What: CUC Football at Olivet College
Where: Cutler Field, Olivet, MI
When: Saturday, Sept. 1, 1:00 PM ET (12:00 PM CT)
Links: Live Stats  (Video link will be made available at www.cucougars.com by game time) 

The Concordia Cougars will look to duplicate last season's 2-0 start when they travel to south central Michigan on Saturday to take on Olivet College at OC's Cutler Field.

This will be the fourth meeting all-time between the Cougars and the Comets, third at Olivet. The Comets lead 2-1 in the series, winning 59-0 in River Forest in 2008 and 33-7 in Olivet whe the teams last met in 2014. The Cougars' lone victory was in 2009 when they edged past the Comets 12-7 at Cutler Field.

The Cougars enjoyed a big 36-10 victory in last week's season and home opener versus Beloit College. On offense, the ground game racked up 465 yards behind a great performance from CUC's offensive line. Lance Moise took advantage by rushing for a new career-high 303 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns. For his efforts, Moise was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week and was also honored as the NACC Student-Athlete of the Week (football-offense). Griffin Beaudette started at quarterback and managed the game very well, passing for 88 yards and also picking up a couple first downs on his scranbles. Beaudette completed 14 of 26 passes, six going to freshman Da'Nas Pinellas.

On defense, the Cougars kept the Bucs out of the end zone until the middle of the fourth quarter when the game had already been decided. Rudy Payan gave CUC the "NACC Double" as he was named the Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week for a game that included 12 tackles and also a forced fumble, thus having a hand in one of the two defensive takeaways (something the Cougars have proven to be quite resourceful at in recent years). Newcomer Matt Henning also had a big game at linebacker, making 12 tackles (including a couple on special teams), and Jeshua Torrens scored a touchdown for the defense, scooping up a fumble that was caused by Thaddous Daniel.

Olivet is coming off a 21-17 loss in week one to Heidelberg University in Ohio. The Comets led 17-7 going into the fourth quarter, but the Student Princes scored on a 44-yard run with 5:26 remaining and then a 17-yard pass with just 1:11 left. Just two yards separated the total offense totals (379-377), but Olivet owned the total time of possession, 38 minutes to 22 and did not turn the ball over (Heidelberg fumbled once and was picked off twice).

The Comets' top weapons look to be quarterback Lane Porter (15-30, 231 yards. 1 TD) and running back Matthew Ellis (19-105). The passing game saw Porter complete his 15 passes to eight different receivers, although Jacob Jodway appears to be the deep threat, with his three receptions including a 52-yarder. 

Defensively, Olivet got 10 tackles (6-4) including 1.5 QB sacks. John Adams led the secondary, making both of the Comets' interceptions.

The Comets were picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Following Saturday's game, the Cougars will be up against another MIAA team next week when they return to River Forest and host Albion College.