Contact: Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Sports Information & Media Services, cwaller@naia.org     

ROME, Ga. -- Faced with two teams that have combined for nine National Championship titles and over 70 playoff wins, the football fan would guess that No. 1-ranked Sioux Falls (S.D.) and No. 2 Carroll (Mont.) have seen plenty of each other. Statistically, these teams have met four previous times with all occurrences coming in the postseason. The fifth meeting is scheduled in the 2010 Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship from Rome, Ga., on Saturday.

The last time these teams played each other was in the 2008 National Championship, when Sioux Falls won 23-7 and took home its third title. The Cougars are the two-time defending national champions and look to extend a 42-game winning streak in the 55th annual event. For the third straight year, the game will be televised live nationally on CBS College Sports Network with kickoff at 4:30 p.m. EST from Barron Stadium. The event is hosted by Shorter University (Ga.) and Rome-Floyd County.

Tied with Texas A&I (now called Texas A&M-Kingsville) for the longest winning streak in NAIA history, Sioux Falls has torn through its competition in the last three years. The last loss came at the hands of Carroll, 17-9, in the 2007 National Championship. Carroll leads the all-time series, 3-1, and has averaged nearly 25 points in those contests, while holding USF to around 12 points.

Sioux Falls, under the direction of rookie head coach Jed Stugart, is 13-0 on the season and has won three of the last four National Championships. The senior class is an unfathomable 55-1, has won four straight Great Plains Athletic Conference titles and stands 40-0 in the league. Their wins have not even been close blowing out the opposition by over 35 points this season.

So, even with a new head coach this year, the train just keeps rolling along.

“I make a point of emphasis to not change much throughout the season and be consistent,” said Stugart. “I have relied heavily on our coaching staff and our players who have been through the success before at Sioux Falls. I am excited because this is my first National Championship.”

The Cougars make no secret on their success -- defense. For the last three seasons, Sioux Falls has topped the nation in total defense, including this year (200.4 yapg). They have allowed just 13 touchdowns in 13 games and held three opponents to zero points and nine teams overall to fewer than 10 points.The defense has played as a cohesive unit with four players posting more than 50 tackles on the year. Led by All-Great Plains Athletic Conference First Team performer Dom Studzinski (68 tackles, 8.0 tackles-for-loss), the defense has been instrumental in the 26-straight weeks that Sioux Falls has been on top of the Coaches’ Top 25 poll.

“I respect Carroll and I know they respect us,” said Studzinski. “Everything we have seen from them, they are very disciplined. We are watching a ton of film because we know that they are a very good team. Everything they are doing, they are doing well. We just have to make sure we are prepared as much as we can be.”

Perhaps lost in the defensive supremacy is an excellent Sioux Falls offense. Ranked in the top-10 nationally in three categories, including 10th in total offense (451.4 ypg), the engineer is senior quarterback Jon Eastman. His 45 passing touchdowns is second-best in the NAIA this year and he has tossed for 3,293 yards, good for fifth. His favorite target is 2010 AFCA All-American Jon Ryan. The senior out of Watertown, S.D., has caught an NAIA-record 24 touchdowns on 74 catches for 1,340 yards. Ryan has tallied at least one touchdown reception in 11 of 13 contests this season, with nine multi-touchdown performances.

Sioux Falls will have a test against a stout Carroll defense. The Fighting Saints give up under 170 passing yards and about 95 rushing yards.

A team that formed a dynasty and won an unprecedented four-consecutive National Championships from 2002-05, Carroll is back in the title game after a one-year absence. The Fighting Saints are 13-0 on the year and recently won their 11th-straight Frontier Conference Championship. With five overall rings, Carroll holds the third-most Championships. The Fighting Saints are playing in their 11th straight postseason and seventh Championship finale, all coming since 2002.

Head coach Mike Van Diest, who is 130-20 in his 12th season, has had unparalleled success at Carroll. He holds the best winning percentage of active NAIA coaches. When asked what makes this team different from other squads, he says this.

“This is a fun team this year. We have had some success in the past. I think that maybe the difference this year is that we have no selfish players on this team. They have really banded together and become a tight family. They believe in the brotherhood of football and why they are here. They want to be the best they can be.”

