The Aurora University football team (11-1 overall, 8-0 NACC) is headed to the NCAA Division III Football Playoff quarterfinal round for the first time in program history after the Spartans defeated the Alma College 48-26 last weekend in the second round. Alma recap (read here). 

The 2022 NCAA playoffs mark the seventh time in program history and third consecutive season the NCAA has held a playoff that AU is in the field of 32. 

The Spartans will travel to the Wartburg College (12-0, 8-0 ARC) in Waverly, Iowa on Saturday, December 3. Game time has been set for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff at Walston-Hoover Stadium. 

Watch the game action - 
- The game can be seen live using live stats or live video 

Game Day Information - 

TICKETS 
$8 adults
$5 seniors/students/children (3-18)
Free: Children under 3
Gates open at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Credit cards, debit cards, and cash all accepted.

All-Time Series - AU vs. Wartburg College

• Saturday will be the sixth meeting all-time.
• The all-time record is 4-1 in favor of AU.
• The last time the Spartans and Knights shared the gridiron, Wartburg defeated AU 27-7 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1993.
• The first meeting between AU and Wartburg happened in 1933 with AU winning 35-0.
• This will be the first meeting all-time in the NCAA playoffs between the schools.
• Both the Spartans and Wartburg are among the current active leaders in home win streaks in all NCAA football.
  • Active NCAA Home Win Streaks 
    Alabama (FBS) – 20
    North Central, Ill. (III) – 20
    Wartburg (III) – 18
    Montana State (FCS) – 18
    Northwest Mo. St. (II) – 18
    Georgia (FBS) – 18
    Mary Hardin Baylor (III) – 17
    Aurora (III) – 17
    Notre Dame, Ohio (II) – 16

About the 2022 Aurora University Spartans –

• AU is 11-1 overall on the 2022 season.
• The 11 wins is an AU school single season record for wins.
• AU won the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championship with an 8-0 record.
• The Spartans are making their first appearance in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals
  • AU defeated Alma College 48-26 in the second round.
  • A first round victory 33-28 at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
• AU has won 11 consecutive contests, the second longest win streak in AU history.
  • AU won 13 straight games from the end of the 1991 season into the 1992 year.
• The Spartans are averaging 48.5 points per game on the season, second in Division III.
• The AU offense is averaging 492.0 yards per game, 8th in Division III.
• The defense is allowing 14.3 points per game on the season, 26th in Division III.
• The defense has a Division III leading 27 interceptions.

Spartan Key Performers - 

• Josh Swanson has passed for 3,297 yards on 227-of-378 passing, 51 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
• Jhe'Quay Chretin is averaging 6.3 yards per carry, 127.5 yards per game, has 14 rushing touchdowns and an AU single season record 1,530 yards.. 
• Trey Madsen has 66 catches for 944 yards and 17 touchdowns
• Cameron Moore has caught 49 passes for 913 yards and 10 touchdowns.
• Michael Boland has caught 33 passes for 518 yards and nine touchdowns.
• James Mautino has returned two punts for touchdowns and is averaging 13.4 yards per return.
• Marcellus Romious has 99 tackles, 14.5 for loss with two sacks, two interceptions and seven pass break-ups.
• Ben Slatcoff has a team-leading six interceptions with 10 pass break-ups and 50 tackles.
• Ernesto Ramirez has 62 tackles with five interceptions.

Spartans in the National Statistical Rankings: 
AU is led by an offense that ranks second in scoring offense (48.5 points per game), second in first down offense (312), eighth in total offense (492.0 yards per game), 11th in team passing efficiency (170.93), 21st in rushing offense (216.8 per game) and 25th in passing yards per completion (14.42). 

The AU defense ranks first nationally in interceptions (27), third in turnovers gained (35), fourth in defensive touchdowns (5), eighth in turnover margin (1.58), 17th in pass efficiency defense (97.79), 17th in red zone defense (0.594) and 26th in scoring defense (14.2 points per game allowed).

Individually, the Spartans are led several individuals who rank among the top 25 in many categories.

