“This game obviously has the more important feeling to it than the regular season games we had because this is a playoff game,” said junior kicker Colin Amsler, “but we’ve been fighting for a playoff spot ever since our 2nd loss to Montana Tech. So every game we had since then has pretty much been a playoff game to us, and this game is no different: you win or go home.”

And there is no expectations of a let down from the regular season as they travel eastward.

Southern Oregon will be facing a St. Ambrose that is 9-1 heading into this week’s match with an balanced offensive attack; averaging 164.4 yards a game on the ground behind First Team All-Mid States Football Assoication Cole Kelly’s 671 yards and six touchdowns.

With the passing game, the Bees are averaging 273 yards in the air by way of junior quarterback, first-team All-MSFA, Eric Williamson’s 2676 passing yards and 34 touchdowns.  Zach Grant is the Bees best threat at receiver, leading the team in receptions at 87, yards at 1,132 and touchdowns with 16.

Defensively the Bees bring to the table a challenge for the Raiders high-pace offense with first time All-MSFA linebacker Jeremy Wallace, whom leads the team in tackles with 123 with five sacks; and first team All-MSFA Sean Santiago at defensive line.

St. Ambrose defensive unit as a whole has prevent offenses to throw the ball, just allowing 169.4 a game with a secondary that is constantly disguising their fronts.  But their weak spot on the defense is the running game as they are allowing opposing offenses to rush for 154 yards a game.

For the Raiders, the team that already shattered school records in the NAIA with their offense will introduce the Bee’s to why they are tops in the nation on offense behind sophomore Austin Dodge’s 4,326 passing yards and 36 touchdowns and senior recievers Cole McKensie and Patrick Donahue.

McKensie and Donahue combined stats account for 161 catches, 2,662 yards and 22 touchdowns of the Raiders 321 team receptions, 4,634 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns.

On defense, the Raiders have shown opponents their smash mouth tendencies and giving the offense the support they need as they are lead by the shifty senior linebacker Kalii Robinson whom leads the team with 96 tackles.

On the defensive line, the Raiders have senior defensive linemen Juwaun Brown and his team lead of six sacks with the use of his quick moving hands and fantastic awareness of the ball.

The Raiders secondary features hard hitting Heston Altenbach from his strong safety position and Josh Leff’s speed and quickness has him leading the team in interceptions with four.

Temperatures will hover in the upper 50s by kickoff for the Raiders and the Bees as the battle of the Birds and the Bees is slated for 1p.m. Davenport time, which means kickoff will be at 11a.m. in Ashland.