No. 5 Hardin-Simmons (9-1) at No. 8 Linfield (8-1)
NCAA Division III Playoffs, First Round
Noon, Saturday, Nov. 18, Maxwell Field, Ore.
 
The eighth-ranked Linfield Wildcats have drawn an opening-round NCAA playoff pairing with the No. 5 Hardin-Simmons Cowboys, rematching two first-round combatants from a year ago.
 
Struggling at times to move the football with consistency throughout the first half of Northwest Conference play, Linfield seems to have found its rhythm as the Wildcats enter the 32-team NCAA postseason tournament. The 'Cats (8-1)take a seven-game winning streak into Saturday's home game at Maxwell Field. Kickoff is set for noon.
 
Hardin-Simmons, coasted to a cool 5-0 since losing to American Southwest Conference rival Mary-Hardin Baylor, comes to McMinnville as the fifth ranked team in the nation and the highest-ranked team playing on the road in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs.
 
THE DETAILS
Kevin Nelson and Dave Hansen provide play-by-play coverage of Linfield football. Listen on TruTalk 800 KPDQ-AM for pregame coverage with host John Lee starting at 11:30 a.m. Simulcast coverage throughout the McMinnville area starts on Linfield campus station KSLC 90.3 FM at 11:45.
 
RHYTHM OFFENSE VERSUS DAUNTING DEFENSES 
 
COWBOYS
While Hardin-Simmons possess one of the top offenses in NCAA Division III (522 yards per game, 4th in NCAA), it has faced a top-caliber defense only once this season in defending national champion Mary Hardin-Baylor. With the 15th-best rushing offense and the 45th-best passing attack, the blend of both run and pass make for difficult decision-making on the part of the defense. Fielding a top-10 scoring offense, the Cowboys scored 45 points per game against American Southwest Conference opponents. Running a pistol formation in most offensive sets, the Cowboys like to get the ball to their playmakers quickly with screens, drag routes and crafty combinations.
 
The quarterback situation for the Cowboys appears to be as confusing as the Wildcats was for a majority of the season. Redshirt freshman Landry Turner leads the club with 1,596 yards while completing 71 percent of his throws. Turner has tossed 20 touchdown passes while yielding five interceptions. Turner, the starter in the last four games, is not a running threat with his longest run being 12 yards. The other quarterback on the HSU roster is junior Ty Hooper. Hooper has played in eight games, throwing for 942 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Hooper started during the middle of the season when Turner missed time, including a 17-7 loss at UMHB.
 
Perhaps the best running back in the country, junior Jaquan Hemphill leads the Cowboys with 999 yards rushing. His 7.40 yards per carry ranks 12th in the nation. Fumbling once and scoring 17 times (14 rushing, three receiving) Hemphill is the Cowboys' most dangerous threat to score and can do so in a flash. He has accounted for 26 percent of HSU's offensive yards and has scored more than a quarter of HSU's total touchdowns. A strong candidate for the Player of the Year honors in the ASC, Hemphill is the man to watch on Saturday. Expect to see Xavier Jones, Zai Zai Smith and Kavan Johnson in the backfield as well.
 
Spreading the ball around, four Cowboys have caught more than 20 passes this season. The top HSU receivers are juniors Reese Childress and Devonte' Walker. Both receivers have more than 40 catches, 620 yards and account for a combined 13 touchdowns. Childress has not had a 100-yard game since September 30 versus East Texas Baptist (147 yards on 10 receptions and one TD). A jack-of-all-trades, Childress punts and returns kicks for the Cowboys. Matthew Sandoval, Alex Bell, Colton Kent and Jaxson Money are all expected to see time at receiver or tight end for HSU.
 
The Hardin-Simmons offensive line weighs averages 274 pounds and features just one underclassman in sophomore right tackle Jonathan Castandeda (6-4, 280). Allowing 29 sacks in 11 games, including eight to UMHB, the Cowboys are statistically much better blocking downfield in the running game than they are in pass protection.
 
WILDCATS
Logging their most productive outing of 2017 last week at Pacific, Linfield has found its stride offensively at the perfect time. Led by a fierce ground-and-pound rushing attack and a new look in the passing game since promoting freshman Wyatt Smith to starting quarterback, the Linfield offense has evolved progressively since the first half of the season. Unranked nationally, Linfield averages 331 total yards per game but reached 340 yards against Puget Sound and 370 last week versus Pacific. The Wildcats average nearly 29 points per game.
 
