No. 15 Baker Heads to No. 4 Georgetown for NAIA FCS Second Round Showdown
BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Coming off an emphatic 56-28 victory at home in the first round, No. 15 Baker will square off against No. 4 Georgetown in the second round of the NAIA Football Championship Series on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 12 p.m. (CT) in Georgetown, Ky.
After securing the program's 20th postseason appearance and earning their first home playoff game since 2020-21, the Wildcats rattled off 35 unanswered points to defeat No. 21 Louisiana Christian this past Saturday in the first round. Rashaan Graves ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns, while the BU defense forced six turnovers, including Thad Metcalfe's pick-six in the final minute to seal the game.
"I told our team when I arrived in February that Baker University expects to be in the national playoffs, and we're expected to win those playoff games," said head coach Miguel Regalado. "I was happy to see our team accept that responsibility Saturday and perform at a high level."
Drawing a bye in the first round with an overall record of 8-1, the Tigers went a perfect 6-0 in conference play to win the Mid-South Conference Championship. Their only loss of the season came against fellow NAIA playoff team Reinhardt back on Sept. 23 in Waleska, Ga. Georgetown features a conference player of the year on its roster as well with senior linebacker Chad Holleran being named the Mid-South's Defensive Player of the Year.
"We want this Saturday to be a 12-round fight, we're not going to blow this team out," said Regalado. "I believe the team that is able to run the football the most efficiently, take care of the football and score touchdowns in the red zone will have the best opportunity to win on Saturday."
Saturday's matchup will be the second meeting between the two teams with the first one coming in the playoffs as well back in 2017 when Baker hosted a first-round game that saw the Tigers come out on top, 36-33 in Baldwin City.
"This Saturday is a huge test that will show how far or how close we are to competing with the best teams in the country," added Regalado. "One year from now we want this game to be played at Liston Stadium as we continue to 'Restore Order' in the Baker University Football Program and get us back to competing for national championships year in and year out."
For those who are making the trip to support the Wildcats, you can purchase an advance ticket of the game online here. Tickets will be available for purchase at the gate, prices include:
- $20 – General Admission
- $25 – Bleacher Seating
- $25 – Chairback Seating
The game will be live streamed on the Georgetown Tigers Athletics YouTube page and you can follow along with the live stats at BakerWildcats.com.
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