WAVERLY, Iowa-- The Wartburg football team (1-0 overall) hosts No. 15 Bethel Saturday at 1 p.m. at Walston-Hoover Stadium.

This marks Bethel's season opener and the program received the No. 15 ranking in the D3football.com Top 25 poll for week one.

There will be a pre-game tailgate sponsored by the Tower Agency, Wartburg's student-run public relations firm, that will start at 11 a.m. at Regents Park (across the street from the tennis courts). Fans are also encouraged to use the hashtag #wartburggameday to interact with Wartburg television.

The Series:
This game marks the third meeting between the programs since 2003.

These two teams previous meetings have occurred in the post-season, in the first round of the NCAA playoffs (2003 and 2010). The all-time series is tied 1-1 as the Knights were victorious 21-7 on Nov. 22, 2003 and the Royals won 28-20 on Nov. 20, 2010.

Follow the Knights:
Click here for the live audio and video stream. Wartburg's student-run TV station will be broadcasting the game live starting at 12:30 p.m. on the Wartburg Circuit. Local fans can watch the game on Mediacom channel 8.

Follow the game via the live stats.

Follow Wartburg Athletics on Twitter (@KnightsSID) for in-game information.

A Look at the Teams:
Bethel:
The Royals return eight offensive starters and six defensive starters from a team that finished 8-2 last year and tied for second in the MIAC standings.

The team's top rusher from last season returns for his junior year. Jesse Phenow had 170 carries for 895 yards with nine touchdowns.

Wartburg:
With last week's 73-0 victory over MacMurray, the Knights move to 8-0 in night home openers and 12-0 in home openers in the Walston-Hoover Stadium era, since 2001.

The point total set the school record as the old mark stood at 70 points set against Upper Iowa in 1976.

The team also set a new school record in lowest total offense allowed by an opponent with negative five. The old record was negative three set against Dubuque in 1957.

Freshman kicker Frank Lancoti (Lombard, Ill.), who made all ten point-after attempts, also made a 36-yard field goal with 12:39 remaining in the fourth quarter. Lancoti set the school record with his ten PATs and was also named the Iowa Conference's Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance.

National Statistical Rankings:
Through week one, Wartburg leads the nation in scoring offense (73 points), total defense (-5 yards), scoring defense (0 points) and pass defense (5 yards).

The Orange and Black rank second in rushing defense (-10 yards) and pass efficiency defense (rating of 13.41).

Wartburg is fifth in tackles for loss (14 TFL), sixth in rushing offense (371 yards), 14^th in total offense (527 yards), 18^th in passing efficiency (rating of 182.61), 26^th in turnover margin (2), tied for 68^th in sacks (2) 70th in punt returns (8) and 91^st in net punting (32.50 yards).

Individually, nine players rank among the top 100 in eight individual stat categories.

Freshman Logan Schrader (Kildeer, Ill.) is 11^th with his passing efficiency rating of 192.80

Senior Jared Wauters (Elberon) and sophomore Spencer Capitani (Northwood) are both tied for 22^nd with one interception.
Capitani is also 74^th in punt returns (4.67).

Kicker Frank Loconti (Lombard, Ill.) is tied for 19^th in field goals (1) and tied for 32^nd in scoring (13 points).

Junior Matt Kastli (Oelwein) is tied for 34^th in scoring (12 points)

Sophomore Drew Kooi (Minooka, Ill.) and freshman AJ Dobson (Stillman, Ill.) are tied for 57^th with one sack.

Senior Ross Naylor (Ankeny) is tied for 37^th with his 2.5 tackles for loss and freshman Cole Hinders (Dysart) is tied for 70^th with 2.0 TFL.
 

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