The Central College football team hosts Coe today in a pivotal American Rivers Conference matchup.

Both teams have positioned themselves well with a pair of non-conference victories, and while it’s only the first conference game of the season, there’s a lot on the line. Third-ranked Wartburg is the league favorite, with the Dutch and Kohawks tabbed for the next two spots. Today’s winner is in a good position to challenge the Knights, while the loser has an uphill battle.

Last year, Coe outlasted Central 37-31 in Cedar Rapids. The Dutch committed five turnovers in that game, and Coach Jeff McMartin says they’ll have to limit mistakes today to give themselves the best chance to win. That will be difficult against a Kohawks defense that returns 10 of 11 starters from a season ago.

“They’ve got an excellent secondary, they do a really good job up front and they have some really physical defensive lineman who do an awesome job of re-establishing the line of scrimmage, and they have a linebacker corps that’s mobile and physical. They’re well coached, they play to their strengths and they don’t make it easy on you. This is a big test.”

The Kohawks have only allowed 181 yards per game and are averaging 581 yards of offense. Both marks are the best in the league. Meanwhile, Central is one of the best teams in the country in terms of penalties, having drawn just six flags this season, and they are a sparkling plus-7 in turnovers.

Kickoff is at 1pm today at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium. Trevor Castle and George Wares will have the call on 92.1 KRLS, beginning with pregame coverage at 12:35. Audio commentary will also be available with video on the Central Dutch Network.