Score: No. 3 Keiser Seahawks 31, No. 1 Northwestern (Iowa) Red Raiders 21
Records: Keiser (12-2, 7-0 SUN), Northwestern (Iowa) (14-1, 10-0 GPAC)
Location: Durham County Memorial Stadium (8,500) - Durham, N.C. 
Time of Game: 3:09
Weather: Sunny, clear skies, 56 degrees

For the first time in program history, the Keiser football team claimed the NAIA Red Banner as National Champions, defeating the No. 1-ranked Northwestern (Iowa) Red Raiders, 31-21, on Monday afternoon.
 
The Seahawks dominated the ground game, rushing for 373 yards, including a career-high 261 yards by Jaden Meizinger. The Keiser running back had 22 carries, including a 75-yard touchdown run on the very first play of the game en route to being named the game's Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Maurico Porcha led all receivers with two catches for 45 yards and one receiving touchdown.
 
Defensively, the Seahawks held the Red Raiders to just 51 yards on the ground, making it the 10^th game this season in which Keiser has held the opposition to under 100 yards rushing. Maddox Aprile was named the game's Most Outstanding Defensive Player, recording six tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and two sacks (one strip sack).
 
Louis Lubin III had a crucial 77-yard kick return for a touchdown with 7:06 left in the game to put Keiser up 31-21. Lubin also picked off Jalyn Gramstad in the endzone with 5:02 left in the game, giving the ball back to the Seahawks with a chance to run out the clock.
 
The National Championship victory capped off the most-successful season in Keiser history as the Seahawks finished the year with a 12-2 record (12-0 in NAIA play). In just the sixth year of the program, the Seahawks improved to 55-15 all-time as Keiser made its second straight NAIA National Championship appearance.
 

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Keiser 7, Northwestern (Iowa) 0

• On the very first play of the game, running back Jaden Meizinger scored on a 75-yard run to give Keiser the early lead.
• Nico Cavanillas converted the extra point to make it a 7-0 game with 14:43 on the clock.
• The rushing touchdown for Meizinger was his school-record 23rd of the season.
• The Seahawks moved the ball deep into the Red Raiders territory two more times in the quarter but came away with no points.

Keiser 17, Northwestern (Iowa) 7

• The Red Raiders drove the ball down to the Keiser 17-yard line but missed an Eli Stader 34-yard field goal attempt as Keiser led, 7-0.
• Keiser countered with a 10-play, 66-yard drive that resulted in a Cavanillas 31-yard field goal, giving the Seahawks a 10-0 lead with 7:00 left in the half. 
• The field goal was Cavanillas' 11th of the season.
• On the next drive, Keiser regained the ball as Maddox Aprile forced NWC quarterback Jalyn Gramstad to fumble at the Red Raider's 14-yard line.
• Four plays later, Andrew Burnette found the endzone on a one-yard run, giving Keiser a 17-0 lead with 4:55 remaining in the half.
• Northwestern got on the board when Gramstad connected with Austyn Gerard for a six-yard touchdown pass (00:29).
• The Seahawks drove down the field looking to add to their lead before halftime but a 37-yard field goal attempt by Cavanillas missed wide left.

Keiser 24, Northwestern 7

• The Seahawks looked to add to their lead getting into the NWC redzone.
• However, a holding penalty followed by an interception of a Justin Wake pass in the endzone, handed the ball over to the Red Raiders with 9:30 on the game clock.
• The Red Raider were unable to make anything of the Keiser turnover as NWC was forced to punt the Seahawks.
• With the ball at their own one-yard line, the Seahawks drove 99 yards to push the lead to 24-7.
• On the first play of the drive, Meizinger took the hand off 53 yards to the NWC 46-yard line.
• Four plays later, Wake hit Maurico Porcha for a 30-yard touchdown pass, extending the Keiser lead to 17 with 5:10 on the game clock.

Keiser 31, Northwestern (Iowa) 21

• The Red Raiders made it a 24-14 game following a 53-yard pass from Gramstad to Konner McQuillan.
• After a successful onside kick, NWC had the ball at their own 48-yard line with 10:54 left in the contest.
• The Red Raiders cut the Keiser lead to three, 24-21, following a two-yard run by McQuillan with 7:17 left to play.
• On the following kick off, Louis Lubin III returned the kick 77 yards for the score as Keiser extended its lead and regained the momentum, 31-21.
• NWC looked to score for the third time in the quarter but Lubin picked off Gramstad in the endzone, giving the Seahawks the ball at their own 20-yard line with 5:02 on the game clock.
• The Seahawks were able to burn the last 5:02 of the game to claim the program's first Red Banner.

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• The victory gives Keiser its first National Championship in football.
• With the win, Keiser improved to 12-2 on the year.
• The 12 wins in a single season are the most in program history.
• The Seahawks remained perfect versus NAIA teams this season (12-0).
• The Seahawks also improved to 10-4 all-time in the NAIA Football Championship Series.
• The Seahawks are now 1-1 all-time in the NAIA National Championship Game.
• With the victory, Keiser improves to 1-1 all-time versus the Red Raiders.
• The win moves the Seahawks to 55-15 all-time.
• Keiser is now 19-7 all-time versus ranked teams.
• Keiser now improves to 4-1 all-time during the month of December.
• The Seahawks held the Red Raiders to just 51 yards rushing, marking the 10th time Keiser held an opponent under 100 yards rushing this season.
• The Seahawks also produced 373 yards on the ground - second highest single-game total in program history.
• With the 373 yards rushing, Keiser finished the year, producing a school-record 3,169 yards while rushing for the most touchdowns in program history (47).

 

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