DWU football gameday: Tigers travel to Midland in battle for GPAC first place

On September 25th, Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) football took on Midland University in a pivotal game for the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) standings. The Tigers and Warriors are both 3-0 in the conference, making this a significant matchup between two top passing offenses. DWU aims to secure its first win over a ranked team since 2017, as Midland holds a 23-16 lead in all-time series.

The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Heedum Field in Fremont, Nebraska. DWU, coached by Alex Kretzschmar (11-15 record, third season), faces off against Midland, led by Jeff Jamrog (68-42 record, 11th season at MU). Midland has a slight edge in the series, having won the last meeting 45-7 on November 8, 2025. DWU ended their previous game with a 37-3 victory over Briar Cliff on September 19, while Midland had a 28-16 win over then-No. 13 Northwestern on the same date.

Midland holds a 7-1 record against DWU in recent meetings, dominating the last eight encounters. Both teams have a strong history, with DWU playing every season since 1988, making this the longest-running continuous football series between the two. DWU's last start was 4-0 in the GPAC back in 2011, and they are currently rated No. 40 in the country, while Midland is No. 9 out of 96 NAIA teams.

DWU aims to surpass their 14 turnovers forced in the first four games of the season and aim for their highest scoring start since 2017. Quarterback Jed Jenson has thrown for 13 passing touchdowns, ranking No. 2 in the GPAC, while Reed Rus leads the conference in sacks with six. Midland features Jurrion Dickey as their offensive player of the week, with 178 yards and two touchdowns, and Brodey Johnson is leading the conference with 16 touchdowns passing.