SEWARD, Neb. – Following back-to-back lopsided road wins, the Concordia University Football team returns to Bulldog Stadium this week for a homecoming showdown with No. 9 Dordt. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad moved to 3-1 with last week’s 63-13 thrashing of Briar Cliff in Sioux City, Iowa. Kickoff on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. CT in what will mark the 17th all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Defenders.
In addition to the win over Briar Cliff, Concordia has defeated Waldorf, 45-7, and Dakota Wesleyan, 42-7. The Bulldogs get another crack this week at an elite opponent after having struggled to dig out of a big early hole in the 51-21 home loss to then 10th-ranked Morningside on Sept. 7. The 3-1 mark for Concordia is its best four-game start since opening at 4-0 in 2020. The Bulldogs are putting together an offensive profile that is on track to rank as the best in program history (42.8 points per game and 491.8 yards per game).
Under Head Coach Joel Penner, Dordt has made NAIA playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023. The Defenders have postseason aspirations again this fall thanks in large part to one of the nation’s top rush offenses. The Defenders have played only twice this season due to an early bye in the schedule. They have cruised to a 2-0 start with victories by scores of 38-10 at Midland and 58-0 over Hastings. Dordt outgained the Broncos, 563-166, in last week’s blowout win.
GAME INFO
Concordia (3-1, 3-1 GPAC) vs. No. 9 Dordt (2-0, 2-0 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 28 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast: GPAC Network
Live Stats: PrestoStats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2024 national rankings out of 95 NAIA football programs (65 teams have played at least one game in 2024)
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 42.8 (15th)
Defensive PPG: 19.5 (T-27th)
Total Offense: 491.8 (11th)
Pass Offense: 257.8 (20th)
Rush Offense: 234.0 (9th)
Total Defense: 337.0 (45th)
Pass Defense: 252.3 (78th)
Rush Defense: 84.8 (19th)
Turnover +/-: +2
Dordt
Offensive PPG: 48.0 (10th)
Defensive PPG: 10.0 (8th)
Total Offense: 507.5 (8th)
Pass Offense: 235.0 (31st)
Rush Offense: 272.5 (4th)
Total Defense: 241.0 (13th)
Pass Defense: 201.0 (T-54th)
Rush Defense: 40.0 (3rd)
Turnover +/-: +5
2024 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (35-37, 8th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 74/124 (.597), 849 yards, 11 td, 5 int, 138.4 effic.
Rushing: Mark Arp – 91 rushes, 513 yards, 5.6 avg, 6 td
Receiving: Austin Jablonski – 29 receptions, 362 yards, 12.5 avg, 4 td
Defense: Grant Huss – 33 tackles, 2.5 tfl’s, 1 int
Dordt
Head Coach: Joel Penner (57-30, 9th season)
Passing: Kolson Kruse – 31/49 (.633), 421 yards, 3 td, 1 int, 151.6 effic.
Rushing: Brandon Pieper – 17 rushes, 133 yards, 7.8 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Kaden Harken – 12 receptions, 189 yards, 15.8 avg, 0 td
Defense: Tyler Wieringa – 18 tackles, 1.5 tfl’s, 1 sack, 1 ff
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (3-1, 3-1 GPAC)
8/31 vs. Waldorf, W, 45-7
9/7 vs. (10) Morningside, L, 21-51
9/14 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 42-7
9/21 at Briar Cliff, W, 63-13
9/28 vs. (9) Dordt, 1 p.m. (homecoming)
10/5 at Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/19 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m. (senior day)
11/16 at Midland, 1 p.m.
Dordt (2-0, 2-0 GPAC)
9/7 at Midland, W, 38-20
9/21 vs. Hastings, W, 58-0
9/28 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/5 vs. Doane, 1 p.m.
10/11 at Mount Marty, 7 p.m.
10/19 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
1026 vs. Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/2 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/9 vs. Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/16 vs. Waldorf, 1 p.m.
In the rankings
Concordia landed at No. 5 in the 2024 GPAC preseason coaches’ poll. The Bulldogs did not generate any votes in the NAIA’s national poll this preseason. The program’s most recent NAIA top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they checked in at No. 25. Dordt has consistently earned top 25 rankings in recent years and checked in at No. 10 in the Sept. 16 coaches’ poll. The Defenders were pegged third in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 5th
Current Massey Ratings: 32nd
Dordt
GPAC preseason: 3rd
Current Massey Ratings: 11th
Last time out
The Bulldogs made mincemeat out of Briar Cliff while outscoring the Chargers by a combined total of 56-0 over the second and third quarters. Concordia went on to win 63-13 while setting a program record for most points scored in a GPAC conference game. As part of the road victory, DJ McGarvie threw five touchdown passes, Mark Arp rushed for 156 yards and two scores and the defense forced five turnovers. Safety Daylon Henson picked off a pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter. In addition, linebacker Grant Huss came up with a pick that set up the game’s first touchdown. McGarvie’s touchdown tosses went to tight end Daylan Russell (twice) and to receivers Austin Jablonski (twice) and Adam Van Cleave. Jablonski finished with 71 receiving yards on five catches. The Bulldogs outgained the Chargers, 479-248. Defensive lineman Devon Polley registered two sacks for a defense that limited Briar Cliff to 1.7 yards per carry.
