GAME NOTES:
 

• The Snow College football team will begin a four-game home stretch beginning with the 2022 NJCAA National Champions and No. 2-ranked Iowa Western Community College Saturday in Ephraim. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside Terry Foote Stadium.

 

• The Badgers are coming off a thrilling 33-30 victory against Georgia Military College last weekend in Milledgeville.  Spencer Lambert punched in a 2-yard rush in overtime to give the Badgers a victory in their first overtime game of the season.

 

• Lambert rushed for a total of 148 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries.  The 148 yards is the highest total for any rusher this season and the first individual 100-yard rusher the Badgers have had in their first five games of the year.

 

• Snow College outgained the Bulldogs in total offense gaining 388 yards compared to 377 yards for GMC.  The Badgers threw for a total of 215 yards while limiting the Bulldogs to just 125 passing yards.

 

• The Badgers won the time of possession for the fourth time this season controlling the ball for nearly 33 minutes of action.  They are third in the country in time of possession averaging just over 34 minutes of ball control per game.

 

• Snow College is the best team in the country in 3^rd-down conversions.  The Badgers have converted on third down 36 times, which paces the nation in total conversions.

 

• IWCC enters the matchup with an unblemished 6-0 record.  The Reivers are the reigning NJCAA National Champions after defeating Hutchinson Community College 31-0 in last year's title game.

 

• Snow College will be looking for revenge after last year's meeting with the Reivers.  The Badgers were defeated 26-0 in Council Bluffs, Iowa last season.  Snow College has just one win over the Reivers since 2018, a 31-30 victory March 27, 2021.

 
LAST TIME OUT: Spencer Lambert's 2-yard touchdown run propelled the Badgers to a 33-30 overtime victory over No. 13 Georgia Military College Saturday in Milledgeville.  With the victory, the Badgers have now won four straight games and sport a 4-1 overall record.
 
Snow College entered the matchup with the Bulldogs following a 15-6 victory over Dodge City Community College last weekend.  The Badgers scored 15 fourth-quarter points to lift them over the Conquistadors.
 
Following the victory over the Conquistadors, the Badgers moved up to fifth in the NJCAA Division I Football Poll.  They would make that long flight to Georgia to take on No. 13 GMC in Milledgeville.  
 
Snow College made a statement early scoring on each of its first three possessions.  The Badgers put together a 16-play, 81-yard drive that took over six minutes of game action.  Donovan Smith threw for 68 yards throughout the drive which culminated on a 4-yard rush from Spencer Lambert, giving the Badgers a 7-0 lead.
 
The Badgers forced and recovered a Bulldog fumble on the ensuing drive and took over at their own 34.  Once again, they sustained a long drive, marched down the field, and took a 14-0 lead on a 23-yard pitch and catch from Smith to Jared Wilson.
 
History repeated itself on the subsequent GMC drive.  It was Jacob Buttars turn to recover a Bulldog fumble and gave the Badgers great field possession at the GMC 26.  The Badgers were unable to fully capitalize on the momentum shift and had to settle for a field goal.  Casey Keeslar split the uprights from 42 yards to give Snow College a 17-0 advantage.
 
It appeared as though the Badgers would keep the momentum on their side as they forced a 3-and-out on the next GMC possession.  Unfortunately, the punt was muffed, and the Bulldogs fell on it and continued their drive at the Snow College 36.
 
Five plays later, the Bulldogs found the end zone and cut the Badger's lead to 17-7.  Snow College was forced into a 3-and-out and its next possession and the Bulldogs capitalized using just five plays once again and scoring on a 60-yard rush from quarterback Chip Cooper.  
 
With the first half winding down, the Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs and took over in Badgers territory with just seven seconds left.  They completed a 27-yard pass which set up a 31-yard field goal attempt.  The field goal attempt was missed, and the Badgers went into halftime leading 17-14.
 
Despite all the action in the first half, it was a quiet third quarter as neither team was able to score.  The scoring drought ended early in the fourth quarter as the Badgers scored a 46-yard field goal off the foot of Keeslar once again.  The 46-yarder is the longest field goal the Badgers have recorded since Stockton Lund made a 48-yarder Nov. 6, 2021.
 
The Badgers defense flexed their muscles once again and forced a 3-and-out.  They turned around and took over at their own 32 following the punt.  The drive resulted in a touchdown giving the Badgers a 27-14 lead.  The highlight of the drive was Lambert's 45-yard touchdown rush which saw him break multiple tackles and stiff-arm anyone else in his way as he powered into the end zone.
 
