Football Midseason Report
INDIANOLA, Iowa -- The Simpson football team is off this weekend and looks to rest after a hard-fought 29-21 victory on the road at Nebraska Wesleyan last Saturday.
The Storm are currently sitting at 4-1 overall and 3-0 in American Rivers Conference play and are currently one of three squads remaining without a loss in conference competition.
Simpson has hit the halfway point of the season with five games remaining. The Storm host Wartburg on Saturday, Oct. 19 for a 1 p.m. showdown to highlight homecoming weekend at Simpson College.
FIRST AND 10: Simpson gave Nebraska Wesleyan its first loss of the season last Saturday in a 29-21 battle that went in favor of the Storm … Simpson took a 13-7 lead into halftime and never looked back to remain unbeaten in the A-R-C … Joe Meyer was a force out of the backfield and rushed for 206 yards on 34 carries, while Sam Bartlett had 10 catches for 150 yards and two scores … the defense was a wall up front and only allowed 65 yards rushing on 26 attempts.
AFCA RANKINGS: After last week's win over Nebraska Wesleyan, Simpson is now receiving votes in the American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches' Top-25 Poll … the Storm's only loss of the year came against No. 9 Bethel to start the season … Simpson has two opponents left to face this season that are currently ranked in the poll, No. 11 Wartburg and No. 23 Central.
BARTLETT IN THE RANKINGS: Senior Sam Bartlett has maintained pace during his impressive season to climb the rankings after last week's win in a few statistical categories across the nation … Bartlett is either first or tied for first in those areas in the conference and ranks in the top four in the country as well.
Touchdowns (10) – tied 1st in A-R-C, tied 1st in nation
Receiving yards (719) – 1st in A-R-C, 2nd in nation
Total points scored (60) – tied 1st in A-R-C, tied 2nd in nation
Receiving yards per game (142.3) – 1st in A-R-C, 4th in nation
JOE ON THE GO: Junior running back Joe Meyer has excelled from the backfield over the course of the team's first three league games … prior to the start of A-R-C play, Meyer was averaging just 58.5 yards per game, now he's averaging 160.0 yards per contest over the last three contests … Meyer ranks first in the league with 597 yards rushing and is seventh in the nation … his 119.4 yards per game is also tops in the league and 18th among Division III programs.
KREIDER KICKS: Zach Kreider has helped in the scoring column in a big way this season for the Storm … his 35 points scored is first in the conference among kickers … he has connected on 7 of 8 field goals with a career-long of 40 yards … he has made 14 of 16 extra point attempts as well.
STOPPING THE RUN: Through three conference contests, the Storm are allowing 73.3 rushing yards per game, the lowest in the A-R-C … in total, Simpson is fifth in the league with 150.0 yards allowed and tied for third with five rushing touchdowns given up.
ACROSS THE A-R-C: The American Rivers Conference has three schools still without a blemish in league play, Simpson, Central and Wartburg … besides Simpson, the other eight schools are competing this weekend … Luther is at Loras, Central hosts Dubuque, Buena Vista travels to Coe and Nebraska Wesleyan faces off at Wartburg … the Knights are ranked 18th in the D3football.com National Top 25 and Central is receiving votes … Wartburg is tabbed 11th in the AFCA National Top 25, Central is 23rd and Simpson is receiving votes.
