KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced that the NAIA Football Game of the Week for October 3 will Benedictine (Kan.) at Grand View (Iowa). As of the 2019 postseason poll, Benedictine was ranked No. 18 and Grand View was ranked No. 3 in the nation. The game was selected by fans across the country in an online vote.

A clash of powerhouses in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, Saturday’s game will likely not be short on highlight plays. Grand View leads the all-time series 3-2, but coming into this contest, no home team has won in any of those five contests.

Benedictine head coach Larry Wilcox currently sits at 299 career wins at Benedictine. A win on Saturday could add to his historic career at the institution. In order to grab that win, the team will need its defense to play a key role. So far in 2020, the Ravens have allowed just nine points over the course of two games and are outscoring opponents 71-9 on the year. Quarterback Garrett Kettle leads the offense in both rushing average (58 yards per game) and passing (140.5 yards per game).

While Benedictine has the better record, Grand View enters play 1-0 and is coming off a season that stopped just short of the NAIA National Championship Game in 2019, after a five-point loss to eventual national champion Morningside (Iowa) in the semifinal round of the national championship. The Vikings, with a 35-13 win under their belt, are looking to go 2-0 on the year after Saturday’s contest.

Second year quarterback Johnny Sullivan leads the passing attack for Grand View. The junior from Clinton, Iowa threw for just shy of 2,000 yards in his sophomore campaign, but was ranked No. 5 in the nation a year ago in pass efficiency.

NAIA Game of the Week Quick Facts

Time: 1:00 p.m. Central

Date: Saturday, October 3, 2020

Location: Duke Williams Stadium, Des Moines, Iowa

All-Time Series Record: Grand View Leads 3-2

Game Preview: Game Preview

Live Coverage: Live Video | Live Stats