BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The non-conference portion of the 2023 schedule is already coming to a close for Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) football teams. Five more non-conference games are set for Saturday before MIAC teams begin conference play next weekend.

STAT PACK
The latest MIAC Football Stat Pack as of Friday, September 15 can be viewed here.

IN THE POLLS
Saint John's is ranked No. 9 and Bethel is No. 18 in the latest D3football.com Top 25 Poll, released on September 10.
 
The next D3football.com Poll is slated to be released on Sunday, September 17.

NATIONAL NOTABLES
Bethel senior offensive lineman Evan Ginter (Lindstrom, Minn. | Chisago Lakes) and Saint John’s senior wide receiver Jimmy Buck (Orono, Minn.) have been selected to the 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, recognizing 22 college football student-athletes and an honorary head coach for outstanding contributions to their communities. The MIAC is now tied with the Big 12 Conference for the third-most Good Works Team selections since the honor began in 1992. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads all NCAA conferences with 84 selections, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with 55 selections. The Big 12 and MIAC are tied for third with 41 selections each. As an individual institution, Bethel is tied with the University of Kentucky for the second-most selections in history with 17. The University of Georgia leads all college football programs with 23 selections all-time.
 
Carleton senior defensive end Michael Carey (Haddonfield, N.J. | Memorial) and Concordia junior cornerback Stuart DeMerit (Snoqualmie, Wash. | Mount Si) were named to D3football.com’s Team of the Week for their performances in Week 2 of the 2023 season.
 
Augsburg junior running back Isaiah Thompson (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) is averaging 38.5 yards per kickoff return this season, tied for the seventh-best clip in NCAA Division III.
 
Carleton sophomore quarterback Jack Curtis (Charlotte, N.C. | Ardrey Kell) is averaging 387.0 passing yards per game, good for the fourth-highest mark in NCAA Division III. His 30.0 completions per game this season are seventh-best in NCAA Division III.
 
Carleton sophomore wide receiver Tyler Dimond (North Grafton, Mass. | Grafton) is averaging 160.0 receiving yards per game this season, the seventh-best average in NCAA Division III.
 
Carleton junior tight end Ntense Obono (Lawrence, Kan.) is averaging 10.0 receptions per game this season, tied for the seventh-best mark in NCAA Division III.
 
Carleton senior defensive end Michael Carey (Haddonfield, N.J. | Memorial) is averaging 2.0 sacks per game this season, tied for the fifth-highest clip in NCAA Division III.
 
Carleton senior safety Henry Detmer (River Forest, Ill. | Oak Park and River Forest) returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown against Pomona-Pitzer on 9/9, good for the longest interception return across all levels of NCAA football this season.
 
Concordia senior wide receiver Dawson Schaffer (Horace, N.D. | Kindred) has caught four touchdown passes this season, tied for the eighth-most in NCAA Division III.
 
Concordia senior defensive end Collin Thompson (Thatcher, Ariz.) is tied for the NCAA lead in tackles for loss per game with an average of 4.5 this season. His 5.0 tackles for loss against Pacific Lutheran on 9/9 are tied for the second-most in any D-III game this year, while his 4.0 tackles for loss against UW-Eau Claire on 9/2 are tied for the seventh-most in any D-III game this season.
 
Gustavus junior quarterback George Sandven (Edina, Minn.) leads all of NCAA football with a passing efficiency score of 247.5 this season. Sandven has completed 75.9 percent (22-for-29) of his passes in 2023 and is averaging 357.0 passing yards per game, both representing the ninth-best marks in NCAA Division III. Sandven’s six touchdown passes against Buena Vista on 9/2 are tied for the fourth-most in any D-III game this season, while his passer rating of 247.5 in the game is the seventh-highest.
 
Gustavus senior wide receiver Jake Breitbach (Golden Valley, Minn. | Armstrong) leads NCAA Division III in receiving yards per game with an average of 235.0 this season. His 13.0 receptions per game rank second in Division III, while his four receiving touchdowns are tied for the eighth-most in the country. Breitbach had four touchdown receptions against Buena Vista on 9/2, tied for the most in any single NCAA football game this year. His 13 receptions and 235 receiving yards against Buena Vista on 9/2 are both tied for the fourth-most in any D-III game this season.
 
