The Coyotes are back home for a game against Kansas Conference opponent Evangel. It's the final cross-divisional game for the Coyotes this season.
GAME INFORMATION
- Kickoff: 1 p.m.
- Day: Saturday
- Location: Gene Bissell Field at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex
- Records: Kansas Wesleyan 4-1, Evangel 3-2
- Tickets are available at www.kwucoyotes.com/tickets
- Spots in the Premium Tailgate Lot remain available for Saturday. Reserve your spot now! - www.kwucoyotes.com/tickets
LIVE COVERAGE
- The video stream of the game will be available online on the Coyote Sports Network, powered by the Urban Edge Network (https://www.urbanedgenetwork.net/watch/2572). The game will also be streamed on the KCAC Network (https://kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan/?B=4551789). Saturday's network stream will include the KINA Pregame show starting at Noon.
- Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
- The KINA Radio Pregame Show with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will start at Noon on KINA Radio. The online radio stream is available at https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.
THE SERIES
The Coyotes haven't fared well against Evangel since the Valor joined the KCAC in 2023. Evangel has won all three games including a 7-6 victory last season in Springfield, Mo. The Valor leads the overall series 4-1, KWU winning 38-28 in 2013 at Salina Stadium.
KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE
- The Coyotes outlasted Tabor 21-13 last Saturday in Hillsboro. They led 21-10 early in the fourth quarter, but the Bluejays scored with 4:58 left then drove to the KWU 13-yard line before stalling. After a Coyote punt Joseph Fowlkes sealed the victory with an interception at the KWU 30 with 47 seconds remaining.
- The defense was magnificent once again limiting Tabor to 217 total yards and sacking quarterback Jerome Stewart 11 times for a minus-83 yards. Trindon Moore had three sacks and Myles Elam and Diego Davis two each. Yamnoel Oyola-Bernier also intercepted a pass - his fourth of the year - and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. KWU has 27 sacks and nine interceptions this season.
- Caleb Deal threw for 180 yards, and a touchdown, and Alexander Elam caught 13 passes for 100 yards, one a 28-yard touchdown toss from Deal on KWU's first possession of the game. Will Wilcox had eight receptions for 51 yards.
- The Coyotes are receiving votes in this week's NAIA coaches' poll and have won four in a row since losing to Ottawa in the opener. They've allowed just 64 points in the last four outings - an average of 16 per game.
- Evangel scored the game-winning touchdown with 9:40 left in the game a year ago. D'Heaven Domena was the offensive star for KWU rushing for 180 yards on 28 carries.
EVANGEL AT A GLANCE
- The Valor enters the game on a two-game losing streak after falling to No. 15 McPherson 40-14 two weeks ago in McPherson and No. 8 Friends 59-24 last week in Nixa, Mo. The Valor routed Southwestern 31-13 three weeks ago in Ozark, Mo. Like KWU, Evangel received votes in this week's NAIA poll.
- Evangel averages 36.8 points and allows 26.4 per game. The Valor has a balanced offensive attack and averages 351.6 yards - 193.6 passing and 158 rushing.
- Matt Allen has thrown for 646 yards, 12 touchdowns, no interceptions and is completing 61.6 percent of his passes. Noah Bryant is the leading rusher with 313 yards (7.5/carry) and two touchdowns. Kyle Cumming has added 195 yards and five TDs. Lyle Broc is the top receiver with 295 yards and six touchdowns while Allen Brady has 269 yards and three scores.
- Defensively Evangel collectively has 13 total and six interceptions. Opponents average 350.4 yards - 170.4 passing and 180 rushing. The rushing total is inflated after Friends gained 444 yards last week.
- Evangel is led by Chuck Hepola who has been head coach since 2015 and has a 73-38. Last year he led the Valor to a 9-3 record, the Ted Kessinger Division title and a berth in the NAIA playoffs. He was named the Kessinger Division Coach of the Year.
HEAD COACH MATT MIDDLETON
"Defensively, we played really well (against Tabor). We had (11) sacks, two picks, 23 hits on the quarterback and 12 hurries so that makes people feel real uncomfortable. We did enough offensively to stay in the game, and we didn't get stupid at the end by trying to force things that weren't there.
"(Offensively) we did not want to get in a situation where we were having to force things down the field to try to make things happen. We went in with a game plan of throwing as many perimeter screens as we could, which to me is an extension of the run game that makes people tackle more in space. I thought Caleb played well, gave us a super chance to control the clock.
"(Evangel is) extremely sound. To me, I'm just being honest; they're one of the top coached teams in the conference from top to bottom. They don't do stupid things, they don't have a lot of penalties, they force people to make mistakes. They get after it. Their front four defensively, I think, is the best in the conference.
"(Allen) seems extremely calm back there. He doesn't get in a rush; he's real calm, cool, and collected. They've just picked up where they left off. I think that says a lot about him and obviously their staff and how they develop (athletes) year to year."
OFF. COORDINATOR/O-LINE COACH BOOMER CUNNINGHAM
"(Deal) obviously has been able to throw the ball a little bit better, getting a little bit more comfortable, throwing it downfield some. What we're trying to do offensively is take advantage of what the defense has given us. A lot of the defenses are trying to eliminate the deep stuff, and so we're just trying to take care of the small things and get (the ball) out quick and see what we can do with it.
"It is nice to be able to throw it to (receivers) that can catch the ball and make somebody miss or get the extra yards or run hard after a catch. They also love blocking and do a good job. Coach (Josh) Qualls does a good job with getting them going in that aspect of it."
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