ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Recent history was against the Concordia University Football team in its matchup with No. 2 Northwestern. The 2024 Bulldogs decided to write their own history. Behind a stifling defense that picked off four passes, Concordia stunned the defending GPAC champion Red Raiders, 29-17, inside a warm and blustery De Valois Stadium in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday (Oct. 5). It’s a place the Bulldogs had not won since 2002. The result snapped Northwestern’s 20-game home winning streak.
The achievement marked the program’s most significant victory since Head Coach Patrick Daberkow was promoted prior to the start of the 2017 season. Concordia (4-2, 4-2 GPAC) led for the final 25 minutes of the second half and pulled off exactly the signature victory that had eluded it.
“We had things go our way today because we forced them to go our way,” Daberkow said. “Our players made plays in big moments. Big players make big plays in big games. This is a big game for us. To go do it on the road in an environment like this up here – it had been too long. We’re really excited about what happened today. I’m more excited about the locker room and how they handled the loss last week. I’m just proud of our guys. That was about as much fun as I’ve had in a postgame locker room. Singing The Doxology is always a lot more fun after a win.”
The upset became reality in large part because the Bulldogs enjoyed the upper hand at the line of scrimmage. Carson Fehlhafer proved nearly unblockable from his nose guard spot and the Concordia defense swelled with confidence as the afternoon wore on. The Bulldogs ultimately sealed the victory in the fourth quarter when safety Daylon Henson plucked his second interception of the day. Four plays later, Mark Arp found the end zone with 1:13 left for the game’s final points.
Weird and wacky things have happened in Orange City before (see the 2007 and 2013 games when Concordia thought it had Northwestern beat), but there would be no late heroics for the Red Raiders. They were beaten by a GPAC opponent other than Morningside for the first time since 2016. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs defeated a top 10 team for the first time since a 29-18 home victory over No. 7 Doane in 2017. It was Concordia’s first road win over a ranked team since 2014 (at No. 15 Sterling College).
Said Daberkow, “You talk about a team effort. With the way the wind was today and how it shifted, it seemed like it was in our face every quarter. That factors in on special teams. We made some big stops on defense. Going for the score (in the fourth quarter) was an aggressive move, but I loved it.
“It’s really encouraging to think about what we’ve been through so far this season. To add a win against the No. 2 team on the road is great for the playoff resume. We go into the bye week with some big things ahead of us. We’re really excited.”
In order to make it happen, Concordia had to respond to an early gut punch when it went three-and-out and Northwestern proceeded to march 75 yards on 13 plays while going up 7-0 on Logan Meyer’s four-yard touchdown rush. From that point on, Fehlhafer and company wreaked havoc. All-American running back Konner McQuillan managed only 43 yards on 13 carries and the Red Raider rushing attack was stonewalled – 52 yards and an average of 1.7 yards per rush. Northwestern did not gain a single first down for the entirety of the third quarter.
Though the Red Raiders had to replace NAIA Player of the Year Jalyn Gramstad this season, their quarterbacks had entered this game with a 9-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That statistic changed dramatically on Saturday as each of the Bulldog safeties nabbed at least one pick: Henson (two), Luke Penrod and Jaden Seier. All of them were crippling – the first ending a red zone drive, the second leading to an Arp touchdown, the third setting up a DJ McGarvie touchdown pass and the fourth putting Concordia in position for the game clinching score.
Offensively, the Bulldogs totaled 320 yards. McGarvie found both Austin Jablonski (nine yards) and Adam Van Cleave (19 yards) for a touchdown apiece. In addition, Arp ran for 85 yards and two scores on 27 bruising carries. McGarvie went 17-for-27 for 173 yards through the air and was not sacked as part of another strong showing for a veteran offensive line. Jablonski hauled in seven receptions for 106 yards and Van Cleave made five grabs for 48 yards. The one Concordia turnover (a fumbled handoff) did not hurt as Northwestern misfired on a 39-yard field goal.
The defense limited the potent Red Raider offense to 253 total yards (11 first downs). The one major gaffe resulted in a 67-yard touchdown pass from Colby Duncan to Austyn Gerard (putting the home team within 17-14 in the fourth quarter). The Bulldog D was led by nine tackles (two for loss) from linebacker Nick Leader. Fellow backers Michael Grindey and Grant Huss were credited with a sack apiece. At the line of scrimmage, Devon Polley made two tackles for loss in teaming up with standouts in Fehlhafer and Kyle Sterup.
The Bulldogs will have a bye next week as they prepare for their next outing on Saturday, Oct. 19. On that date, Concordia will be in Crete, Neb., for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff with rival Doane. The Tigers slipped to 1-5 (1-4 GPAC) with their loss at No. 8 Dordt, 38-3, on Saturday. The Bulldogs have taken three of the past four meetings with Doane.
With four games remaining in the regular season, Concordia has caught the attention of national observers and could even crack next week’s NAIA top 25. For now, Daberkow, his staff and players are going to enjoy this one.
Added Daberkow, “I’m just proud to be part of Bulldog Nation. I’m very excited for our players and our alums. There are a lot of guys who graduated last year, two years ago and 18 years ago that I wish could be part of this today. They all are in their own way. It’s just really fun to see it come together.”
