The Dordt University football program has announced its schedule for the 2023 season.
The 2023 slate features a 10-game regular season made up exclusively of conference (GPAC) opponents and split evenly with five home and five away games. The overall winning percentage of the Defenders opponents is 51% (57-55); two opponents, Morningside and Northwestern, qualified for the 16-team, NAIA Football Championship Series last season and were ranked among the top five in the final NAIA Coaches’ poll.
The Defenders’ 10-game slate begins on September 2 with a road game against Doane followed by back-to-back home games, against Mount Marty and Concordia, on Sept.9 and 16. Up next will be the Defenders’ bye week and they will then close out the September schedule with a long road trip to Hastings for a Sept.30 match-up against the Broncos.
Dordt’s October schedule commences with a home game on the seventh against Midland, a team that was ranked for much of the 2022 campaign and was defeated by the Defenders (17-8) in the final game of the season. Dordt will then make its longest road trip of the season, to Jamestown, N.D. for an Oct.14 contest against the Jimmies, followed by a week eight match-up against the defending national champions, Northwestern, on Oct.21. The Defenders’ close out the month at home against Briar Cliff on Oct. 28 for their annual Defender Days Weekend.
The Defenders conclude the regular season with a pair of games in November, beginning with another tough road contest against Morningside on Nov.4. The Mustangs were ranked No.1 for most of the 2022 season and lost to the national runner-up, Keiser (Fla.) in the quarterfinals. Dordt ends the regular season with a home date (Nov.11) against Dakota Wesleyan.
Head Coach Joel Penner, who will begin his eighth season on the Defender sidelines, owns a 47-27 overall record during his tenure. He has guided the Defenders to five straight winning seasons and a spot in the NAIA Football Championship Series in 2020.
The NAIA announced changes to its Football Championship Series as 20 teams will qualify for postseason play. Of the 20-team qualifiers, 13 will be conference champions and the final seven will be at-large bids based on ranking.
Dordt won its final four games en route to a 7-3 record and a third place finish in the 2022 regular season. They finished the season with a No.25 ranking. The Defenders will report to camp on August 10.
Sept.2 @ Doane
Sept.9 vs. Mount Marty
Sept.16 vs. Concordia
Sept 23 BYE
Sept.30 @ Hastings
Oct.7 vs. Midland
Oct.14 @ Jamestown
Oct.21 @ Northwestern
Oct.28 vs. Briar Cliff (Defender Days)
Nov.4 @ Morningside
Nov.11 vs. Dakota Wesleyan
