WAVERLY, Iowa—The No. 15 Wartburg football team (1-0 overall) hosts No. 7 Bethel this afternoon in its home opener. This marks the season opener for the Royals as they had their bye week last week.

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The Series
Bethel leads the all-time series, 4-1. This marks the third time the teams have met in the last two seasons, as the Knights traveled to Arden Hills, Minn. twice last year: once for the regular season and the final time in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. The Orange and Black were just six yards shy of the goal line as time expired in the 34-27 loss in the NCAA meeting.

This will be the sixth meeting in program history between the two teams and Wartburg's only win in the series was a 21-7 victory in the NCAA Tournament in 2003.

The Teams
Wartburg
After opening weekend, Jake Haberman is the team's leading rusher with 75 yards and one touchdown.

Logan Schrader has thrown for 215 yards and two touchdowns while Taylor Jacobsmeier is the leading receiver with 48 yards on two catches.

Zach Twedt leads the defense with eight tackles, which includes 4.5 tackles for loss with four sacks.

Bethel
Quarterback Erik Peterson and running back Brandon Marquardt were named preseason All-Americans by Beyond Sports Network (BSN).

Safety Matt Mehlhorn was named a preseason All-American by d3football.com

Bethel was also selected to win the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) title in the conference's preseason coaches poll.

The Royals advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament last season, but fell 41-17 to North Central (Ill.).

Bethel finished the 2013 regular season with a perfect 10-0 record.
 
 
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