Football | 10/25/2024 3:10:00 PM
McPherson College (6-1) vs Bethany College (3-4)
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 | 1:00 PM | Ted Kessinger Family Stadium | Lindsborg, Kan.
WATCH | LISTEN | TICKETS | STATS
The McPherson College Bulldogs continue KCAC divisional play Saturday (Oct. 26) with a trip to Lindsborg, Kan. to take on the Bethany College Swedes.
A LOOK AT THE 'DOGS
MC is riding their longest winning streak since the 2010 season, coming into the contest winners of their last six games. The Bulldogs are averaging 34.4 ppg, which slates them fourth of all KCAC teams.
Tristan Szabo has been the Bulldogs top passer, throwing for 1,134 yards and 14 touchdowns. Jalil Brown leads the Bulldogs in rushing with 685 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns, which is tied for second in the Kessinger Division. Traven Lewis-Johnson leads the Bulldogs in receiving with 20 catches for 392 yards and four touchdowns. After missing the first four games, Dillion Coleman has come on to be an exceptional option for Szabo, catching seven passes for 83 yards and three touchdowns.
Defense has been a strong point for the Bulldogs
SCOUTING THE SWEDES
Bethany comes into the contest with a 3-4 record, their highest win total since 2019. The Swedes are averaging 22.4 ppg., which ranks them fifth in the Kessinger Division.
Dalton Whitworth has played in five games this season, and is slated as the Swedes starting quarterback. Whitworth has thrown just 15 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Trapper Enzor is 19-for-44 throwing the football for 223 yards and a score. On the ground, Zamarion Spencer has 432 rushing yards and three scores, while Josiah Hardrick has run for 283 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, the Swedes allow 30.9 ppg, and 391.7 total yards per game. Bethany leads the NAIA with 18 interceptions, which is four more than the next highest. Dakota Grayson and Khyree Marshall each have four interceptions, while Caleb Epperson and Frank Bohannon add three picks apiece.
SERIES VS. BETHANY
This is the 101st all-time meeting between the two schools. Over the last 20 years, the Bulldogs hold a 12-7 advantage in the series against the Swedes. The Swedes are 65-32-3 all-time in the series. MC has won each of the last three meetings, and four of the last five. During the three-game winning streak, the Bulldogs have outscored BC 143-6 with two shutouts.
LAST MEETING
Brysen Kerby scored three total touchdowns, and had 187 scrimmage yards to help power the Bulldogs to a 28-0 win. The Bulldogs defense came up huge, holding the Swedes to just 151 total yards. The Swedes had just nine first downs.
QUOTING FISCUS
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BULLDOGS BY THE NUMBERS
Home: 4-0
Away: 2-1
When scoring:
0-6 points: 0-0
7-13 points: 0-1
14-20 points: 0-0
21-27 points: 0-0
28-34 points: 1-0
35+ points: 5-0
When allowing:
0-6 points: 0-0
7-13 points: 3-0
14-20 points: 2-1
21-27 points: 0-0
28-34 points: 1-0
35+ points: 0-0
When scoring first: 4-0
When opponent scores first: 2-1
When leading at halftime: 6-0
When trailing at halftime: 0-1
When tied at halftime: 0-0
OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT
The Bulldogs have scored at least 35 points in six straight games this season. In the Fiscus era, the Bulldogs are 15-0 in games where they score at least 35 points. MC is averaging 34.4 points per game. The Bulldogs have only averaged more than 30 points per game once in the Fiscus era (2021 season averaged 30.5 ppg).
RECORD WATCH
Tristan Szabo needs just 278 passing yards to pass Bulldog great Shane Mascarenas for second place on the McPherson College all-time passing list. Szabo is 581 yards behind Ed Crouch. Szabo has 68 passing touchdowns, which is three behind Mascarenas, who is the all-time leader in passing touchdowns.
BOYS UP FRONT
For the second time this season, the Bulldogs front line held their opponent without a sack. The other game was week two against Sterling College.
LAST TIME MC WON SIX STRAIGHT GAMES…
... Jeremiah Fiscus was a Graduate Assistant at Texas Christian University.
... defensive coordinator Mitch Leppke was in his sophomore year at McPherson College.
... the KCAC had just 10 KCAC football playing members.
... the iPad had just been released.
