Title Game Tokens - Previewing national championship clash

Top-ranked Morningside College takes aim at the prestigious Tom Osborne Trophy Saturday, Dec. 15, facing Benedictine College of Kansas in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' championship game.

Game details: Kickoff is 5 p.m. Central Standard Time at Daytona Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla. … Live audio, statistics and video are accessible across www.msidemustangs.com, the Internet home of Morningside College athletics as well as at several watch parties and more outlined at https://www.msidemustangs.com/article/football/fan-guide-to-2018-naia-championship.

Mustang Marks: Saturday's showdown with the Ravens, the first ever between the two schools, marks the second time in program history that the Maroon has advanced to the national title tilt. The Marian University of Indiana edged them 30-27 in overtime in 2012 in their other appearance. Destination Daytona saw Morningside defeat Rocky Mountain College of Montana 49-20; St. Xavier University of Illinois 51-14; and previous two-time defending champion University of St. Francis of Indiana 34-28 in overtime … The Mustangs are no stranger to postseason play, having been involved in 15 successive campaigns with five of the last seven seeing them advance to the semifinals. The nine-time Great Plains Athletic Conference champions have a remarkable 161-28 record from 2004-18 … Head coach Steve Ryan's 2018 team has been a juggernaut on offense and defense in route to a 14-0 record. Twenty team and 26 individual statistical categories are among the nation's top 10 with eight individual and seven team marks sitting in the first slot. Along team lines, the Mustangs' national bests are highlighted by scoring (754 points); total yards per game (571.5); fewest rushing yards allowed (96.6 pg); total passing yardage (5,383 yards); and first downs per contest (28.5). Among the individual national top spots, the senior passing attack of quarterback Trent Solsma (SR/Dakota Dunes, SD) (Dakota Dunes, S.D.) and wide receiver Conner Niles (Sioux City, Iowa) have them in passing yardage (Solsma – 5,099); receiving yardage (Niles – 2,475); pass efficiency (Solsma – 199.7); and receptions (Niles – 146). Fellow Class of 2019 member Jared Amundson (SR/Sioux City, IA) (Sioux City, Iowa) is also atop the country in kicking scoring (109 points) … Niles and Solsma have rewritten the single-season and career national record book. In regards to single-season new standards, Solsma's 68 touchdowns and his 5,099 yards spotlight just the fourth player in NAIA history to reach 5000 yards, and Niles' 2,475 yards are school and national year bests as is his 31 touchdown receptions. Along career numbers, Solsma's 161 touchdown strikes are a national record as are Niles' 70 touchdowns. The Mustangs' wideout can also set a new career receiving yardage standard with just three more, as he trails current record holder Chris George of Glennville State of West Virginia 6177-6175. The school record annals have had the whiteout taken to them, too, this year with a combined 24 former bests falling individually and along team lines as Solsma and Niles have done so in 18 cases (passing, receiving, touchdowns, and total offense), while Amundson has toppled three scoring categories to supply most of the changes … The 2018 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' national championship week got off to a strong start Dec. 11. Morningside had four players earn American Football Coaches Association All-American accolades. The senior quartet of Solsma; Niles; Amundson and defensive back Xavier Spann (SR/Lakeland, Florida) (Lakeland, Fla.) represented Mside. Their selections continued an unprecedented run as the program's been represented a total of 22 times with 21 different players to lead all schools in the NAIA and have had at least player recognized in each of the last 13 seasons. Solsma was the lone first-team pick, while Amundson, Niles, and Spann were each placed on the second team. It's the second All-American nod for Niles, as he was also on the 2017 honor squads … Morningside captured all three of the major honors connected with the announcement of the 2018 all-GPAC awards, released Nov. 13. Ryan earned his seventh total and fifth Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Coach of the Year accolade since 2011. Solsma was named the program's seventh Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Offensive Player of the Year. Junior linebacker Joel Katzer (JR/Wellsville, KS) (Wellsville, Ks.) rounded out the sweep joining Northwestern College's Bryce Van Beek as co Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Defensive Player of the Year. The major award recognitions were just part of the remarkable Morningside theme on the overall all-loop lists. Mside had 16 first teamers and three-second team recipients to go along with six honorable mention designees. The 19 first and second team slots are the most in program history for a season and continue an amazing stretch of having 10-or-more in each of the last 11 years. Joining Katzer and Solsma on the first team were sophomore running back Arnijae "AP" Ponder (Omaha, Neb.); Niles who was also a second-team selection on special teams for kickoff and punt returner; junior wide receiver Bo Els (JR/Erie, CO) (Lincoln, Neb.); senior tight end Riley Rischling (JR/Bennington, NE) (Bennington, Neb.); senior offensive lineman Garrit Shanle (SR/Columbus, NE) (Columbus, Neb.); senior offensive lineman Garrett Temme (SR/Petersburg, NE) (Petersburg, Neb.); Amundson; senior punter Spencer Wyant (SR/Sergeant Bluff, IA) (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa); sophomore defensive lineman Seth Maitlen (SO/Creston, IA) (Creston, Iowa); sophomore defensive lineman Niklas Gustav (SO/Hamburg, Germany) (Hamburg, Germany); junior defensive lineman Alex Paulson (JR/Buffalo Center, IA) (Buffalo Center, Iowa); junior linebacker Jacob Katzer (JR/Wellsville, KS) (Wellsville, Ks.); Spann; and junior defensive back Klayton Nordeen (JR/Alliance, NE) (Alliance, Neb.). Second team spots went to junior wide receiver Addison Ross (SR/Carroll, IA) (Carroll, Iowa); senior defensive lineman Chase Reis (SR/Grand Island, NE) (Grand Island, Neb.) and Niles. Morningside was represented on the honorable mention section by sophomore wide receiver Reid Jurgensmeier (SO/Wahoo, NE) (Wahoo, Neb.); sophomore offensive lineman Nathan Nissen (SO/Spencer, IA) (Spencer, Iowa); junior linebacker Chase Nelson (JR/Beatrice, NE) (Beatrice, Neb.); sophomore defensive back Steven Evans (SO/Sunrise, FL) (Sunrise, Fla.); junior defensive back Deion Clayborne (JR/Sioux City, IA) (Sioux City, Iowa); and sophomore wide receiver Jared Meyers (SO/Colfax, IA) (Colfax, Iowa).