Benedictine Football travels to West Palm Beach, Fla., for the 2024 NAIA Football Championship Semifinals at Noon on Saturday against top-ranked Keiser University. The No. 9-ranked Ravens take on the defending NAIA National Champion Seahawks from the Keiser Multi-Purpose Complex.
The Matchup: (1) Keiser University (11-0) vs. (9) Benedictine College (11-2)
Watch: https://thesundigitalnetwork.com/Keiser/
Listen: https://us7.maindigitalstream.com/3765/
Live Stats: https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/central.php?tid=1087&t=1
About Benedictine: For the second time in the 2024 NAIA Football Championship Series, Benedictine takes on a first-time opponent in defending NAIA National Championship Keiser University. The Seahawks are making their sixth appearance in the NAIA FCS since starting the program for the 2018 season – Benedictine's last trip to the NAIA Semifinals.
The meeting with the Seahawks marks Benedictine's fourth appearance in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinals. They qualified for the FCS Semifinals in 1992, 2001, and 2018 before this season with one trip to the NAIA National Championship Game coming in 2018. The meeting with Benedictine marks the fourth appearance in the FCS Semifinals for the Seahawks qualifying in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
The Seahawks enter the meeting with the Ravens ranked No. 8 in the NAIA in total rushing (2,532) and are No. 7 in rushing yards per game (230.2). Junior running back Andrew Burnette was named a Third Team NAIA All-America selection earlier this week. Heading into the game, he ranks No. 7 in the NAIA in total rushing yards (1,238) and is No. 9 in rushing touchdowns (16).
Benedictine earned three AFCA-NAIA All-American selections and two additional NAIA All-American selections earlier this week. Receiver Jacob Gathright was named First Team AFCA-NAIA while defensive lineman Isaac Anderson and receiver JaShawn Todd were named to the Second Team. Todd was named as an all-purpose selection. Quarterback Jackson Dooley and tight end Tanner Zimmerman also earned Third Team NAIA All-American honors.
Jackson Dooley is ranked in the two offensive ratings for quarterbacks in the NAIA for Benedictine. He is ranked No. 4 in passing yards per game (304.5) and passing touchdowns (38). His passing touchdowns total is a new program record for Benedictine while his 3,959 yards is also a new program record for single-season passing yards.
With the win over Indiana Wesleyan last week, Benedictine is now 4-2 against ranked opponents this season with losses to NAIA FCS qualifier MidAmerica Nazarene University and fellow FCS semifinalist Grand View University. Keiser has faced three ranked opponents this season and is 3-0 with two of those coming in the Second Round and Quarterfinals of the FCS.
Benedictine earned 23 All-Heart South honors this season. Jackson Dooley was named the Offensive Player of the Year while Jacob Gathright was named the Player of the Year. Head Coach Joel Osborn was named the Coach of the Year. Gathright has set new records this season for both all-time receiving yards (2,737), and single-season receiving yards (1,300).
Benedictine's Harry Balke is the Ravens second-highest kick scorer in program history. The second-team All-Heart South selection has made 40 career field goals with 172 PATs for a total of 292. He needs one point to tie the program record of 293 points set by Zach Keenan (2010-2013).
Other Semifinal: (2) Grand View University vs. (6) Morningside University – Des Moines, Iowa – 1:30 p.m. | Live Stats: https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/central.php?tid=1087&t=1
Up Next: 69th annual NAIA Football Championship Game | Durham County Memorial Stadium | Durham, N.C. | 12:00 PM EST
www.ravenathletics.com | #UnleashGreatness | www.benedictine.edu
