Augustana hosts a huge CCIW matchup trying to break a long losing streak against Wheaton, while St. Ambrose searches for its first win.
Wheaton (0-1) at Augustana (1-0)
Saturday: 6 p.m., Lindberg Stadium.
Twitter: @TJ_DA.
Series: Wheaton leads the series 37-29-2 and is working on a 17-game win streak vs. the Vikings dating back to back-to-back Augie victories in 2005 (28-7) and 2006 (17-14).
Storylines: Augustana, picked sixth in the CCIW preseason coaches poll, faces a tough home-and-CCIW-opener as Wheaton comes to town ranked No. 18 in the latest D3football.com national poll. The Thunder were picked second in the CCIW coaches poll behind defending Division III national champ North Central, receiving one first-place vote.
About the Thunder: Wheaton opened the season with a 37-29 loss at No. 2 Mount Union. In that game, the Thunder threw for 273 yards, but gave up 307 yards passing and 462 total yards to the Purple Raiders. Senior QB Mark Vorcucci (23-42-1, 2 TDs) connected 11 times with senior WR Seth Kortenhoeven for 107 yards and both scoring tosses. … The Thunder had three players – Peter Johanik (6-1, 230, Sr., DE; 2024 second-team All-American), Luca Torti (6-1, 203, Sr., LB; 2025 first-team All-Region 5 selection), and Aidan Kingsbury (6-6, 312, Graduate Student, OL, who transferred from Princeton University; third-team All-Region 5 selection last fall) – named D3football.com Preseason All-Americans. … Wheaton missed the NCAA Division III playoffs last year for the first time since 2018.
About the Vikings: Augie won its opener two weeks ago, beating Simpson 42-41 in overtime. … One of the biggest issues with that game was that Augie lost five starters to injuries. Coach Steve Bell wouldn’t give the status on most of those players or if they would be available for the home opener. He did note that Moline junior DB Cooper Marsh was done for the season with a knee injury that will require surgery this coming Monday. … “He was having a great spring and fall. I feel horrible for him,” said Bell of the former Maroon. … “The kids that are filling those voids were the ones filling them against Simpson because those injuries all happened in the first half,” said Bell, noting no major personnel changes other than those for the injured players. … Bell said that the last two weeks were spent cleaning up “technique stuff” and focusing on resolving issues that showed up on film.
Augie coach Steve Bell: “Getting guys healthy — guys that we need to count on – getting them as close to as good as they can be, is big for us. Some of them will be back. … Wheaton is a very good football team with a very talented roster; they have always had that. They have some of the best players in the conference at certain spots. … They’re a fun team to play because you know the margin for error is really small. We have to match their relentlessness or they will overwhelm you.”
William Woods (0-3) at St. Ambrose (0-3)
Saturday: 6 p.m., Jack and Pat Bush Stadium, Davenport.
Series: This is just the second meeting ever between the two Heart of America Conference members. William Woods is in the South Division, SAU in the North, making this a non-conference cross-over clash.
Storylines: SAU won last year’s inaugural meeting, plucking the Owls 52-13 in Fulton, Mo. … It is Family Weekend on the Davenport campus. … SAU coach Vince Fillipp said the late start is a reciprocal for last year’s evening contest at WWU and is SAU’s final evening game after three of four to start the season.
About the Owls: WWU is coming in off last week’s 38-36 home setback to Culver-Stockton in another Heart of America crossover contest – one decided on the final play of the game, a CSU 30-yard field goal to win it after blowing a 21-point lead. … The Owls were picked to finish a distant last in the seven-team Heart South in the preseason coaches poll. … WWU has just seven seniors on its young roster, dominated by 47 freshmen. The Owls have 21 juniors and 22 sophomores rostered.
About the Bees: SAU is hoping to bounce back from last week’s 38-20 home-opening setback to previously winless Central Methodist. … Fillipp noted a number of injuries from last week’s game that will affect this week’s two-deep. RB Max Vasquez, OL Keith Sumpter and DL Jeffry Speer will miss the game, according to the coach. Sophomore OL PJ Carter is flipping from right tackle to left tackle. “There will be some different bodies getting kick this week,” said the fourth-year SAU head coach, noting other changes have been based on past performances.
By the numbers: William Woods has been outscored 161-87 this year, giving up nearly 54 points per game and scoring 29.0. … The Owls average 368 yards of offense per game (66.7 rushing and 301.3 passing) and allow 458.7 yards (184.3 rushing, 274.3 passing). … SAU has been outscored 111-78, allowing 37.0 points per game while averaging 26.0. The Fighting Bees are churning out 426.3 yards per game (110 rushing, 316.3 passing) and allowing 433.7 yards per game (170.1 rushing, 263.3 passing).
SAU coach Vince Fillipp: “We were trying to create a little more sense of urgency at practice this week, so we tweaked a couple of things in how we practice. Trying every angle to get the best possible results we can. … We get another opportunity to win a football game this weekend and we’re going to try to play our best football. … We need to execute at a high level consistently. We’ve struggled doing that for four quarters this year, and that’s going to be the challenge to the guys.”
–compiled by Tom Johnston
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TJ Johnston
sports writer/golf editor
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