Playing in six games, and starting in the last two, Smith has thrown for 506 yards while completing 66 percent of his passes in those starts. Establishing himself in the pocket against Puget Sound and Pacific, Smith threw five touchdowns to just two interceptions.
 
First team all-Northwest Conference running back Chidubem Nnoli has put the Wildcat offense on his back for the majority of the season. Tied for the conference lead in touchdowns with nine, Nnoli has rushed 150 times for 864 yards. No other running back on the Wildcats roster has more than 57 rush attempts this season. It will likely be the "Nnoli Show" on Saturday has the 'Cats stick to what has been working, riding their sophomore star who is enjoying one of the program's top-20 rushing seasons.  
 
When given the opportunity, Linfield's receiving corps has risen to the occasion. Led by first team all-NWC receiver J.D. Lasswell, the Wildcats have incredible talent lined up outside the numbers. Lasswell has caught 25 passes for 505 yards and nine touchdowns. He averages 20.2 yards per catch (35th NCAA) and has scored on a third of his receptions. After Lasswell comes high-flying freshman Kyle Kimball. Leaping his way to 19 catches for 268 yards and three scores since Linfield lost Tyler Torgerson to injury, Kimball has been extremely impressive. Keegan Weiss lines up in the slot with appearances from Khory Day and Drew Accimus. Tight ends Jacob Calo, Byron Greenlee and Sione Atuekaho can also contribute in the passing game.
 
 
WEST REGION'S BEST
 
COWBOYS
Impenetrable most weeks during the regular season, the HSU defense ranks among one of the best in Division III. Holding opponents to 10 or fewer points eight times, the Cowboys have been difficult to score against in 2017. Giving up 12.6 points per game, the Cowboys rank 17th nationally in scoring defense. The defense ranks 46th in total yards allowed, surrendering 300 yards per game.
 
Similar to Linfield, the top HSU defender is a senior linebacker. Josh White leads the Cowboys with 89 tackles. His six tackles for loss and seven pass breakups showcase his ability in the backfield and in coverage. White fills the middle of the defense with fellow linebacker Matthew Hawkins, who has collected 72 tackles, nine for loss and an interception.
 
Up front it's all about defensive end Jim LaFond. The 5-11, 215-pound senior leads all Cowboys 11.5 tackles for loss, including a team-best 7.5 sacks.
 
In the secondary, keep an eye on Dedrick Stambler. The sophomore ballhawk leads HSU with four interceptions while coverage cornerback Reggie Davis has broken up 16 passes.
 
The Cowboys have made the most of their opportunities defensively and show only one loss to prove it. Punished by jumping in front to massive leads, most opponents pile up their yardage passing the football in meaningless garbage time against this stout defense.
 
WILDCATS
With nine Wildcats named as NWC first or second team all-stars, the Linfield defense is ready to show the nation just how good it can be.
 
Ranked nationally in passing yards allowed (19th), rushing yards allowed (17th), scoring (10th), total defense (10th), team sacks (10th) and red-zone defense (17th), this is perhaps one Linfield's finest defensive units ever.
 
With 10 senior starters, Linfield is led by senior linebacker Jason Farlow, the Co-NWC Defensive Player of the Year. Farlow smashed his way to a team-high 76 total tackles, 10.5 for loss, two sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. His ability to blanket the middle of the field, deliver powerful hits and fill gaps in the run game make him one of the best defenders in the nation.
 
Fellow defenders Wade Ransom and Jake Reimer add more pop to a powerful defense that allows just 81 rushing yards per game. The Wildcats have a tough task in limiting Hemphill. Expect a heavy dose of strength on strength between the tackles.
 
Snubbed from the NWC all-star roster, senior defensive back Andrew Schwieterman leads the self-named "No-Fly-Zone" secondary with three interceptions. Anthony Guttadauro has added two picks of his own. So too have Ransom and Reimer.
 
Stuffing NWC opponents all season, Linfield is battle tested, playing well in close games throughout the year, including an overtime thriller. Linfield can be devastating against the running game and suffocating in coverage. The Wildcats' defensive depth and star-power thrive at Maxwell Field, where the 'Cats have allowed an average of five points per game to NWC opponents. 
 
OVERALL
Expect a slugfest. Many are predicting these two won't combine for more than 14 points. Despite two offenses with adequate rushing attacks, big offensive lines and nimble quarterbacks, defense will likely steal the show.
 
