Top Ten Match-up Looms in Columbia
COLUMBIA, Ky. – The No. 6 Bethel Wildcats travel to Columbia, Kentucky Saturday to meet the No. 3 Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson.
Bethel is 8-0 overall and 5-0 in league play. The Cats are 3-0 on the road on the season. Lindsey Wilson is 7-0 and 5-0 in the league. The Blue Raiders are 3-0 at home on the year.
Game Coverage
Live stats:
https://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2022-23/boxscores/20221029_lyez.xml
Live video:
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lwc/
Listen:
WEIO, 100.9 and at:
https://streamdb6web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WEIO
The game will be the 486th game in program history. Bethel is 192-285-8 all-time.
The teams share three common opponents in the University of the Cumberslands, Campbellsville and Thomas More. Bethel beat UC 43-13, Campbellsville 39-31 and TMU 57-7. LWC beat UC 37-10, Campbellsville 21-12 and TMU 12-3.
It will be the ninth meeting between the two programs. LWC won 41-30 last year in McKenzie and leads the series 6-2. The Blue Raiders have won the last three meetings between the two.
Last Week:
(Bethel)
The Wildcat defense dominated the visiting Thomas More Saints last week in front of a huge crowd on Homecoming at Wildcat Stadium. The Cat offense also did their part scoring in every quarter in the 57-7 victory.
Bethel remained unbeaten at 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the MSC. The Saints fell to 4-4 and 3-2.
Bethel outgained TMU 486-159 in total yards. Bethel had 399 yards in passing and 87 yards in rushing. The Cat defense limited the Saints to just 38 yards in rushing and 120 in passing.
Scoring highlights:
Demetrice Gilbert -88 -yard touchdown on punt return
Darian Burns – 38 -yard interception return for touchdown
Joaquin Collazo – 89-yard touchdown pass to Avont Burrus
Terrance Roberts – 18- yard touchdown run
Collazo -76- yard touchdown pass to Davius Prather
Collazo – 10-yard touchdown pass to J D Dixon
Taylor Yancey -three- yard touchdown pass to Darel Middleton
Collazo – 39-yard touchdown pass to Burris
Austin Abbott – 38 -yard field goal
Abbott hit six of seven point after attempts
Collazo was 17-of-25 in the air for 368 yards and four touchdowns. Roberts led the ground attack with 50 yards. Prather had four receptions for 132 yards. Burrus caught three passes for 131 yards. Ten different Wildcats caught passes in the game.
Twelve different Wildcats had three or more tackles in the win. Darrien Lewis picked off a Saint pass.
(LWC)
Lindsey Wilson scored 27 unanswered points to beat host Cumberland (Tenn.) 27-3 last week at Nokes-Lasater Field in Lebanon, Tennessee.
Lindsey Wilson dominated the second half outscoring the Phoenix (3-5, 1-5) 17-0 while outgaining its host 252-78 after the break en route to the win.
Head Coaches:
Michael Jasper is in his fourth year as the Head Coach of the Wildcats.
Before becoming the head coach Jasper served as the Assistant Head Coach and worked with the defensive line. Prior to that he held the titles of Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator and oversaw the strength and conditioning program.
In 2021, the Wildcats were 7-4 overall, 4-3 in the Mid-South Conference and 2-1 against opponents ranked in the top eight in the country. Coach Jasper's career record is 23-14 overall and 14 -12 in conference play.
Before joining the Bethel staff, Jasper served as Offensive and Defensive Line Assistant at Bishop Timon High School in Buffalo, N.Y.
Mike spent three years in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
Coach Jasper played for the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2005 and was a starter on their 2006 Ohio Valley Conference championship team. After redshirting at Middle Tennessee State University, Coach Jasper joined the Bethel University Wildcats and was as an offensive and defensive lineman from 2008-2010. He was the first-ever Wildcat drafted to the NFL in 2011 with his selection by the Buffalo Bills.
He graduated from Bethel University with a bachelor's degree in university studies. He and his wife Allison along with their children Davis Reid, Millie Claire and Samuel David reside in McKenzie. Their rescue dog is named Caine.
Jasper is the 12th head coach in Bethel football history.
Phil Kleckler became the second head coach in Lindsey Wilson football history on December 14, 2021.
Kleckler took over as head coach after five seasons as the Blue Raiders' defensive coordinator. He led the Lindsey Wilson defense to its best season in 2021 -- leading the NAIA in scoring defense (11.2) and takeaways (36). Lindsey Wilson also ranked second in the NAIA in total defense (220.5 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (60.5 yards), and interceptions (24).
The Blue Raider defense set program records this season for points allowed per game, fewest points allowed (146), fewest total yards allowed (2,866), fewest rushing yards allowed (787), and most shutouts (4) while tying the program record for most games in a season (13).
While producing four of the program's all-time seven shutouts this season, the Lindsey Wilson defense held its opponents scoreless in 32 of the team's 52 quarters.
Over his five seasons as an assistant, he has helped lead Lindsey Wilson to a 53-6 record.
Did You Know?
Lindsey Wilson leads the nation in defense giving up just 44 points (6.3 per game) on the season. Bethel is 10th in the nation in scoring averaging 41.1 points per outing. The Wildcats yield just 12.4 points per game which is 6th best in the nation.
The No. 6 ranking is the best the program has been ranked since 2018. Bethel's highest ranking in program history was No. 3 in November of 2018.
Bethel's Devious Christmon has 14 career interception. He is second in career picks which is two behind all-time leader Hunter Pingston.
The 2022 Football Media Guide is available now on the Bethel Athletic page. Keep up with the Cats this season with the on-line version at https://en.calameo.com/bethel-university/read/003316375f35c839aee6f
Find out all you need to know about this year's team and their opponents. Bio's Records, Stats, and current rankings are all available. Get all the information about YOUR Wildcats!!!!!!
Bethel University honored three former athletic greats with inductions into the prestigious Bethel Athletic Hall-of-Fame last week. Alicia James (Women's Soccer), Leah Hensley Cripps (Softball), and Ricky Rosenjack (Men's Golf & Contributor) are the latest to be inducted.
It marks the 42nd class to be honored. Six teams and 107 individuals have been enshrined since 1980.
For more on the ceremonies, visit www.bethelathletics.com
Seventeen different states are represented on the Bethel squad.
2022 Bethel University Football Staff
Head Coach - Michael Jasper (4th season)
Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator - Chris Springer (5th season)
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator - Jay Bright (2nd season)
Offensive Assistant - Montgomery Allison (1st season)
Defensive Line Coach - Troy Brewer (1st season)
Senior Defensive Analyst - Terrell Jackson (2nd season)
Defensive Run Game Coordinator/Linebackers Coach - Dustin Kincaid (3rd season)
Assistant Offensive Line Coach - Austin Kisrow (1st season)
Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach - Cody McCallister (4th season)
Pass Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach - Greg Meyer (1st season)
Half Backs/Tight Ends Coach - Bret Peterson (2nd season)
Assistant Special Teams/Assistant Wide Receivers Coach - Hunter Scott (1st season)
Running Backs Coach - Jake Sisk (1st season)
Assistant Defensive Line Coach - Jamel Warren (1st season)
Golden Boosters and sponsors for Bethel Athletics this year are:
West Tennessee Public Utilities
Smith & Smith Optometry
Copies Unlimited
Steven Morton & State Farm Insurance
Trevathan's Electrical Services
Maddox Insurance LLC
Block City Pizza
Carroll Bank & Trust
Nicky Jo Stafford Real Estate