Carroll is a run-first, pass-second type of offense. Senior running back John Camino and sophomore Chance Demarais (pronounced Dem-a-ree) both tip the scales at 220 pounds and combine as a formidable rushing attack. Add in senior quarterback Gary Wagner’s 450 rushing yards and three scores and the Fighting Saints put a scare into any opposing defense.

Camino has had over 900 yards rushing in each of the past three seasons while reaching a career-best 1,276 this year on 222 attempts (5.7 ypc) to go along with 16 touchdowns. He has topped the 100-yard mark eight times this season, including three of his last four games. His sidekick, Demarais, comes into Saturday with 779 yards on 164 carries (4.8 ypc) and nine scores. In nine games this year, the team has rushed for over 200 yards and stands 10th in the nation overall in rushing offense (237.3 ypg).

“Carroll’s offensive line is quick and well-disciplined,” commented Sioux Falls coach Stugart on the offense he will try to defend against. “With their running backs that big, we can’t over-pursue and we have to tackle. Obviously, we have to eliminate the big play. The game could come down to special teams. Field possession is going to be precious.”

The 10th-ranked rushing offense will be going up against a Sioux Falls defense yielding just 86.8 yards per game on the ground, good for fifth in the country. In 13 games, only four opponents have been able to rush for more than 100 yards against the Cougars with a season-high of 163. In addition, just two opponent rushers have eclipsed the century mark on the ground against Sioux Falls. Between the trio of Camino (8), Demarais (1) and senior Ryan Egan (1), there have been 10, 100-yard games accomplished by Carroll players this year. Something has to give in the rushing game.

An element that breeds success for Carroll is the defensive group. At the core is 2010 AFCA All-American senior linebacker Thomas Dolan. He has posted 72 tackles, including 3.5 tackles-for-loss, and two interceptions.He spearheads a defense ranked third in the NAIA in scoring defense (14.3 papg) and sixth in total defense (265.9 yapg). He recognizes the importance on stopping the Sioux Falls tandem of Eastman-to-Ryan in the passing game.

“Our defensive backs are going to be in for a test,” said Dolan. “I am going to have to line up with Ryan at times, so I know that is going to be tough. The connection they have is tremendous. We just hope that we don’t give up the big plays.

“They (Sioux Falls offense) are very similar to what they have done in the last five-to-six years. They have a great quarterback, great running backs and two great wide receivers at their disposal. We are going to have play together and know our assignments and alignments.”

If the game comes down to the wire, both teams have been faced with that pressure before. No other team has won more postseason games than Sioux Falls (36) and Carroll is a shade behind with 35 victories. With a combined nine National Championships won, Sioux Falls and Carroll are at an elite level. No other two programs have played each other in the title contest with more combined trophies. With 11 straight postseason trips for Carroll and 10 in-a-row for Sioux Falls, it is no surprise that both programs will be ready for the National Championship.

“By playing Sioux Falls, that is an established rivalry,” said Carroll senior tight end Bubba Bartlett. “They are a tremendous program. I am excited that we (seniors) get to play our last game against them. It will be an exciting game from start-to-finish.”

National Championship Game Notes

• This is the third-straight year that Rome, Ga., has served as host and the 45th different site for the National Championship.

• Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga., has undergone tremendous change in the last year. The stadium features artificial turf and lights. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST, which marks the first time the game will be played under the lights in Rome.

• In the last six years, the National Championship has not been decided until the final moments. The  average margin of victory during that span is 8.3 ppg, including a three-point win for Sioux Falls last season. In the five-year span prior (1999-2003), the average margin of victory was 17.6 ppg.

• There has been just one shutout since 1987 when Northwestern Oklahoma State blanked Georgetown (Ky.) 20-0 back in 2000.

• In its four National Championship wins, Sioux Falls has averaged 29.5 ppg and allowed 18.3 ppg. In its five title game victories, Carroll has averaged 25.6 ppg and allowed 13.4 ppg.

• A Sioux Falls win would give the Cougars their third straight and fifth national title overall. The five titles would put them in a third-place tie with Carroll and Carson-Newman (Tenn.) for the most crowns in history.

• If Sioux Falls takes home its third-straight hardware, the school would become the second to win at least three in-a-row. Carroll won four consecutive rings from 2002-05.

• Carroll, who is searching for its first National Championship since 2007, is two rings away from the all-time record of seven earned by Texas A&I. Westminster (Pa.) won six titles.

