Sep. 18—MITCHELL — Dakota Wesleyan University football returns home on Saturday and looks to extend its solid start to Great Plains Athletic Conference play against visiting Briar Cliff.
With a win, the Tigers can move to 3-1 on the season and 3-0 in conference play, and a victory would also be the first three-game win streak under third-year coach Alex Kretzschmar. DWU will face a Charger team looking not only for its first win of the season but its first road win over DWU in nearly 20 years.
Here’s a look at DWU’s matchup on Saturday:
When: 1 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Joe Quintal Field.
Records: DWU: 2-1 (2-0 GPAC); Briar Cliff: 0-3 (0-2 GPAC).
Coaches: DWU’s Alex Kretzschmar (10-15, third season); Briar Cliff’s Nathan Koziol (0-3, first season).
All-time series: DWU leads the series 14-9.
Last meeting: BCU won 21-7 on Sept 27, 2025, in Sioux City, Iowa.
Last time out: DWU won 40-21 over Waldorf on the road on Sept. 12. Briar Cliff was on the short end of a 35-7 home loss to Midland on Sept. 12.
Notes: The home team in this series has won the last nine meetings, with DWU getting the last road win in 2016 in Sioux City. … DWU has won the last seven matchups in Mitchell. The Chargers last won in Mitchell on Oct. 17, 2009. … DWU last started 3-0 in the GPAC in 2015. … In the Massey Ratings, DWU is rated No. 45 in the country, while Briar Cliff is No. 70 out of 96 NAIA teams.
About DWU: DWU is averaging 134 rushing yards per game in 2026, up from 58.8 yards per game in 2025. … The Tigers have had at least 225 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in three straight games. It’s DWU’s first such streak since the start of the 2017 season. … DWU’s red zone touchdown streak to open the season ended at 8-for-8 after scoring on the first two trips inside the 20 against Waldorf. DWU remains perfect scoring on 11 total red zone drives this season (nine touchdowns, two field goals). … DWU has a league-best seven interceptions on defense. The Tigers have 10 takeaways this season after forcing only 11 turnovers in all of 2024 and 14 turnovers in 2025 … DWU quarterback Jed Jenson leads the GPAC with 104 pass attempts this season and is fourth in passing touchdowns with 10. He’s hit Caleb Kilbride for four of those touchdowns and at a clip of nearly 21 yards per reception, both of which rank in the top-five in the GPAC. … Mount Vernon product Reed Rus leads the GPAC in sacks with 4.5. … Nate Wilber made field goals of 26 and 32 yards last week and is the first kicker in the conference to make two field goals this season.
About the Chargers: Briar Cliff quarterback Brock Saya is fourth in the GPAC in passing yards per game at 244.7. … The Chargers are 3-19 in road games since the start of the 2022 season. … Briar Cliff has been the GPAC’s most aggressive fourth-down team so far in 2026, converting 4-of-8 attempts. (DWU is second at 4-of-7). … Wide receiver Kymani Fleurme leads BCU with three touchdowns, which all came in the Chargers’ 49-35 loss to Mount Marty on Sept. 5, in which he had eight receptions for 170 yards. … The Chargers have protected the ball so far this season, with one fumble lost and two interceptions thrown in three games.
Next: Dakota Wesleyan travels to Fremont, Nebraska on Sept. 26 for a 1 p.m. game at Midland, the first of back-to-back road games for the Tigers. Briar Cliff has an off week before hosting Waldorf on Oct. 3.
GPAC schedule
Saturday, Sept. 19
Hastings at Waldorf, 1 p.m.
Mount Marty at Concordia, 1 p.m.
No. 8 Morningside at No. 11 Dordt, 1 p.m.
Midland at No. 13 Northwestern, 6 p.m.