Area college football games to watch: Sept. 22

By Joel Rippel, Star Tribune

Last update: September 21, 2007 - 12:51 AM

Carleton (2-0, 0-0 MIAC) at Bethel (2-1, 1-0), 1 p.m.

Carleton is coming off a 34-10 nonconference victory over Macalester. Knights quarterback Shane Henfling completed 15 of 17 passes for 286 yards and five touchdowns (second best in school history). Bethel quarterback Ben Wetzell accounted for 380 of the Royals 513 yards and four touchdowns to help the Royals outlast Concordia-Moorhead.

Northern State (1-2, 1-0 NSIC) at Southwest Minnesota State (1-2, 1-0), 1 p.m.

Northern State scored in the final minute to defeat Concordia (St. Paul) 15-9 last week. The Wolves had opened the season with losses to St. Cloud State (17-7) and Augustana (37-16). SW Minnesota State made a defensive stop at the 3-yard line on the last play of the game to hold on for a 20-15 victory at Minnesota-Crookston last week. Paul Benesh rushed for 119 yards and Zach Wysong rushed for 118 to give the Mustangs two 100-yard rushers in the same game for the first time since 1999.

St. Cloud State (3-0, 0-0 NCC) at South Dakota (2-1, 1-0), 2 p.m.

St. Cloud State already has equaled last seasons victory total and will try to match last seasons conference victory total by beating the Coyotes. The Huskies defeated Wisconsin-Whitewater 26-16 last week as Derek Sedin tied a school record with 13 catches. Sedin had 158 receiving yards and two touchdowns. South Dakota, ranked No. 17 in the AFCA Division II poll, is averaging 43 points per game. The Coyotes defeated Minnesota Duluth 36-22 last week.

Players in the spotlight

Logan Flannery, Bethel running back

The freshman from Lakeville accounted for 191 yards and four touchdowns in the Royals 48-45 triple-overtime victory at Concordia last week. Flannery rushed for 93 yards and three touchdowns and caught three passes for 98 yards to earn MIAC offensive player of the week honors. He scored on a 3-yard run in the first overtime and then scored the game-winner on an 18-yard run.

Jordan Stolp, Gustavus Adolphus quarterback

The senior from Mankato tied a school record with 33 completions and passed for 378 yards and two touchdowns in the Gusties 30-14 victory over St. Thomas last Saturday. Stolp, who completed 33 of 49 passes, moved into the No. 2 spot on the schools career passing yards list with 6,343 742 behind Bob Southworth (7,085).

By the numbers

1: Overtime games in the 41-year history of Concordia-Moorheads Jake Christiansen Stadium. Bethels 48-45 victory over Concordia in three overtimes last Saturday was the longest MIAC conference game ever.

5: Touchdown passes (a school record) thrown by Martin Luther quarterback Greg Holzhueter in the Knights 47-17 victory over Blackburn last Saturday. Holzhueter also ran for a touchdown.

6: Consecutive victories by Gustavus. Four of the victories have come on the road. The Gusties play host to Hamline this week.

Etc.

Minnesota State Mankato defeated Augustana, 26-16, last week to win its NCC opener for the first time since 1997. The Mavericks are 3-1 for the first time since 1997.

St. Thomas freshman cornerback Matt McQuillan will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken ankle in the Tommies loss to Gustavus.