SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The 14th-ranked Evangel football team returns home Saturday for the Hall of Fame Game against Culver-Stockton at 6 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Evangel holds a 29-4 all-time record against Culver-Stockton and has won the last four meetings. Last season a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter helped the Crusaders hold on for a 20-17 win at Tiger Stadium and extend its winning streak over the Wildcats to four.
OPENING STORYLINES
► The 14th-ranked Evangel football team returns to Tiger Stadium to host Culver-Stockton after moving up in the Top 25 poll earlier this week.
► Evangel made the largest jump in the first regular-season NAIA Top 25 poll released on Monday. The Crusaders had started the season at No. 18 and were voted at No. 14 as one of four Heart teams ranked.
► The Evangel defense has put up two quality efforts and currently rank second nationally in total defense. The Crusaders have allowed just 164 yards per game through the 3-0 start including an even 100-yards of total offense allowed last Saturday at Clarke.
► Senior linebacker, Sam Morton (Strafford, Mo.) was honored this week as the Heart of America Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Morton led Evangel with nine tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss and an interception. He currently ranks fifth nationally in tackles for a loss this season with six.
► Defensively, the Crusaders are coming off their first shutout since late in the 2017 season (20-0 at Missouri Valley on Oct. 28). Thanks in part to the nation's top-ranked pass defense Evangel is holding opponents to 47 yards per game through the air.
► Offensively, a pair of Crusaders rank in the top 20 individually with quarterback Zeke Kuyawa at No. 15 in total offense and Jansen Acklin (Mt. View, Mo.) at No. 16 in all-purpose yards. Kuyawa has totaled 652 yards in three games, while Acklin has amassed 366 all-purpose yards as a wide receiver and kick returner.
► Junior quarterback Zeke Kuyawa carried for 123 yards on Saturday on 13 carries and two touchdowns. It was the first 100-yard rushing game for an Evangel quarterback since Andrew Brimhall rushed for 102-yards against MidAmerica Nazarene on Sept. 28, 2013.
►The 2019 Hall of Fame Class will be honored at halftime. Former administrative assistant to the department, Faye Liddle was inducted for meritorious service after serving the department from 1986 to 2014. In addition to Mrs. Liddle, the 2019 Hall of Fame Class welcomes, two-sport standout in baseball and original football member Eric Collins, two-time volleyball all-American Julie Griffith (Logan-Rogersville HS), two-time men's basketball all-American Mike Linehan (Shawnee, Kan.), and NAIA baseball all-American Tim Phipps (Nixa, Mo.).
► New to the 2019 season, fans can purchase tickets online at www.EUAthletics.com/Tickets. Tickets can either be presented by a smartphone at the gate or by printing the ticket from an email and having it scanned at the gate.
► Download the new Heart Conference Network App for AppleTV, Amazon, or Roku and watch Evangel football games on your smart TV or smart streaming device. All Evangel games are streaming online at www.EvangelAthletics.com/Watch and are compatible with smartphones.
LOOKING AHEAD
Evangel returns to Iowa for the second of three trips in 2019 to take on first-year program Clarke. Kickoff from Dubuque, Iowa is scheduled for 1 p.m.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, follow the Crusaders on Facebook at Facebook.com/EUAthletics or go to www.EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the Go Evangel Front Row App at EvangelAthletics.com/FrontRow available on Google Play and in the App Store.
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