Northwestern College is on the road this weekend for a key Great Plains Conference showdown with the University of Sioux Falls. Northwestern is 2-0 and ranked fifth in the latest N-A-I-A top 25. Sioux Falls is the defending national champion and the top ranked Cougars take a 16 game winning streak into the contest. Northwestern has had the tougher schedule to this point.
The Red Raiders have already beaten conference contenders Nebraska Wesleyan and Dakota Wesleyan while Sioux Falls has rolled up 119 points in blowout wins over Midland Lutheran and Dana of Nebraska. Northwestern coach Orv Otten says they’ve played two teams in the top half of the conference and Sioux Falls has played two in the bottom half, so he believes they are more battle tested.
With two high powered offenses this has the look of a high scoring affair but history says something different. Otten says over the years the games have usually been close, much like championship games are often played. He says that will make the defenses and special teams very important.
Otten says it is a big game but it will not be make-or-break for either team. He says it will be a great opportunity for both to find out where they are in the season, while he says it’s only one game with seven more left.