The NAIA national title will be decided tonight when Lindsey Wilson (KY) and Northwestern (Iowa) face off to put a bow on a season that has been unlike any other in small college football history.
With the FCS national title game set to take place Saturday featuring Sam Houston (TX) and South Dakota State, the NAIA will be the first to name their champion in the spring after the D-II and D-III levels opted to not participate in a spring postseason.
Looking at some of the intriguing storylines and numbers that are important heading into tonight's match up, here are the five that stood out to us that will play important roles in the outcome.
Spring vs. Fall:As we previously highlighted last week, tonight's game will feature a team who was able to play their full schedule in the spring (Lindsey Wilson), and a team that played their entire season in the fall (Northwestern).
31.9:Lindsey Wilson has outscored their opponents by nearly 32 points per game this season, with their closest game being a 34-14 win over Georgetown (NAIA - KY). They have rolled through the playoffs with wins over some of the toughest defenses in small college football by beating Bethel College (42-10), Concordia-Ann Arbor (49-27), and Keiser (38-14).
139: By playing their season in the fall, Northwestern had 139 days off between the end of the fall season and the start of the spring NAIA playoff. While many wondered if a long layoff for teams that played back in the fall would be a negative, Northwestern has found a way to use it to their advantage.
58:Lindsey Wilson has won 58 of their last 60 games when they win the turnover battle. If they're able to take care of the football and get a turnover or two, the scales certainly seem to be tipped in their favor.
3:Northwestern had to knock off 3 undefeated conference champions to punch their ticket to the national title game. A win against Lindsey Wilson would mark the fourth of their postseason journey as the 6th seed, and would certainly be the sweetest as it would capture the program's first national title since 1983.
The title says five, but there's actually a sixth important note. Northwestern will be starting their backup quarterback (Junior Blake Fryar) after their starter, Tyson Kooima, was injured on the final dramatic play of their semifinal win.
Earlier today, Kooima was named the NAIA Player of the Year after leading the nation's top passing attack, completing 65% of his passes, with 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions while throwing for nearly 4,000 yards.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:05 tonight at Eddie R. Robinson Stadium in Grambling, LA.