KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [FCS Schedule] The NAIA Football Championship Series First Round is now complete as the Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Blue Raiders defeated the Montana Northern Bulldogs on Sunday. The game time was pushed back 24 hours after travel complications impacted UMW's arrival into Kentucky. With only eight teams remaining, we are one step closer to the 66th Annual NAIA Football National Championship which will culminate on December 18th at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, N.C. For more information on the 2021 NAIA Football National Championship, click here.

No. 1 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 48, No. 16 Montana Western 21

• After being the last game to kick-off, the undefeated run for the reigning National Champions continues. Receiving the ball to start the game, the Bulldogs drove 51 yards before John Mears knocked in a 34 yarder to give UMW their first and only lead of the game. The Blue Raiders put up a pair of rushing touchdowns in the first quarter to take the lead. A third straight score – a passing touchdown from Cameron Dukes – continued the change in tide for LWC. Montana Western punched in a touchdown after a 72 yard drive, but Dukes was not done. He added two more scores before the intermission. The only points of the third period was a Nate Simkins reception. Lindsey Wilson opened the final period with two rushing touchdowns. The last points of the game was at the 9:20 mark with a Simkins TD pass.
• Lindsey Wilson recorded 27 first downs and converted 63% of their third down attempts. The Blue Raiders recorded 539 yards of offense, including a difference in 296-89 in rushing yards. Neither quarterback threw an interception in the game. LWC was led in rushing by Jaylen Boyd who carried the ball 28 times for 143 yards. UMW was guided by Jamison Hermanson’s 101 receiving yards.
• On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs’ leading tackler was Kameron Rauser with 10 solo and five assisted. Montana Western recorded nine tackles for a loss compared to only three for Lindsey Wilson. Robert Carter tallied a game-high three pass breakups for the Blue Raiders.