• With a combined nine National Championships, Sioux Falls and Carroll are at an elite level. No other two programs have played each other in the title contest with more combined trophies. In 1994, Westminster (Pa.) and Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) met in the NAIA Division II National Championship with a combined seven rings -- Westminster had five and Pacific Lutheran had two heading into the contest.

• With 36 wins in the Football Championship Series, Sioux Falls holds the most all-time wins. Carroll is right behind with 35.

• With both Sioux Falls and Carroll sporting an undefeated record, both participants have now had a perfect record heading into the last six National Championships.

• Sioux Falls is riding a 42-game winning streak, which is tied for the all-time best set by Texas A&I (now called Texas A&M-Kingsville). The Javelinas, currently an NCAA Division II program, won 42-straight from Nov. 17, 1973-Oct. 1, 1977. Sioux Falls has not lost since the 2007 National Championship game against Carroll, 17-9, on Dec. 15.

• The winning streak for Sioux Falls ranks third all-time among any division in NAIA or NCAA college football. Mount Union (Ohio), a NCAA Division III program, won 55-straight during the 2000-03 seasons. NCAA Division I  University of Oklahoma rattled off 47-consecutive wins from 1953-57. Standing with the fourth-longest streak is Grand Valley State from NCAA Division II with 40 victories in-a-row from 2005-07.

• The No. 1 and 2-ranked teams have faced each other five times in the title game (2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) since the 2000 National Championship. The No. 1 team is 2-3 during that span.

• Since 2000, the No. 1-ranked team in the title game is 4-4. Last year, top-ranked Sioux Falls held off No. 3 Lindenwood (Mo.), 23-7.

• The No. 2-ranked team stands with a 4-2 mark since the 2000 National Championship game. From 2006-08, the No. 2 team was the winner against the top-ranked club.

• The battle between Carroll and Sioux Falls in the National Championship is turning into a regular occurrence. These teams have squared off against each other in three of the past four title contests. Since 2002, the national champion has been crowned to either Sioux Falls or Carroll, with Carroll claiming five and Sioux Falls three banners.

• Sioux Falls holds a 4-2 record in six previous National Championship game appearances. Carroll is 5-1 overall with the only loss coming during the 2008 title bout against Sioux Falls.

• The Cougars are appearing in their fifth-straight National Championship game. That is the longest streak in NAIA history. Georgetown (Ky.) (1999-2002) and Carroll (2002-05) both made fourth consecutive trips to the title contest.

• Since the Rawlings-NAIA Player of the Year award was handed out beginning in 1997, the winner of the award has not translated into team success. In that span, the Player of the Year has played on a team that is 6-4 in the National Championship. In 2009, Sioux Falls quarterback Lorenzo Brown led his Cougars to their fourth National Championship. He was awarded the Player of the Year and snapped a three-game losing streak for the Player of the Year in the title game. The 2010 Player of the Year will be announced at the Banquet of Champions on Friday.

• Sioux Falls is one of 25 teams in all divisions (NCAA and NAIA) to reach 500 points scored this year. With 570 points, the Cougars are ranked seventh on the list. They have reached at least 500-plus points in five-straight seasons. They are looking at front-runner Saint Xavier’s (Ill.) season-high 670 points. Carroll is ranked 16th this year among all divisions with 523 total points.

• A Sioux Falls win would mean that it becomes the first team in NAIA history that a school won a National Championship in the last year of a previous head coach and in the first year of a new sideline general. Kalen DeBoer was the head coach during the 2009 National Championship run and Jed Stugart is in his first season with the Cougars.

• Since 2005, four of the past five national champions led the NAIA in total defense. Currently, Sioux Falls (200.4 yapg) is ranked first in the country in that category and tops in two other lists. Not far behind is Carroll, who is ranked sixth in total defense (265.9 yapg).

• Five teams entered the Football Championship Series with an undefeated record: Carroll, McPherson (Kan.), MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), St. Xavier (Ill.) and Sioux Falls. In each of the last three seasons, there have now been at least five schools to finish the regular season with an unblemished record. Sioux Falls has gone undefeated in each of the last five seasons, the longest active stretch.

* Some research compiled by Tex Noel, 1st-N-Goal College Football StatResearch; some information courtesy of Sioux Falls and Carroll Sports Information Departments