUWildcats.com.

 
FOLLOW THE WILDCATS

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

 

 
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