The players and coaches from Marian and Morningside have been exchanging pleasantries for the past few days at various functions around town.

Now, though, the niceties are over: Finally, it’s game time.

Tonight, the two teams that successfully traveled the three-week Road to Rome will clash at Barron Stadium in the NAIA championship game. It will be the first title-game appearance for either school.

The game is expected to bring thousands of supporters from both schools.

Local fans, however, might not yet know that much about the Knights and Mustangs — but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.



Listed below is a closer look at both teams.



Morningside College Mustangs



3 Players to watch on offense:



Joel Nixon, senior, quarterback



Nixon set the school record with 47 touchdown passes; is the NAIA national leader in pass efficiency (177.1); ranks No. 2 in NAIA in total offense (337.2 ypg); ranks No. 6 in NAIA in passing (278.0 ypg)



Joel McCabe, junior, running back

Leads team with 80 pass receptions for 1,224 yards; Ranks second on team with 17 touchdowns; ranks 10th in NAIA in receiving yards per game (94.2); and 13th in receptions per game (6.2)



Kyle Schuck, junior, wide receiver



Ranks second on team with 63 receptions for 986 yards; leads team with 19 touchdowns; ranks 15th in NAIA in scoring with average of 8.8 points per game.



3 Players to watch on defense



Jared Goforth , senior, free safety 



Goforth leads team with nine interceptions; second on team with 10 pass breakups; third on team with 81 tackles, including team-high 49 solos; ranks fourth in NAIA with nine interceptions.

Colby Henderson, senior, corner back



Was the 2011 Beyond Sports Network NAIA National Defensive

Player of the Year when he led the nation with 11 interceptions.



Has four interceptions this season, along with 10 pass breakups, and 68 tackles; Has 20 career interceptions to put him two shy of Morningside school record; Has 21 kickoff returns for 31.1 yard average with two TDs.



Has 14 pass receptions for 387 yards and three touchdowns for an average of 27.6 yards per catch.



Aaron Roberg, junior, linebacker



Leads team with 115 tackles, including 11.5 behind the line of scrimmage for losses of 40 yards and 2.5 quarterback sacks

 3 Things you need to know about the Mustangs going into today’s game:



 Morningside leads the nation in scoring defense (11.9 points per game)

Morningside leads the nation in rushing defense (63.1 yards per game)



Morningside is third in the nation in scoring offense (45.5 ppg) and total offense (491.7 ypg)



 3 Games that shaped Morningside’s season:

 

Morningside 34, Northwestern College 7: Sept. 8 — Morningside’s Great Plains Athletic Conference opener was a matchup between the two teams expected to contend for the conference title. Northwestern had been tabbed the league favorite in the GPAC Coaches’ Pre-Season Poll, but Morningside dominated the contest and led 27-0 after three quarters.

Morningside 47, Southern Oregon 44 OT: Nov. 24 — Morningside won a shootout against the nation’s No. 1-ranked offense. Morningside held on a third-and-one from its own one-yard line with 30 seconds left to force Southern Oregon to settle for a game-tying field goal to send the game into overtime.

Morningside 47, Saint Xavier 19: Dec. 1 — Morningside advanced to the title game with a dominant performance against the reigning NAIA National Champions. The Mustangs led 21-16 after the first quarter and then held the Cougars to just three points the rest of the way, including a shutout in the second half.



 

Marian University Knights



 3 Players to watch on offense:



 Tevin Lake, sophomore, running back

Has 284 rushes for 1,490 yards this season, and has scored 16 touchdowns on the ground; Has 36 receptions for 489 yards and four touchdowns.

Adam Wiese, senior, quarterback



Has completed 255-of-371 passes for 2,999 yards; Has thrown 27 touchdowns with only seven interceptions.



John Hasty, senior, wide receiver



Has 47 receptions for 476 yards and three touchdowns



 3 Players to watch on defense      



 Dan Brunke, senior, defensive end

Has 57 tackles, including 16 solo and 41 assists; Has 8.5 tackles for loss, including a team-high five sacks; Has one interception

Seth Vondersaar, junior, defensive end



Leads the team with 81 tackles (22 solo, 59 assists); Has recorded 10.5 tackles for loss (which leads team), with 4.5 sacks



Stephen Rogers, senior, safety



Has 55 tackles (18 solo, 37 assists) and a team-high five interceptions



3 Things you need to know about the Knights going into tonight’s game:

Marian is ranked No. 4 in the nation in rushing defense per game



The Marian program is in just its sixth year of competition



Marian is ranked No. 8 in nation in total pass offense

3 Games that shaped Marian’s season:



Marian 45, St. Francis 38: 

Oct. 13 — Facing the nation’s No. 7-ranked teams, the Knights used an explosive offensive performance to earn the win.

Marian 45, St. Francis 34:

Nov. 24 — Faced with the always-challenging dilemma of beating a team twice in one season, Marian rose to the task and posted the postseason victory.



Marian 20, Missouri Valley 17:

Dec. 1 – Thanks to a late field goal by Michael Josifovski, Marian downed No. 2-ranked and previously-unbeaten Missouri Valley to advance to the NAIA championship.