On Saturday, September 4, Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) will kick off its home football schedule against Doane University in what marks the start of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) season for both teams. The matchup is particularly significant for the Tigers, who are eager to recover from a narrow defeat in their season opener against Dakota State.
DWU enters this contest with a record of 0-1 following a hard-fought 35-27 loss to Dakota State on August 29. Meanwhile, Doane comes into the game with a 1-0 record, having been awarded a forfeit victory over Texas College due to health concerns that prevented the game from taking place. This unique situation leaves some uncertainty surrounding Doane's preparedness as they have yet to play a game this season, raising questions about their readiness for the GPAC's Tiger Bowl.
The game is set to take place at 11 a.m. at Joe Quintal Field, where the Tigers will be looking to capitalize on their home-field advantage. The all-time series between these two teams has historically favored Doane, which leads 25-16-1. However, DWU has had recent success, winning the last three encounters, including a decisive 33-7 victory in their last meeting on October 4, 2025, in Crete, Nebraska.
Both teams are led by coaches in their third seasons. Dakota Wesleyan's Alex Kretzschmar holds an overall record of 8-15, while Doane's Jonathan Johnson has a record of 6-16. The stakes are high for both coaches as they seek to establish momentum early in the GPAC season.
In terms of recent performance, DWU demonstrated a solid rushing attack against Dakota State, accumulating 147 yards on 26 carries, with Landon Iverson leading the way with 75 yards. This marked DWU's best rushing performance in over a year. The Tigers also showed improvement in their offensive line, allowing only one sack after a challenging 2025 season where they conceded 43 sacks over 11 games. Defensively, DWU showcased its strength with four sacks, a notable achievement for the team.
On the other side, Doane will be looking to build on its forfeit win and find a rhythm with its new quarterback, Noah Booras, who is stepping in after the departure of multi-year starter Sam Hartman. The Tigers lost their top three rushers and two leading receivers from last season, making their offensive strategy a point of intrigue as they prepare to face DWU.
As the teams gear up for this pivotal matchup, Dakota Wesleyan will aim to extend its recent dominance over Doane, while the visiting Tigers will seek to break a losing streak in Mitchell, where they last secured a victory on October 5, 2019. Following this game, Dakota Wesleyan will head on the road for its first GPAC away game against Waldorf next Saturday, while Doane will travel to Morningside for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
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