If the game comes down to field goals, Linfield has the clear advantage. All-star kicker Willy Warne missed just two field goals all season and has connected from 51 yards away.
 
The second season starts Saturday. It's a revenge game for the Cowboys, and another potential opportunity to take a crack at the Crusaders from Texas looming for whichever team can emerge as the survivor. The highest-ranked matchup in the first round of the NCAA playoffs offers everything a Division III football fan could ask for.
 
PLAYOFF PRINCIPALS
Linfield is making its 29th national playoff appearance and is in the NCAA Division III playoffs for the ninth straight season This is Linfield's 14th appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs; the Wildcats also made 12 appearances in the NAIA Division II playoffs and three in the NAIA playoffs when it was a single division. In all, Linfield has a 41-24 record in national playoff games (25-12 NCAA Division III, 14-9 NAIA Division II, 2-3 NAIA) … Linfield has won its last 12 playoff openers; its last loss in an opener was in the Wildcats' first NCAA Division III appearance in 2000, 20-17 in overtime at home against Central.
 
MORE PLAYOFF NUMBERS
Linfield has won four national championships: 1982, 1984, 1986 (all NAIA Division II) and 2004 (NCAA Division III). The Wildcats have played in 3 more national championship games: 1961, 1965 (both NAIA) and 1992 (NAIA Division II) … Linfield has won at least one game in 20 of its 28 national playoff appearances … in national playoff games, Linfield is 34-7 at home, 5-14 on the road, and 2-3 on neutral fields … starting with its first NCAA Division III appearance in 2000, Linfield is 20-4 at home, 3-8 on the road and 2-0 on neutral fields … Linfield is 1-3 in overtime games in the national playoffs … in addition to the national playoffs, Linfield has three additional postseason appearances, reaching the Oregon Bowl for the NAIA District 2 championship and going 1-2 (1976, 49-28 loss at Oregon College of Education [now Western Oregon]; 1979, 43-27 loss vs. OCE at home; 1981, 10-7 win at Oregon Tech).
 
VERSUS THE COWBOYS
Linfield has an all-time record against Hardin-Simmons of 5-2 in a series dating back to 2006; the Wildcats have won the last four meetings, including in 2016 when they took a 24-10 win in Abilene in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. The previous six meetings had all been in the regular season … Linfield is 3-0 against the HSU in McMinnville and 2-2 in Abilene … Linfield's widest margin of victory was 50 points, winning 71-21 in 2013 in Abilene, while HSU's widest margin of victory was 15 points as the Cowboys took a 21-6 win in 2006's first-ever meeting in Abilene … in the series' other games, Linfield won 52-42 in 2007 in McMinnville, HSU won 29-22 in 2008 in Abilene, Linfield won 37-22 in 2009 in McMinnville and Linfield won 49-35 in 2012 in McMinnville.
 
VERSUS THE LONE STAR STATE
Against teams from Texas, Linfield has an all-time record of 10-6. In addition to the games against Hardin-Simmons, Linfield is 4-3 against Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1-0 against Sul Ross State and 0-1 against Texas Lutheran … the four wins against UMHB were all in the national playoffs, including a 28-21 win in the 2004 national championship game; in 2009, Linfield won 53-21 in a second-round game in McMinnville; in 2014, Linfield won 31-28 in a second-round game in Belton, Tex.; and in 2015, Linfield won 38-35 in a quarterfinal game in McMinnville. The losses to the Crusaders were earlier this season by 24-3 in McMinnville, during the second round of the 2016 postseason by 27-10 in Belton, and during the 2016 regular season, 66-27 in Belton. The other games against Texas teams were in the playoffs: in 1965, Linfield beat Sul Ross State 30-27 in an NAIA semifinal in Alpine; in 1974, Linfield lost 52-8 to Texas Lutheran in an NAIA Division II semifinal in Seguin.
 
SINCE 2009
Since the start of the 2009 season, Linfield is 93-12 overall (.886), 77-4 (.951) in the regular season, 51-3 (.944) at home and 57-1 in NWC games (.983) … during that span, Linfield is 16-8 (.667) in the postseason.
 
COACH JOSEPH SMITH
Joseph Smith is in his 12th season as Linfield's head coach; he has an overall record of 111-21 (.841), which is the highest winning percentage of any head coach in Wildcat football history … Smith's record includes marks of 95-13 (.880) in the regular season, 72-5 (.935) in Northwest Conference games, 16-8 (.667) in the postseason and 61-7 (.897) at home.