2023 Northwestern Red Raiders football
GPAC champion
ConferenceGreat Plains Athletic Conference
Record14–1 (10–0 GPAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJosh Fakkema (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorBilly Kirch (8th season)
Home stadiumKorver Field at De Valois Stadium
2023 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 Northwestern (IA) $^  10 –0   14 –1  
No. 14 Dordt ^  8 –2   9 –3  
No. 10т Morningside ^  8 –2   9 –3  
Dakota Wesleyan  5 –5   6 –5  
Midland  5 –5   6 –5  
Concordia (NE)  5 –5   5 –5  
Hastings  4 –6   5 –6  
Briar Cliff  4 –6   4 –7  
Mount Marty  2 –8   3 –8  
Doane  2 –8   2 –9  
Jamestown  2 –8   2 –9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

The 2023 Northwestern Red Raiders football team is an American football team that represented Northwestern College of Orange City, Iowa, as a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) during the 2023 NAIA football season. In their eighth year under head coach Matt McCarty, the Red Raiders compiled a 14–1 record (10–0 against conference opponents), won the GPAC championship, and were ranked No. 1 among all NAIA programs at the end of the regular season.

The Red Raiders advanced to the NAIA football playoffs where they received a bye in the first round and defeated Dordt Defenders (7-0) in the second round, the Saint Xavier Cougars (34-17) in the quarterfinals,[1][2] and the GeorgetownTigers in the semifinals. Northwestern lost to Keiser in the NAIA Championship Game on December 18 by a score of 31 to 21.

The 2022 team won the NAIA championship, and the Red Raiders compiled a 28-game winning streak dating back to the second game of the 2022 season.

Key players on the 2023 team include junior quarterback and co-captain Jalyn Gramstad,[3] senior running back and co-captain Konner McQuillan,[4] and senior wide receiver Michael Storey.[5] Gramstad was named 2023 GPAC Offensive Player of the Year, and Matt McCarty was named GPAC Coach of the Year. A total of nine Northwestern players received first-team honors on the All-GPAC team, including Gramstad, McQuillen, and Storey, as well as offensive linemen Jawan Grant and Patrick Gottburg, long snapper Ty Shafer, defensive lineman Jacob Dragstra, linebacker Ben Egli, and defensive back Cody Moser.[6]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 21:00 p.m.at Concordia (NE)No. 1
W 48–351,800
September 96:00 p.m.at Drake*No. 1
W 27–24 OT3,526[7]
September 161:00 p.m.DoaneNo. 1
W 51–7
September 237:00 p.m.at Mount MartyNo. 1
W 42–01,693
September 301:00 p.m.at MidlandNo. 1
W 42–21
October 71:30 p.m.HastingsNo. 1
  • Korver Field at De Valois Stadium
  • Orange City, IA
W 45–7
October 141:00 p.m.at Briar CliffNo. 1
W 37–8
October 211:00 p.m. No. 22 DordtNo. 1
  • Korver Field at De Valois Stadium
  • Orange City, IA
W 35–14
October 281:00 p.m. No. 3 MorningsideNo. 1
  • Korver Field at De Valois Stadium
  • Orange City, IA
W 34–20
November 41:00 p.m.at Dakota WesleyanNo. 1
W 49–28
November 1112:00 p.m.JamestownNo. 1
  • Korver Field at De Valois Stadium
  • Orange City, IA
W 40–11[8]
November 2512:00 p.m. No. 14 Dordt*No. 1
W 7–0[1]
December 21:00 p.m. No. 12 Saint Xavier (IL)*No. 1
  • Korver Field at De Valois Stadium
  • Orange City, IA (NAIA quarterfinal)
W 34–17[2]
December 912:00 p.m. No. 4 Georgetown (KY)*No. 1
  • Korver Field at De Valois Stadium
  • Orange City, IA (NAIA semifinal)
W 35–10
December 1811:00 a.m.vs. No. 3 Keiser*No. 1
L 21–31

[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Zach Borg (November 26, 2023). "Complimentary football keeps Northwestern alive in NAIA Playoffs". Dakota News Now.
  2. 1 2 Ervin Dohmen (December 2, 2023). "Northwestern football advances into the next round of NAIA postseason play after 34-17 win over Saint Xavier". KTIV.com.
  3. ↑ "Jalyn Gramstad". Northwestern College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Konner McQuillan". Northwestern College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Michael Storey". Northwestern College. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Jalyn Gramstad Tabbed GPAC Player of the Year; 16 Raiders Honored". Northwestern College. November 15, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Drake football falls at home vs. Northwestern College". The Des Moines Register. September 10, 2023.
  8. ↑ Max O'Neill (November 11, 2023). "Jimmies football loses 40-11 at Northwestern". The Jamestown Sun.
  9. ↑ "2023 Football Schedule". Northwestern College. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
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