Homecoming at Concordia
Homecoming week has arrived at Concordia. For the first time since 2017, the Bulldogs will play a ranked opponent on homecoming. Dating back to 2012, Concordia is 3-0 when playing ranked teams on homecoming with the wins occurring against No. 7 Doane in 2017, No. 22 Nebraska Wesleyan in 2013 and No. 11 Northwestern in 2012. The Bulldogs are looking to get back into the win column on homecoming after dropping homecoming games in 2022 and 2023. The schedule of activities for the 2024 homecoming week can be found HERE. On Friday evening, six individuals and one team will be inducted into the Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2024 Hall of Fame class includes Audra (Nothwehr) Anderson, Elizabeth (Rhoden) Dillingham, Kregg Einspahr, Ceron Francisco, Frank Greene, Katie (Werner) Loveless and the 2004-05 men’s basketball team.
List 12 homecoming games
9/23/23 – Dakota Wesleyan | L, 12-16
9/17/22 – Hastings | L, 17-21
10/2/21 – Dakota Wesleyan | W, 34-0
10/3/20 – Jamestown | W, 23-3
9/28/19 – Briar Cliff | W, 16-14
9/22/18 – Midland | L, 7-35
9/23/17 – (7) Doane | W, 29-18
10/8/16 – Briar Cliff | W, 56-0
10/10/15 – Nebraska Wesleyan | W, 47-14
10/4/14 – Dordt | W, 38-14
10/12/13 – (22) Nebraska Wesleyan | W, 19-3
10/13/12 – (11) Northwestern | W, 17-16
Offensive superlatives
Concordia is putting together the best stretch of offensive football in the program’s history. The team’s averages of 42.8 points per game and 489.0 yards per game would far exceed the school’s records for a single season – 35.9 points per game in 1951 and 412.0 yards per game in 2023. The Bulldogs currently sport NAIA national rankings of 11th in total offense, ninth in rushing offense and 20th in passing offense. Coach Daberkow has routinely praised the offensive line for the offensive growth. The veteran line features a senior at each of the five starting spots: Cohen Carpenter and Blake Schlegel at the tackles, Tyler Walford and Christian Schlepp at the guard spots and Jackson Anderson at center. Beyond the success running the football, Concordia has not allowed a sack in eight of its past nine games dating back to the 2023 season. The 63 points scored at Briar Cliff represented a school record for a GPAC conference game and were the most points for the program since a 64-0 win over Martin Luther in 1982. The school record for points in a game is 67 achieved in 1935 (67-0 win over Nebraska Central) and 1936 (67-0 win over Luther Junior College).
Coach Daberkow + staff
Patrick Daberkow’s history at Concordia dates back to his first season as a Bulldog football player in 2003. This is Daberkow’s 17th season as part of the program’s staff – eighth as head coach. He served as defensive coordinator for seven years before being named as head coach in December 2016. Daberkow assumed offensive play calling duties in 2022 before turning that role over to Greg Nelson, former Lincoln Lutheran head coach, in 2023. Meanwhile, his full-time staff includes Defensive Coordinator Corby Osten, Special Teams Coordinator Trent Laune and Assistant Coach Grady Koch (who specializes in coaching the offensive line, among other duties). Former Nebraska Wesleyan assistant Kevin Crume is in his second season at Concordia. Former Head Coach Courtney Meyer again works with the specialists and has spent more than 50 years coaching football.
Arp takes over national rushing lead
Named the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week following the win at Dakota Wesleyan, Mark Arp has seized the opportunity as the No. 1 running back this fall. On the strength of his 25-carry, 167-yard, two-touchdown outing at Briar Cliff, Arp now leads all NAIA players in total rushing yards with 524. Arp has averaged 5.7 yards per carry and has found the end zone six times in 2024. In 23 career collegiate games, Arp has carried the ball 275 times for 1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns. Arp has rushed for a combined 377 yards and five touchdowns over the past two outings.
McGarvie pads school record totals
DJ McGarvie made his 30th career start in the win at Briar Cliff. The Lincoln North Star High School alum rose to the top of the program’s all-time passing charts in 2023. As part of the Morningside game on Sept. 7, McGarvie eclipsed 7,000 career passing yards (currently at 7,528). In the win at DWU, McGarvie threw his 60th career touchdown pass. He owns a career completion percentage of 57.3 (643-for-1,123) in 33 games. While leading the GPAC in passing yards per game (264.2) in 2023, McGarvie became the first Bulldog quarterback in the GPAC era (2000-present) to be named either first or second team all-conference. By season, McGarvie has turned in touchdown-to-interception ratios of 19-7 in 2021, 18-6 in 2022 and 17-10 in 2023. Among GPAC quarterbacks, McGarvie ranks second in touchdown passes with 11 – behind Morningside’s Zach Chevalier with 12.
