GAME OF THE WEEK

Bethel (7-1, 6-0 MIAC) at St. John's (7-1, 5-1), 1 p.m. Saturday: MIAC-leading Bethel, which has won 15 consecutive conference games, can clinch the MIAC title with a victory. The Royals, ranked No. 10 in the d3football.com poll, rallied from a 13-7 halftime deficit to defeat Gustavus 30-23 last Saturday. The Johnnies, ranked No. 18, could move into a tie for first place with a victory. The Johnnies have won five consecutive games since losing to Concordia (Moorhead) in their conference opener. The Johnnies defeated Augsburg 24-7 in Minneapolis last weekend. Bethel has won four consecutive games in the series, including 28-7 in Collegeville last year.

WEEK 10 STORY LINES

• The NCAA announced its first Division III regional rankings on Wednesday, and three MIAC teams were ranked in the West Region. Bethel is No. 3 in the region behind defending D-III champion Wisconsin-Whitewater and Wartburg. Bethel's only loss this season was to Wartburg in its season opener. St. John's is tied with Chapman for No. 5 and St. Thomas is No. 9. Linfield (No. 4), Wisconsin-Platteville (No. 7), Wisconsin-Oshkosh (No. 8) and Pacific (No. 10) round out the region top 10.

• Macalester (7-1, 4-0 MWC North) can claim the Midwest Conference North Division title with a victory over St. Norbert (5-3, 3-1) in De Pere, Wis., on Saturday. The division winner will play in the Midwest Conference championship game on Nov. 15 (at the South Division winner). The winner of that game earns the conference's automatic berth in the Division III playoffs. Last Saturday, Macalester defeated Carroll (Wis.), which was ranked No. 24 in the d3football.com poll, 34-17 for its sixth consecutive victory. The winning streak is the Scots' longest since 1950.

• Minnesota State Mankato moved into the top spot in the second Division II Super Region 3 rankings announced Monday by the NCAA. The Mavericks moved up one spot on the strength of their 27-14 victory over Sioux Falls. The loss dropped Sioux Falls from No. 3 to No. 7 in the regional rankings. Minnesota Duluth fell from No. 1 to No. 3 in the region rankings. Ouachita Baptist moved into the No. 2 spot.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Zandy Stowell, RB, Macalester: The 5-9 junior from Chippewa Falls, Wis., has rushed for 933 yards — second in the Midwest Conference — and five touchdowns. Stowell is averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

Tre Spears, RB, Concordia (St. Paul): The 5-11 senior from Chicago is third in the NSIC with 917 rushing yards. Spears rushed for a career-high 247 yards in the Golden Bears' victory over Southwest Minnesota State last Saturday.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 Career starts for St. Thomas junior QB John Gould. He passed for 298 yards and four TDs in the Tommies' 35-32 victory over Concordia (Moorhead).

25 Career TDs — a school record — for Hamline junior RB Austin Duncan.

3,095 Career rushing yards for Augustana senior Dajon Newell. He is the third in school history to surpass 3,000 career yards.

JOEL RIPPEL