After being awarded one of five at-large berths, the No. 17/22 University of Redlands football team looks forward to taking on No. 2/1 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday in Belton, Texas.
Last week's 67-12 victory over Occidental College resulted in the Bulldogs' first nine-win season since 1978. In addition, Redlands reset the program scoring record for a single season with 431 points, which improves upon the previous top mark of 417 points from the 1996 season.
With this week's playoff opportunity, Bulldog football welcomes the chance to better these already-significant accomplishments.
"The players' reaction to playing Mary Hardin-Baylor has been incredible. I think we have had our best week of practice all season. Our guys have stayed mentally strong all season, with the goal of getting better each week on their mind," stated Head Coach Mike Maynard. "They have gotten better all year and this week was no exception."
Competing in Belton, Texas, is a familiar scenario for the Redlands coaches, staff, and a few players, with this being their fifth trip there in eight years.
UMHB makes its 16th-straight NCAA appearance and has won at least one playoff game each time. Despite UMHB's history of success, Redlands sees this as an opportunity to display its style of competitive football.
"We embrace the challenge and look forward to competing against the No. 1-ranked team in the country," Maynard said.
In late October, UMHB was tested against Hardin-Simmons University (TX) in its lowest-scoring game of 2019. While trailing throughout the contest, the Cru mustered the 15-14 win on a last-second field goal.
Last week, the Bulldogs dismantled Occidental in a total team effort. Among the many highlights, first-year wide receiver Giovanni Isles (Chino Hills, CA) broke onto the scene by returning his first kickoff return 88 yards for the touchdown. As a result, he was named the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Specialist of the Week.
The Redlands defense currently ranks first in the country in turnover margin, turnovers gained, and passes intercepted. Senior defensive backs Jeff Hector (Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA) and Vincent Vanhorne (Henderson, NV) have played a big part in that with 13 picks between them. The Bulldogs are also among the top 10 nationally in fourth-down conversions, defensive touchdowns, punt returns, rushing defense, and winning percentage.
This week's captains for Redlands include senior/graduate student Joey Caffaro (Jackson Hole, WY), senior tight end Blake Roy (Camas, WA), junior defensive lineman Brandon Serrano (Chino, CA), and Vanhorne.
Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PST. UMHB will provide live video and live statistics for the contest with links to all of the coverage available at www.goredlands.com. An audio broadcast will be provided through KMET 1490 am radio, with online access also available through the Bulldogs' website.