Newberry College set to play in Division II football semifinals with national title hopes on the line
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Newberry College is preparing to take on Ferris State in the NCAA Division II football semifinals on Saturday.
The Wolves (12-1) are riding a ten-game win streak and have already recorded their most wins in program history this season.
Newberry eclipsed their 11-win record in the second round of the playoffs on Nov. 29 when they knocked off West Florida on the road in Pensacola, 24-17.
The previous all-time wins record was when current head coach, Todd Knight, was defensive coordinator in 2006.
Now, the only thing Newberry, the No. 4 national seed and South Atlantic Conference champion, is missing?
Returning their first-ever national championship trophy to the Midlands for Wolves’ fans to enjoy.
But that’s not what Knight is focused on right now.
“Go 1-0 right now. Don’t worry about the record, don’t worry about the next game, don’t worry about anything other than going 1-0 this week. That’s been the message all year long,” Knight said to WIS.
But first, they will have to take down the powerhouse Ferris State Bulldogs on the road in Big Rapids, Michigan.
It will be no easy feat. Newberry will have their hands full when it visits Top Taggart Field.
Ferris State (14-0), the defending national champion from 2024, is the No. 1 national seed. The Bulldogs, who captured titles in 2021 and 2022, are also on a 28-game winning streak.
But Knight is a believer in his team.
The Wolves are 9-0 in one-score games, and last week’s quarterfinal win over Albany State was the third time this season they rallied from an 18-or more first-half deficit to earn a win, according to Newberry Athletics.
“This group of young men, they believe in each other more than any other group of young men I’ve ever had. You can be down by 21. It (happened) multiple times throughout the season. They believe in each other so fiercely, there’s no score they don’t think they can’t come back from, and they’ve proven that,” Knight told WIS.
In Big Rapids, it will be cold.
Temperatures are projected to be 15 degrees with wind gusts up to 29 miles per hour at kickoff, according to AccuWeather.
The winner will go on to McKinney, Texas, to play for the Division II national championship, facing either Kutztown University (PA) or Harding University (AR).
Kickoff is at noon.
You can watch the game on ESPN+. For extended coverage, you can visit WISTV.com or watch us on air before and after the game.
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