Football | 11/12/22 | 7:15 AM
CALDWELL, Idaho - The No. 21 Carroll Football team plays their final regular season game of the 2022 season this afternoon against No. 11 College of Idaho at 1 p.m. (MST) in Caldwell, Idaho.
It simply does not get any bigger, or better than this in the Frontier Conference. Last game of the year. No. 21 Carroll (7-2), No. 11 College of Idaho (7-1). No. 1 and No. 2 in the Frontier standings, and the Frontier Conference auto-bid to the NAIA Playoffs on the line. Today's matchup is sure to draw the attention of those around the conference, as well as the nation.
Carroll's offense has come to life in a big way after an exceptionally slow start to the season. Over Carroll's four game winning streak, the Saints are averaging 421.8 yards per game, a far-cry from the the 259.8 yards per game that they averaged through their first half of the season. One reason for the jump is the emergence of Chris Akulschin (Gig Harbor, Wash. / R-FR) as a true playmaker on the outside. Akulschin, who leads the Frontier Conference with seven receiving touchdowns, has quickly become Jack Prka's (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / SO) favorite target. Akulschin has made some big-time catches in key situations to keep the Carroll offense on track. The pair have connected on 39 receptions for 524 yards on the year, and the budding chemistry should excite Saints fans to the fullest. Both Prka and Akulschin are just in their second year in the program, with plenty of room to grow.
Carroll's defense has been outstanding over the course of the last month, entering the game as the fifth ranked defense in total yards allowed. The Saints are allowing an average of 68.0 rush yards per game, and 158.3 pass yards per game. Carroll has 27 sacks, nine fumble recoveries, and six interceptions on the year as well. Much of that success can be attributed to a pair of Garrett's on the defensive line. Garrett Kocab (Phelan, Calif. / R-SR) and Garrett Worden (Laramie, Wyo. / R-SO) have been downright dominant at times. Both have the ability to near single-handedly take over a game and disrupt opposing offenses. Double-teaming one frees up room for the other to go to work, and usually spells good news for the Saints. As if the two Garrett's weren't enough firepower, the Carroll defensive front has an abundance of depth, and will look to cause problems for a potent College of Idaho offense, who's balanced attack has lifted them to at least a share of the Frontier title.
One thing that both teams will surely look to accomplish early is establishing the run. In the Yotes' 31-20 win at Carroll in October, Ryan Hibbs completed just three passes in the game. The Yotes pounded the run game in a wet and sloppy affair, finishing the day with 222 yards rushing on 52 attempts. Carroll held College of Idaho to just 99 rush yards in the first half, and the teams entered the break tied 7-7. Allamar Alexander finished the day with 121 yards on the ground alone, double that of Carroll's 52 team rush yards. The complete lack of a Carroll rushing threat opened the door for heavy Yotes pressure late in the game, forcing Carroll penalties and leading to 9 sacks. Carroll quarterback Jack Prka was forced to move the ball through the air in that game, which has, in-part, sparked his last month and Carroll's four game win streak. The Saints will look to get Matthew Burgess (Junction City, Ore. / R-JR) rolling early. Burgess has 284 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns in his last four games, looking as healthy as ever, and will likely be a key cog in a potential Saints win.
For the third year in a row, there are substantial postseason implications on the line. Saturday's game, the fifth meeting between the two teams in two years, will once again have huge implications. Carroll is 3-1 in the last four meetings with the Yotes, but College of Idaho holds a 7-5 all-time lead between the two schools. In the 2021 spring season, Carroll knocked off the then-ranked No. 6 Yotes, 28-19, to secure the Frontier Conference auto-bid to the NAIA Playoffs where they would eventually fall to Morningside (Iowa). Carroll again played spoiler to the College of Idhao in the final game of the Fall of 2021, beating the Yotes 21-6, and moving them into a three-way tie for the Frontier title, and sending Montana Western as the Frontier auto-bid.  A Carroll victory would give them a share of the Frontier title, and by virtue of a tie-breaker scenario (Defensive points allowed: Carroll - 127, College of Idaho - 160) would secure them the 2022 Frontier Conference auto-bid. An eight-win Frontier Conference co-champion College of Idaho team would still potentially have a solid enough resume to grab an at-large bid to the NAIA Playoffs. The Saints, however, absolutely must win to keep their season alive.
Today's game will be streamed live HERE, and live stats can be viewed HERE. Catch Stewart Davis on the call live from Simplot Stadium online HERE, or locally on 94.9 FM.
Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a full recap of the action this evening, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.
