Waverly, Iowa -- The Wartburg College Football team (10-0 overall, 8-0 IIAC) completed a perfect regular season and claims their 15th Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship. The Knights have also earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs.
On Senior day in Waverly, the Knights defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 41-20. It was NWU getting on the board first off a six yard touchdown pass from
Jonathan Curti to
Austin Taylor. Wartburg would answer right back with
Jake Kloft taking the kickoff 95 yards for the score. At 2:35 in the second quarter NWU's Curti would hit
Shaka Taylor on a 38 yard touchdown pass and take a 13-7 lead into halftime. After the half Wartburg would regain the lead and not look back. The Knights went up 14-13 on
Matt Sacia 3 yard pass to
Riley Brockway. The Sacia and Brockway connection would happen again with 3:42 left in the third quarter, this time from 40 yards out. Sacia would continue his touchdown throwing ways, with yet again another connection with Brockway. On the 64 yard touchdown pass Wartburg would extend its lead to 28-13. Another Sacia TD pass, this time to
Griffin Brennecke from 25 yards out would put the Knights up 35-13.
The Wartburg defense was led by
Tony Anstoetter, who recorded 11 tackles.
Connor Freichs added 10 tackles for the Knights and
Dillion Radamaker recorded 7 tackles and 3 sacks.
Wartburg has the number one defense in the league, giving up just 14.9 points and 320.5 yards per game. Their scoring offense is also the conference's leader, putting up an average of 40.1 points per game. The Knights average 207.9 yards per game on the ground and 255.8 yards through the air. The stout rush defense of the Knights as allowed just 101.1 yards per game. Equally as impressive, the Wartburg pass defense leads the league, giving up just 219.4 yards per game. The Knight's redzone defense ranks number one in the conference at 50% and the Knights impressive +7 turnover margin led the league.
The Knights learn their first-round NCAA Division III playoff opponent and location tomorrow.