The Bulldogs would quickly respond and scored touchdowns on their next two drives, sandwiching a Snow College turnover.  The second touchdown, a 31-yard pass from Cooper to K'veon Poll tied the game at 27. The extra point was missed, and the score remained tied.  Neither team was able to score in regulation and the game went into overtime.
 
The Badgers won the overtime coin toss and elected to play defense first.  They did their job and forced the Bulldogs into a 27-yard field goal, which was made, giving GMC a 30-27 lead.  
 
Snow College took over needing at least a field goal to keep the game alive.  Lambert converted a 3^rd and five with a 6-yard rush which was followed by a 17-yard pass to Tyrique Carter, setting the Badgers up at the 1. Lambert punched in his third touchdown of the game three plays later to give the Badgers a 33-30 overtime victory. 
 
Lambert totaled 148 yards on 26 attempts to go along with his three touchdowns.  The Badgers gained 388 yards of total offense in the victory, including 173 yards on the ground.   They were also 13-25 on 3^rd-down conversions.
 
BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE: Snow College will face a total of 11 opponents during the 2023 season including the defending champion IWCC.  The Badgers are scheduled to face five NJCAA preseason top-15 opponents including No. 15 TVCC, No. 13 GMC, No. 1 IWCC, No. 14 Lackawanna, and No. 9 Garden City Community College.
 
Following the matchup with the Cardinals, the Badgers will return to Ephraim to begin their home schedule against the 2021 National Champion New Mexico Military Institute Sept. 2 at 7:00 p.m.
 
The Badgers will welcome a new opponent to Terry Foote Stadium in the newly formed Junior College partner St. George Eagles.  The St. George Eagles are the first private Junior College and "Post Graduate" team in the state of Utah.  They were formed from the USA Collegiate and The Coaches Team Foundation, and 2023 will serve as their first season as a program.  The Badgers will host the Eagles Sept. 9.
 
Snow College will play back-to-back road games Sept. 23 and 30 against Dodge City Community College and GMC.  The Badgers were victorious in their lone meeting against DCCC earning a 38-14 victory Dec. 5, 2015, in Hutchinson Kansas. 
 
The Badgers will begin a four-game home stretch that will span the entire month of October beginning with the reigning National Champion and NJCAA preseason No. 1-ranked IWCC Oct. 7.  Snow College will host the US Air Force Academy Preparatory School the following week.  The first-ever meeting between Snow College and Pacific Northwest Christian College will take place Oct. 21 in Ephraim.  The Badgers will wrap up their home slate of games against Lackawanna College Oct. 29.
 
Snow College will take on GCCC Nov. 4 in Garden City, Kansas before heading out on its longest trip of the season with a matchup against Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York to conclude its season Nov. 11.
 
ON THE SIDELINE: Erekson will once again be on the sideline for the Badgers as he enters his fourth season as the head coach.  Erekson has compiled a 24-5 record for Snow College in his tenure including a remarkable 14-1 record at home.  In Erekson's first season as head coach, he led the Badgers to an 8-0 regular season finish and a trip to the National Championship game.  In 2021, the Badgers returned to the NJCAA DI Football Playoffs following an 8-2 overall record.  Before coming to Snow College, Erekson served as the Athletic Director and Head Coach at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City.  Before his tenure at Skyline, Erekson Coached high school football throughout Texas for eight years.  Erekson coached at 5A Abilene Cooper in Abilene, Texas where his team went 12-2 in 2011. 
 
Erekson will be joined on the sideline by Defensive Coordinator Jordan Pulou (Missouri S&T; second season), Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coordinator Trevor McFalls (Southern Utah University; second season), Defensive Line Coach Kyle Murray (Utah Tech University; second season), Running Backs Coach Hunter Batten (Lamar; first season), Tight Ends Coach Lanny Owens (McMurray; first season), and Wide Receivers Coach Neil Pau'u (Brigham Young University; first season).
 
UP NEXT: The Badgers will continue its four-game home stretch as it takes on US Air Force Academy Preparatory School Saturday, Oct. 14. 
 
Snow College collected a 42-22 victory over the Huskies last season.  In that matchup, the Badgers gained 521 yards of total offense while scoring at least seven points in all four quarters of the game.  Saturday's game will be just the third-ever meeting between the two teams.  Snow College has split those meetings with the loss coming in a 31-16 defeat Sept. 7, 2019.  For video streaming, live stat, and ticket information, visit snowbadgers.com.