NAIA Football Championship Series Quarterfinals Recap

QUARTERFINALS RECAP (Dec. 6) 

#1 Grand View def. #7 Lindsey Wilson, 35–7 

Top-ranked Grand View extended its winning streak to 26 games with a dominant 35–7 quarterfinal win, improving to 12–0 and advancing to the NAIA Semifinals. The Vikings struck early with a pair of first-quarter touchdowns and took a 14–0 lead into halftime behind a stingy defensive effort. 

Grand View pulled away in the second half with a 36-yard TD pass, an 85-yard kickoff return score, and a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown to put the game out of reach. The Vikings held Lindsey Wilson to just 224 total yards, controlling the matchup on both sides of the ball from start to finish. 

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#5 Benedictine def. #4 Friends, 24–18  

Benedictine advanced to its second straight NAIA Semifinal with a gritty 24–18 road win at Friends. The Ravens opened fast with a 10–0 first-quarter lead and added two key passing touchdowns to maintain control throughout. 

The nation's top-ranked rushing offense was held 100+ yards below its season average, as the Ravens' defense delivered timely stops—including a late fourth-down pitch deflection and recovery to seal the victory with three seconds remaining. Offensively, Benedictine leaned on a balanced attack, highlighted by 153 rushing yards from Xavier Ugorgi. 

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UP NEXT — SEMIFINALS (Dec. 13) 

#1 Grand View vs. #5 Benedictine 

Location: Des Moines, IA — Duke Williams Stadium 
Kickoff: Saturday, December 13

A familiar matchup awaits, as Grand View and Benedictine meet for the ninth time in series history. The Vikings hold a 6–2 advantage and have won four straight, including this season's 27–24 win on September 6 in Des Moines. The winner advances to the NAIA Football Championship — a showcase of Heart football with two conference powers competing for a championship berth.