LIVE VIDEO

LIVE STATS

MEDIA GAME NOTES

VIEW FULL BRACKET

REGISTER FOR THE RHIT PREGAME TAILGATE

NCAA PLAYOFF DIGITAL GAME PROGRAM FROM LEARFIELD SPORTS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology football team will open the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs at DePauw University on Saturday Nov. 20 at 12 pm in Greencastle.

Rose-Hulman enters the NCAA Division III Playoffs on a 7-game winning streak after completing the regular season with an 8-2 record.  The Fightin' Engineers earned the 13th football conference championship in school history, earned their first outright HCAC championship since joining the league, and completed the HCAC regular season with a perfect 7-0 mark.

DePauw finished with an 8-2 record after winning the North Coast Athletic Conference championship.  The Tigers average 36.6 points per game, led by Chase Andries who has passed for 2,510 yards and 21 touchdowns this season.  Defensively, Dylan Hyatt leads DePauw with six interceptions.

The Rose-Hulman offense is led by two significant career school record holders and a preseason All-American running back.  Andrew Dion holds Rose-Hulman career school records with 9,481 passing yards and 91 passing touchdowns.  Noah Thomas holds every major career receiving school record with 247 career receptions for 3,535 yards and 36 receiving touchdowns.  Shane Welshans was a Lindy's Magazine preseason All-American and has rushed for 1,543 career yards and 21 touchdowns.

This season, Dion is 198-of-314 for 2,902 yards and 29 touchdown passes.  Thomas leads the team with 54 receptions for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns.  Welshans paces the ground attack with 678 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

The offense has also been helped by three wide receivers with significant statistics.  Daniel Huery has hauled in 46 receptions for 713 yards and seven touchdowns.  Adam Tice-Saliu has 39 receptions for 560 yards and three scores.  Jailen Hobbs has added 36 receptions for 457 yards and five scores.  Hobbs is also a primary kick returner with 394 kickoff return yards and 210 punt return yards with a touchdown this season.  Alex Gresock has added two receiving touchdowns and one rushing score this season.

Rose-Hulman youthful offensive line has been a key to the team's conference showing of more than 50 points in four games.  The starting unit of Aidan Sturgeon, Justin Pierson, Kenneth Gipson, Ryan Easterday and Chris Schletz features three sophomores and two freshmen for a unit that has helped the offense average 43.1 points per game.

Defensively, Michael Stevens was chosen a preseason All-American by Lindy's Magazine and Football America, and has a team-high 77 tackles.  Stevens has also contributed 10 tackles-for-loss, five pass breakups, four quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, two blocked kicks, one sack and one fumble recovery this season.

Kyzer Bowen leads the team in tackles-for-loss (13) and is second on the team with 56 total tackles.  Deven Cobb has a team-high 3.5 sacks, and has received significant help on the defensive line from Tyler Smith (39 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 PBU), Pete Cross (41 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1 fumble recovery), Bo Thomas (22 tackles, 9 TFLs, 2 sacks) and Jonathan Anstett (18 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 sack).

The secondary is led by Tyce Miller with a team-high six interceptions.  Winston Amankwah has added three interceptions and scored two defensive touchdowns this season.  Riley Roberts added 31 tackles and 6.5 TFLs, and Chaikou Sow has contributed 41 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups.  Cameron Dorsey has added 14 tackles, eight pass breakups and two interceptions as a defensive unit starter.

The NCAA Division III Playoffs consist of 32 teams with one round each Saturday until Dec. 11.  The NCAA Division III National Championship Game will take place in Canton, Ohio, on Friday Dec. 17.