... everyone dedicated hours of their lives to Angry Birds.
JALIL BROWN
Sophomore running back Jalil Brown has been outstanding this season for the Bulldogs. Brown has back-to-back 100-yard rushing games for the first time this season. Brown is averaging nearly 18 carries per game over the last five games. In the win over Bethel, Brown failed to score a rushing touchdown for the first time this season, but caught five passes, including a 23-yard touchdown.
KESSINGER DIVISION UPDATE
Two Kessinger Division teams remain undefeated after the first week of divisional competition with Friends coming into the week at 6-0 and Evangel 5-0. The opening week of divisional play saw one Top 25 matchup, with Friends blocking a field goal and returning it for a score to hand Southwestern its first loss of the season. Evangel routed Bethany 68-17 last week in Springfield, Mo.
During non-divisional play, the six Kessinger Division squads hold a combined 29-6 record against the Bissell Division. In the two seasons in this current format, Kessinger teams are 54-17 against the other side. Divisions will be reselected next season based on the combined records over the 2022-2023 seasons. The Kessinger Division outscored the Bissell Division 1,190-577 in 2024.
ACROSS THE LEAGUE
Tabor College at Avila University
Ottawa University at Sterling College
Southwestern College at Bethel College
Evangel University at Friends University
Kansas Wesleyan University at University of Saint Mary
OVER THE AIRWAVES
Never miss a moment of the action this season thanks to Ad Astra Radio. Every Bulldog football game will be broadcast on 98.9 FM KMCP. Listen live to play-by-play voice Lane Gillespie as he calls all the action when the Bulldogs are at home or on the road.
A BULLDOG WIN WOULD...
... be their fourth straight win over Bethany
... make them 3-1 on the road this season
... extend their winning streak to seven games for the first time since 2010
... improve them to 4-1 against the Swedes under Coach Fiscus
... improve them to 15-11 in road games under Coach Fiscus
... be the 31st head coaching win for Coach Fiscus
... be better than a Bulldog loss
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will remain on the road next Saturday, traveling to Springfield, Mo., to take on No. 20-ranked Evangel University. The Valor won the first-ever meeting between the teams last season 17-7 in McPherson.
COACH FISCUS
Jeremiah Fiscus enters his sixth year as the head coach of the McPherson College Football team in 2024.
The 2022 season proved to be a promising one, as Fiscus led the Bulldogs to a 5-5 record, but four of those five setbacks came to the top teams in the KCAC by a combined five points.
In his five years at McPherson, Fiscus has coached 57 All-KCAC players, including six first-team selections and 14 players landing on the All-KCAC second team. He has also coached three NAIA All-Americans, including 2020 KCAC Special Teams Player of the Year, Melvin Reed, and 2022 KCAC Player of the Year, Jonathan White.
Coach Fiscus is a former Bulldog who played for the college from 2006 – 2007 under coaches Dave Cunningham and Brian Ward.
Upon graduation from McPherson, he was hired as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he was the running backs coach. After earning a master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern State in 2010, Coach Fiscus was hired as a graduate assistant at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. While at TCU, he earned another master's degree, this one in educational administration, and worked for head coach Gary Patterson as assistant offensive line coach and recruiting assistant.
In his two seasons at TCU, the Horned Frogs won two Mountain West Conference championships, in addition to winning the Rose Bowl and the Poinsettia Bowl. He coached two All-Conference offensive linemen and the MWC offensive player of the year, Andy Dalton.
After two years with the Horned Frogs, Coach Fiscus was hired by Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He spent six seasons with the Reddies in a multitude of positions. He worked as director of equipment operations, team travel coordinator, NFL liaison, OL/TE/FB coach, recruiting coordinator, and offensive coordinator. During his time there, the Reddies won three GAC championships, had three NCAA D2 playoff appearances, and twice were #1 in scoring offense in NCAA D2 football.
Coach Fiscus is a 2003 graduate of Stafford High School in Kansas and was a multi-sport standout, lettering in track and field and football. After high school, he attended Dodge City Community College, playing for the Conquistadors from 2003-2005. After getting his associate degree at DCCC, Coach Fiscus transferred to McPherson College, where he played for two seasons and finished his education, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in education.
Coach Fiscus is married to Jessie, and they have two daughters, Lennox (2016), and Laiken (2019), and a son Leonard (2021).
