Spartans and Knights Jockey for First-Place in Homecoming Skirmish
Oct 15, 2015
Game Info
HOMECOMING vs. Wartburg College
Chalmers Field – 2:00 PM
Dubuque, Iowa
WATCH LIVE HERE
Twitter-sphere
Spartans - @UDubuqueSports
Knights - @KnightsSID
DUBUQUE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque football team welcomes a Wartburg team in a Homecoming battle royale for first-place in the Iowa Conference.
Despite a 5-0 record, the Knights have kept it close after winning by an average of 10.2 points per game, down from a 28.3 margin of victory through its first five games a year ago. Nevertheless, the Knights have been able to hold on to five, end of third-quarter leads of 10 points or less in their third straight 2-0 start to conference play. The offense is pioneered by all-time career passing yardage leader, quarterback Logan Schrader (1272 yards, 6 TDs), and running back Brandon Domeyer (473 yards, 9 TDs), who leads all IIAC running backs in rushing touchdowns.
The Knights dynamic duo has accounted for all seven of Wartburg’s touchdowns in both conference wins over Central (21-13) and Coe (31-14).
UD (3-2, 2-0 Iowa Conference) counters with an ever-improving air attack led by transfer quarterback Rio Johnson (1163 yards, 3 TDs), who has yet to throw an interception in his first two Iowa Conference bouts. Tight end Trenton Grana-Curry emerged as a deep threat thanks to a 58-yard pitch-and-catch as part of a six-catch, 139-yard day to spoil Simpson’s homecoming last week.
Defensively, Wartburg is led by senior linebacker Gunner Tranel (team-high 50 tackles) and their lone Iowa Conference Player of the Week selection in defensive back James Garlock, who intercepted two passes and collected five tackles in 35-27 win over Augsburg on September 5. The Spartan linebacking trio of seniors Blaine Snitker, Trevor Stauner, and Dylan Hastings are 1-2-3 in tackles in play through the first two Iowa Conference affairs.
UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE
Record: 3-2, 2-0 IIAC
Preseason Conf. Rank: 4th (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC))
Head Coach: Stan Zweifel | 7th year - [31-24, 24-17 IIAC]
Rankings: NR (D3football.com)
WARTBURG COLLEGE
Record: 5-0, 2-0 IIAC
Preseason Conf. Rank: 1st (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC))
Head Coach: Rick Willis | 17th year – [145-35, 112-21 IIAC]
Rankings: 8/6 (D3Football.com/AFCA rankings)
Summary
|
2015 STATS |
WARTBURG |
UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE |
|
Overall Record |
5-0 |
3-2 |
|
Conf. Record |
2-0 |
2-0 |
|
Avg. Points (IIAC Rank) |
30.4 (3) |
18.8 (7) |
|
Avg. Points Allowed |
20.2 (2) |
28.6 (4) |
|
Pass O ypg |
256.4 (3) |
232.6 (5) |
|
Pass D |
192.4 (3) |
242.2 (4) |
|
Rush O |
190.2 (2) |
106.8 (8) |
|
Rush D |
152.6 (4) |
162.6 (5) |
|
Season Stat Leaders |
WARTBURG |
UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE |
|
Passing |
#10 QB Schrader |
#16 QB Johnson |
|
Rushing |
#24 RB Domeyer |
#20 RB Herrion |
|
Receiving |
#23 WR Anstoetter |
#2 WR Schultz |
|
Defense |
#42 LB Tranel |
#30 LB Hastings |
|
Kicking |
#98 K Bohlke |
#31 K Prull |
Last Meeting
2014 at Wartburg
Wartburg won 42-9
-Knights scored TDs on 3 of their 1st 5 drives to take 20-9 halftime lead
-25-yd TD pass from UD QB Fry to Rutenbeck and safety were Spartans only scores of game
-3 TD runs by Knights in 2nd half to finish out game
-Total offense: UD 261, Wartburg 326 (193 yds rushing, 4 TDs)
-Yds per play: UD 3.5, Wartburg 5.2
-Red Zone opps: UD 0-0, Wartburg 4-4
History Books
Series record: UD trails 27-44-1
|
Last 5 |
Score |
|
2014 |
WAR 42-9 |
|
2013 |
WAR 22-15 |
|
2012 |
WAR 34-31 |
|
2011 |
WAR 42-39 |
|
2010 |
WAR 55-17 |
-Avg. margin of victory last 5 yrs: 16.8
-Knights currently on 8-game win streak
-73rd meeting dating back to 1929
-Meeting every year since beginning of series in 1956
-Wartburg owns longest winning streak of 16 games from ’90-‘05
-Largest margin of defeat: UD by 79 points in ‘34
-Coach Z is 0-6 against the Knights, one of 6 UD coaches with winless record vs. Wartburg
Parity Police
-After blowing out opponents in 1st 5 games of 2015, Knights have won by nearly half as much in 2015
-Largest end-of-3rd quarter lead of the year has been 10-pt. lead at Coe
|
Opponent |
2014 Margin of Victory |
2014 Avg. MOV |
2015 Margin of Victory |
2015 Avg. MOV |
End of 3rd Q lead |
|
Augsburg |
37 |
28.3 |
8 |
10.2 |
1 |
|
Bethel |
17 |
10 |
3 |
||
|
UW-Stout |
31 |
8 |
9 |
||
|
Central |
21 |
8 |
8 |
||
|
Coe |
43 |
17 |
10 |
Air Force
-Spartan defense ranks 2nd in pass efficiency (156.3) through 2 IIAC games
-UD QB Rio Johnson has posted identical 156.3 passer rating with 56.7 comp. %, 594 yds, and 3 TDs – 0 INTs
-Defense faces Knights QB Logan Schrader (70.1 comp. %, 524 yds, 2 TDs-3 INTs in IIAC play), who became Wartburg’s all-time career leader in passing yards in last week’s win over Coe
Triple Stack
-Spartans boast Top-3 tacklers during IIAC play!
-LB Blaine Snitker: 30 tackles (22 solo, 8 asts)
-LB Dylan Hastings: 28 tackles (7 solo, 21 asts)
-LB Trevor Stauner: 27 tackles (4 solo, 23 asts)
Hoarding the Hardware
-UD’s LB Blaine Snitker and Wartburg’s CB James Garlock have been their team’s lone IIAC award winners after being named Iowa Conference Football Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season
-Snitker: Registered career-high 21 tackles after sitting out 1st 3 games due to injury in 16-14 win vs. Luther on October 3
-Garlock: Intercepted 2 passes and earned 5 tackles in win over 35-27 win over Augsburg on September 5
Lather, Rinse, Re-Streak
-Senior kicker Curtis Prull is 4-5 on field goals this season and broke his streak of 11 straight makes against Luther dating back to November 16, 2013
-Prull is up to 2 straight makes after knocking in 18-yd FG in 16-14 win over Luther on Oct. 2 and 24-yarder in win over Simpson, 31-24, last weekend
Minute to Win It
-Thanks to solid defense, offense and special teams, the Spartans have escaped with a trio of last minute wins (literally!) over the last three weeks
|
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Key Play |
O/D/ST |
Location |
Time Left |
|
Sept. 19 |
Pacific (Ore.) |
31-29 |
UD recovered onside kick |
ST |
PAC 44 |
1:16 |
|
Oct. 3 |
Luther |
16-14 |
UD forced incompletion on 4th&5 |
D |
UD 39 |
1:19 |
|
Oct. 10 |
Simpson |
31-24 |
Herrion rush TD |
O |
SIM 5 |
44.6 |
