INDIANAPOLIS - On Saturday, November 29, the Marian football team officially makes their return to the NAIA Football Championship Series, as the Knights will host in the Second Round of the FCS after being idle this weekend. Marian, who was announced as the six-seed last Sunday prior to the start of the championship, will square off against 10-seed Dordt University. 

BACK IN THE POSTSEASON
After missing the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) last season, the Marian Knights are back in the playoffs, being seeded as the No. 6 team in the tournament. Marian earned an automatic bid to the championship with its MSFA Midwest League Championship, as the Knights have rattled off 10 consecutive wins entering the FCS. The Knights are 10-1 overall on the year, and are in the postseason for the 13th time in program history. 

A FRESH FACE
Marian will welcome Dordt University to Indianapolis next Saturday, taking on the Defenders in the first-ever meeting between the schools. This is the second time that Marian has hosted an opponent from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in the postseason, with the only other occurrence happening in the 2012 NAIA First Round, with the Knights hosting Northwestern College. Marian has an all-time record of 2-3 against the GPAC in the postseason, holding a 1-1 record against Morningside and a 1-2 record against Northwestern.

The last matchup against a GPAC foe came in the NAIA Quarterfinals in 2022, when the Knights lost at Northwestern College 52-27. 

SCOUTING DORDT
Dordt held a top-10 ranking throughout the season, and finished as the co-champion in the GPAC. The Defenders are 9-1, with their lone loss coming in the regular season finale against Morningside. Dordt is ranked No. 11 in the final coaches' poll, and were seeded 10th overall. 

Dordt had 15 All-GPAC honors this season, while head coach Joel Penner was named as the GPAC Coach of the year. This is the third postseason birth for Dordt in their program history. 

The Defenders average 40.3 points per game, and run for 246.6 points per game. The offense of the Defenders mirrors Marian's cross MSFA opponent, Taylor University, with the Trojans' head coach coming from Dordt before landing in Upland. 

MARIAN IN THE POSTSEASON
Marian has fared well in the NAIA Football Championship Series in the program's history. Here are notable numbers for Marian:

• 20-10 overall record
• 9-3 record in the NAIA First and Second Round
• Coach Ted Karras Jr. is 3-1 all-time for Marian in the First and Second Rounds
• Marian's last playoff appearance came in 2023, when Marian lost a rematch against St. Xavier 31-21
• The Knights are 5-5 overall playing on Thanksgiving weekend
• This will be the sixth time Marian has hosted over Thanksgiving, with the last coming in 2023
• Marian's last win over Thanksgiving weekend in the NAIA FCS came on November 30, 2019, when the Knights hammered the University of the Cumberlands 30-0. Marian went on to play in the national championship game following that win.

ALL-MSFA HONORS
On Thursday, the Mid-States Football Association announced the 2025 all-conference honors. In the Midwest League, Keagan La Belle headlined Marian's 23 total honors as he was named the MVP in the first year of the award's existence. Head coach Ted Karras Jr. was named the MSFA Midwest League Coach of the Year, marking the second time he has earned the honor. Marian logged 10 total first team honors in the MSFA Midwest League, led by six players on the defensive side of the ball. To view the full recap of the all-conference awards, view the linked story above. 

TICKETS AND PARKING
Tickets for next Saturday's game will go on sale Sunday at 12:00 p.m. EST. Below are ticket prices and parking guidelines

• General admission tickets will start at $15
• Reserved seating is $20
• Chairback seating is $25
• Children 5 and under will receive free entrance
• Faculty and staff can claim two free tickets
• Student affairs is paying for the first 100 Marian student tickets for Saturday's game. After the first 100 are claimed at the gate, student tickets will cost $5 with a valid student ID. 
• Parking will be $10 and will be sold on campus on Saturday. All M-Club parking passes for the season will be honored for the playoff game
• Ticketing questins can be directed to Linny Rousseau, Marian Assistant Athletic Director. Parking questions can be directed to Nick Torres, Development Officer

HOW TO WATCH
Those fans unable to attend Saturday's game can watch live and tune in to the Marian football broadcast team of Scott McCauley and Zach Graves on the ISC Sports Network. The pay-per-view cost for Saturday's game against Dordt University on the ISC Sports Network is $9.99. This game will not be included live as part of the season pass on ISC, and must be purchased separately. Fans who have purchased the season pass already will be able to watch the game as part of the package following the conclusion of the season. Fans can also find live statistics at marianstats.com. Live updates of the game will be posted on the official Marian Athletics X (Twitter) and Instagram pages @MUKnights, along with the team's social pages, @MarianUFootball.

GAME TIME
Marian and Dordt will play on Saturday, November 29, at 1:05 p.m. at Ascension St. Vincent Field. The winner of the game will advance to the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals, with opponents to be announced at the conclusion of the second round next Saturday.

All media requests must be made to Assistant Athletic Director for Communication Mitch Huppert. All media members need to resend a request to cover Marian in the postseason. 

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