Gustavus senior kicker Andrew Abegglen (Mound, Minn. | Mound-Westonka) connected on a 42-yard field goal against Buena Vista on 9/2, tied for the sixth-longest field goal in NCAA Division III this season.
 
Hamline junior quarterback Alejandro Villaneueva (Hayward, Calif. | Mount Eden) passed for five touchdowns against UM-Morris on 9/9, tied for the sixth-most in any D-III game this year.
 
Hamline senior tight end Charlie Wilson (Woodbury, Minn.) has caught six touchdown passes this season, tied for the most in all levels of NCAA football. He has hauled in 265 receiving yards this fall, good for the ninth-highest total in NCAA Division III. His four touchdown receptions against UM-Morris on 9/9 are tied for the most in any NCAA football game this season.
 
Macalester senior quarterback Michael Nadeau (Garden Grove, Calif. | La Quinta) leads all of NCAA football with 13 passing touchdowns this season. He leads NCAA Division III and ranks second among all divisions with 951 passing yards. Nadeau is averaging 470.0 passing yards per game, tops in D-III. He is also averaging 31.0 completions per game this season, tied for the fifth-most in NCAA Division III. Nadeau’s eight touchdown passes against Martin Luther on 9/9 are the most by a quarterback in any NCAA game this season. His 542 passing yards in the game are the most in any Division III game this year, while his passer rating of 243.2 is the eighth-highest in any D-III game this season.
 
Macalester senior wide receiver Nick Bice (Fort Dodge, Iowa) has totaled 364 receiving yards this season, the second-most in NCAA Division III. Bice is averaging 182.0 receiving yards per game this season, good for the fourth-highest average in NCAA Division III. His four touchdown receptions are tied for the eighth-most in D-III this fall. His 197 receiving yards against Martin Luther on 9/9 are the seventh-most in any D-III game this season.
 
Macalester senior wide receiver Nathan Wu (Walnut Creek, Calif. | Northgate) has posted 258 receiving yards this season, tied for the ninth-most in NCAA Division III. His four touchdown receptions are tied for the eighth-most in D-III this fall.
 
Macalester senior defensive end Xavier Pittman (Spring, Texas) is one of seven NCAA Division III players with multiple fumble recoveries this season. His 4.0 tackles for loss against UM-Morris on 9/2 are tied for the seventh-most in any D-III game this season.
 
Saint John’s senior quarterback Aaron Syverson (Minnetonka, Minn.) has thrown eight touchdown passes this season, tied for the sixth-most in NCAA Division III.
 
St. Olaf junior quarterback Theo Doran (Minneapolis, Minn. | Holy Angels) had a passing efficiency rating of 269.7 against Luther on 9/9, good for the third-best mark in NCAA Division III this season. Doran’s completion percentage of 90.0 (18-for-20) against Luther on 9/9 is the best in any D-III game this season and the second-highest at all levels of NCAA football this year.
 
St. Olaf senior running back Jordan Embry (Birmingham, Ala. | Ramsay) ranks sixth in NCAA Division III with 272 rushing yards this fall. His average of 136.0 rushing yards per game ranks tenth in the country. Embry had 31 carries against Central on 9/2, good for the third-most in any D-III game this season.
 
St. Olaf senior punter Collin Swan (Lake Mary, Fla. | Trinity Prep) is averaging 43.0 yards per punt this season, good for the seventh-best average in NCAA Division III.
 
St. Scholastica junior wide receiver Ricky Weber (Roseville, Minn.) is averaging 153.0 receiving yards per game this season, the ninth-best average in NCAA Division III.

AROUND THE MIAC
Augsburg senior wide receiver Braden Tretter (Sauk Rapids, Minn. | Sauk Rapids-Rice) recorded the seventh 100-yard receiving game of his career on 9/1, catching six passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the Auggies’ 52-10 victory over Northwestern St. Paul. Tretter averaged 19.7 yards per-catch, with a 46-yard touchdown 2:45 into the game and a 19-yard touchdown catch midway through the second quarter. Tretter's effort was part of a 268-yard passing and 469-yard total offense performance for the Auggies, as eight of the team's 12 offensive drives resulted in scores.
 
