THIS WEEK IN CARROLL FOOTBALL

The fourth-ranked Saints host the top-ranked Southern Oregon Raiders in the season opener at Nelson Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Saints and Raiders met three times last season with a combined score of 123-119 in favor of the Raiders, who won two of the three games including the NAIA Football Championship Series Quarterfinals.

The Raiders are the No. 1 ranked team in the country in the preseason poll but Carroll was picked to win the conference by the Frontier coaches. The game received NAIA Game of the Week billing from the national office.

LAST GAME: SAINTS FALL TO SOU IN NAIA QUARTERFINALS

Austin Dodge threw for 470 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 8 Southern Oregon to a 45-42 victory over top-ranked Carroll College in the quarterfinals of the NAIA playoffs at a snow bound Nelson Stadium.

The Saints led 35-18 to start the fourth quarter but the Raiders scored four touchdowns in the final frame, including one with just 22 seconds remaining to earn the victory.

It was the first Playoff loss in Nelson Stadium since the 2009 quarterfinals when the Saints fell to Lindenwood (Mo.).

Mac Roche was 21-for-28 with 287 yards and a touchdown. He also scored twice with his feet.

Dustin Rinker tallied 157 yards on 28 carried and two touchdowns. The senior ended his career 5,379 career yards, seventh on the NAIA's career rushing top-ten.

ABOUT SOUTHERN OREGON

The Raider's lose NAIA Player of the Year Austin Dodge to graduation but return rushing leaders Mason Melvin, Sean Tow and Keegan Lawrence. They also have three starters on the offensive line returning.

The receiving corps lost two big time targets in Ryan Retzlaff and Dylan Young but Matt Retzlaff brings experience and he is joined by transfers Adonis Griffin and D.J. Willingham.

Defensively, the biggest playmaker may be transfer outside linebacker Oshay Dunmore who is at his third college in three years. He began his career at Oregon, where he played in 11 games as a true freshman before transferring to Illinois State who fell to North Dakota State in the FCS Championship.

QUICK NOTES

• The Saints and Raiders open up the year as the NAIA Game of the Week for the second-consecutive year.

• The Saints and Raiders played each other three times last season with a combined score of 123-119 in favor of Southern Oregon. 

• Carroll and Southern Oregon, the Frontier Conference representation in the NAIA Championship Series, outscored their non-Frontier opponents in the series 210-94. Carroll defeated Valley City 49-0, and Southern Oregon defeated MidAmerica Nazarene 45-26, Saint Xavier 62-37 and Marian 55-31 in the NAIA Championship.

• The Saints were picked to win the Frontier Conference by the Frontier coaches, edging out SOU for the top spot, but the Raiders still hold top billing in the NAIA Coaches' Preseason Poll, sharing first-place honors with Marian, who they defeated 55-31 in the championship.

• Twelve starters return for the Saints, including six on each offense and defense.

• Four of the top tacklers from the 2014 Saints squad return for 2015. Gone is Sean Blomquist (82 tackles) but returning is James Dowgin (69), Shayne Durbin (66), Dawson Osborn (65),  and Adam DeBruycker (51). 

• The Saints return six of the seven defensive starters at the linebacker and defensive backfield positions.

• The Carroll offensive line returns three of the five starters.

• The Saints defense led the Frontier Conference in 2014 with 17.4 points per game allowed. 

• Carroll was the top team in the Frontier Conference in 2014 for total defense with 316.1 yards per game allowed. 

• The Saints were second in the conference for scoring offense in 2014 at 41.3 points per game. 

• Carroll was the top team in the conference in 2014 for Pass Efficiency with an efficiency rating of 169.6.

• The Saints were third in the Conference in 2014 for Sacks allowed with just 1.5 sacks per game. 

• Carroll was the fourth ranked team in the nation in 2014 for scoring defense.

• Carroll was the sixth ranked team in the nation in 2014 for scoring offense per game.

• Mac Roche ranked second in 2014 in NAIA for Pass Efficiency at 178.2.

• Mac Roche ranked13th in 2014 in NAIA for Passing yards per game at 251.2.

• Mac Roche ranked 12th in NAIA for total offense per game at 267.3.

• Head Coach Mike Van Diest has the best winning percentage (.861) of any active college football coach with more than ten years of experience. His winning percentage is also the fifth-best of all time behind Larry Kehres - .929 (Mount Union 1961-2012), Knute Rockne  - .881(Notre Dame 1918-1930), Frank Leahey  - .864 (Boston College, Notre Dame (1939-1953) and Bob Reade .862 (Augustana 1979-1994)