Quarterback Josh Swanson is first in passing touchdowns (51), first in points responsible for (330), first in points responsible for per game (27.5), fifth in passing yards (3,297), 13th in passing yards per game (274.8), 13th in passing efficiency (172.6), 17th in total offense (287.2) and 25th in yards per completion (14.52).

Running back Jhe'Quay Chretin is ranked third in rushing yards (1,530), 10th in rushing yards per game (127.5), 21st in yards per carry (6.3), 21sr in rushing touchdowns (14), 19th in all-purpose yards per game (146.17) and 23rd in total touchdowns (15).

Wide receiver Trey Madsen is third in receiving touchdowns (17), 13th in total touchdowns (17), 14th in total points scored (102), 17th in receiving yards (944) and 20th in scoring (9.3).

Defensively, Ben Slatcoff is 22nd in interceptions per game (0.5) with six total and is 24th in passes defended per game (1.3) with 10 total while Connor Nordmeyer and Otis Watts are 25th in fumble recoveries (2).

Specialist, punt returner James Mautino is second in punt return touchdowns (2), 15th in punt returns with 13.4 yards per return and 17th in combined kick returns (697 yards).

About the Wartburg College Knights–

• The Knights earned an automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Division III Playoffs by winning the American Rivers Conference (ARC).
• Wartburg is making its 15th overall appearance in the Division III Playoffs. 
• Wartburg defeated UW-Lacrosse (14-6) and Saint John's University (23-20) in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
• The Knights are 12-0 on the season and 8-0 in the ARC
• Wartburg is averaging 41.0 points per game.
• The Knight defense is allowing 7.25 points per game.
• On offense they average 440.6 yards per game, 215.3 on the ground and 225.25 in the air.
• On defense they allow 212.3 yards per game, 168.92 in the air and 43.4 on the ground.

Knights to Watch - 

• Hunter Clasen leads the team with 1,349 yards on the ground and 17 touchdowns.
• Nile McLaughlin has thrown for 2,576 yards and 22 touchdowns.
• Drake George leads the receivers with 592 yards, and Thomas Butters leads the group with five TD catches.
• Ben Bryant leads the team with 20 punt returns for 317 yards. He also has 388 rushing yards for five touchdowns, and 145 receiving yards for two touchdowns.
• Owen Grover leads the defense with 86 tackles, and junior Nate Link follows with 80 tackles.
• Jordan Downing leads the team with 15.0 TFLs and 10.5 sacks.

Wartburg in the National Statistical Rankings: 

Wartburg ranks in several national stat ranking categories. 

As a team, the Knights are: first in rushing defense (43.4), turnovers gained (40), and winning percentage (1.000), second in interceptions (25), turnover margin (2.17) and red zone defense (.476), third in scoring defense (7.2), eighth in fourth down conversion percentage defense (.241), fourth in fumbles recovered (15), fifth in team passing efficiency defense (86.52), eighth in total defense (212.3), 10th in third down conversion percentage defense (.266), 12th in team sacks (3.42), 13th in first downs offense (273), 14th in blocked punts (3) and punt returns (16.79), 16th in scoring offense (41.0), 20th in defensive TDs (3), 22nd in rushing offense (216.7), 24th in sacks allowed (1.00) and team TFLs (7.9).

Individually, Hunter Clasen is sixth in rushing yards (1,349), 13th in rush yards/carry (6.58) and total TDs (17), 14th in points (102) and 20th in rushing yards/game (112.4); Nile McLaughlin is fifth in rushing TDs (17); Cael O'Neill is 10th in field goal percentage (.800), 13th in field goals/game (1.00), and 39th in points (86); Parker Rochford is 11th in passes defended (1.6), and Jordan Downing, Justin Grieff, Owen Grover and Trent Roling are 25th in fumbles recovered (2); Ben Bryant is sixth in punt returns (15.8); Thane Alexander, Parker Rochford and Kaleb Lamphier are eighth in punt return TDs (1).

Up Next for the Spartans - 
- With a victory on Saturday, the Spartans would advance to the semi-final round of the 2022 NCAA Division III Football Championships and play on Saturday, December 10 against the winner of the match-up between University of Mount Union and Delaware Valley University.