Bethel junior safety Nate Farm (Arden Hills, Minn.) was responsible for the Royals’ points in a 16-2 loss to nationally-ranked Wartburg on 9/9. Farm returned a blocked extra-point try 100 yards for two points in the first quarter of play. He finished the game with six total tackles and a quarterback hurry.
 
Carleton senior safety Henry Detmer (River Forest, Ill. | Oak Park and River Forest) recorded an interception, a fumble recovery, and a sack in the Knights' 45-24 comeback victory over Pomona-Pitzer on 9/9. Detmer's 99-yard third-quarter pick-six accounted for the go-ahead score in the game. He stepped in front of the receiver and raced up the sideline for the longest interception return across all divisions of NCAA football this season. Detmer also had 8.0 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack, to go along with a first-quarter fumble recovery on the one-yard line to prevent another potential Pomona-Pitzer score.
 
Concordia junior cornerback Stuart DeMerit (Snoqualmie, Wash. | Mount Si) scored the decisive touchdown on a 93-yard field goal block in the Cobbers' 26-21 win over Pacific Lutheran on 9/9. The 93-yard return after a blocked field goal is the longest in program history. The blocked field goal attempt came with Concordia clinging to a 13-7 lead in the third quarter.
 
Gustavus senior wide receiver Jake Breitbach (Golden Valley, Minn. | Armstrong) led the Gusties to a 51-7 season-opening victory over Buena Vista on 9/2. Breitbach had a career game to begin his senior season, finishing with 235 receiving yards - 17 yards short of the program record set in 2007. Breitbach scored four touchdowns to tie the single-game program record, while his 13 receptions were three short of the program mark for receptions in a game. His long of 53 yards was a new personal career best.
 
Hamline junior linebacker Jevon Jones (Woodbury, Minn. | Saint Agnes) had a team-leading nine tackles - eight of which were of the solo variety - one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, and an interception in the Pipers' 45-13 rout of Crown on 9/2. He led or tied for the team lead in each defensive category in the win.
 
Macalester senior quarterback Michael Nadeau (Garden Grove, Calif. | La Quinta) set a new program record with eight touchdown passes in the Scots' 56-27 victory at Martin Luther on 9/9. Nadeau was 29-of-40 for 542 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions. The previous school record was six scoring strikes, tied by Nadeau last season and set by Cody Petrich in 2018. Nadeau's performance, combined with last week’s 44-30 win over Minnesota Morris in which he threw five touchdown passes, helped the Scots score 100 points in their first two games of the season for the first time in the program's history.
 
Saint John’s senior quarterback Aaron Syverson (Minnetonka, Minn.) finished 24-of-33 passing for 281 yards and four touchdowns in the Johnnies’ dramatic, comeback win over then-No. 4 Trinity on 9/2. Down 31-14 in the fourth quarter, SJU scored the game's final 20 points in a 34-31 overtime victory. Syverson went 11-of-16 for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and 17-of-24 for 169 yards and three touchdowns in the second half. He tossed another four touchdowns against nationally-ranked UW-Whitewater on 9/9, marking his ninth four-score passing performance in 21 starts as a Johnnie.
 
St. Olaf junior quarterback Theo Doran (Minneapolis, Minn. | Holy Angels) had the second 300-yard passing game of his career in a 52-21 victory over Luther on 9/9, completing 18-of-20 passes for 310 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in less than three quarters of work. Doran was 15-for-17 for 275 yards and three touchdowns in the opening half.
 
St. Scholastica junior wide receiver Ricky Weber (Roseville, Minn.) posted a career-high 153 receiving yards and tied career-bests with eight receptions and three receiving touchdowns in the Saints’ season opener versus Rockford on 9/9. Weber caught two touchdown passes from five and eight yards out in the second quarter. With less than two minutes left in the game and the score tied 30-30, Weber hauled in his third touchdown of the day on a 54-yard scoring strike.

LEAGUE LEADERS