Concordia all-time passing yards leaders
1. DJ McGarvie – 7,528
2. Jarrod Pimentel – 6,435
3. Von Thomas – 5,662
4. Rod Giesselmann – 5,519
5. Kurt Earl – 4,158
Concordia all-time passing touchdowns leaders
1. DJ McGarvie – 65
2. Von Thomas – 49
2. Jarrod Pimentel – 49
4. Rod Giesselmann – 47
5. Kurt Earl – 37
All-American Jabo nears 2,000 career receiving yards
Lincoln Pius X High School alum Austin Jablonski is enjoying another ultra-productive season having pulled in 29 receptions for 362 yards and four touchdowns through the season’s first four games. He’s now 21 receiving yards shy of reaching 2,000 for his career. On the program’s all-time lists, the returning NAIA First Team All-American currently ranks fourth in receptions (156), fifth in receiving yards (1,979) and sixth in receiving touchdowns (15). Former teammate Korrell Koehlmoos remains the program all-time leader in receptions (221) and receiving yards (2,894). Jablonski’s 1,134 receiving yards in 2023 broke the school record for a single season. As a Bulldog, Jablonski has also passed for four touchdowns and has run for five.
Concordia all-time reception leaders
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 221
2. Ross Wurdeman – 168
3. Jared Garcia – 161
4. Austin Jablonski – 156
5. Eric Pralle – 147
Concordia all-time receiving yards leaders
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,894
2. Jared Garcia – 2,495
3. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011
5. Austin Jablonski – 1,979
Defensive line wreaks havoc
The coaching staff has high expectations for the defensive line unit each time out. The group is senior-laden with players such as Devon Polley, Kyle Sterup and Stephen Hughes serving as anchors. As a junior Carson Fehlhafer is playing at a high level. He posted two sacks and forced a fumble in the win at Briar Cliff. Polley was also credited with two sacks and Hughes came up with a sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Collectively, the group has played a lot of football. Career stats for the starters are shown below.
Career Stats
--Fehlhafer: 59 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks (21 games)
--Polley: 123 tackles, 43.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks (30 games)
--Sterup: 164 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks (31 games)
The ‘Corn Dogs’
The 2024 Concordia roster comes with some Nebraska Cornhusker flavor as three current Bulldogs are former University of Nebraska walk-ons: tight end John Goodwin, receiver Austin Jablonski and linebacker Nick Leader. In addition, receiver Adam Van Cleave began his college career at Nebraska (student only). All four are starters at Concordia. Goodwin saw action in two games in 2023 for the Cornhuskers before joining Jablonski, his roommate and close friend, in Seward. It didn’t take long for Goodwin to announce his presence as he caught two touchdown passes in the win over Waldorf. Jablonski and Van Cleave are both talented receivers and Leader is back in the starting group at linebacker after missing the 2023 season. Leader posted 50 tackles as a Bulldog in 2022.
Around the league
This past week was full of lopsided contests as Concordia defeated Briar Cliff, 63-13, Morningside defeated Doane, 70-0, Dordt defeated Hastings, 58-0, and Mount Marty defeated Waldorf, 56-7. The most competitive game of the weekend was won by Northwestern, 17-7, over Midland. There are three teams in the league with unblemished GPAC records: Morningside (3-0), Northwestern (3-0) and Dordt (2-0). Concordia is next in line at 3-1.
Series vs. Dordt
Concordia had won nine of the first 10 meetings with Dordt until the Defenders got the best of the Bulldogs in each of the past six seasons, 2018 through 2023 (the other victory in the series for Dordt came in 2008). That leaves the all-time series at 9-7 in favor of Concordia. Last year’s Defender team that finished at 9-3 overall handed the Bulldogs a 38-7 defeat in Sioux Center, Iowa. Dordt owned a 382-223 advantage in total yards. The Defenders scored the game’s first 24 points before Concordia got on the board in the fourth quarter with DJ McGarvie’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Carsen Arline. The most recent win for the Bulldogs in this series occurred in 2017 when they triumphed at Dordt, 24-17.
Scouting Dordt
Head Coach Joel Penner changed the game for Dordt when he arrived prior to the start of the 2016 season. From 2008 (the first year of the program’s existence) through 2015, the Defenders never won more than two games in a season. Under Penner, Dordt has claimed at least five victories each year. The program qualified for the NAIA playoffs in 2020 and 2023. The Defenders have become known for their potent rushing attacks. Three players have rushed for more than 100 yards though two games: Brendan Pieper (133), Kolson Kruse (107) and Nick Wellen (103). Pieper has reached the end zone four times. Dordt currently ranks in the top 10 nationally for both scoring offense and scoring defense. The numbers were bolstered by last week’s 58-0 trouncing of Hastings. The Defenders opened this season with a 38-20 win at Midland. The last time Dordt visited Seward, it eked out a 29-28 win despite DJ McGarvie’s school record 458 passing yards.