The Central College football team hosts Luther today as it begins the home stretch of the 2024 season.

Last week’s 16-13 double overtime loss to Coe dropped the Dutch to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the American Rivers Conference, ending their conference championship hopes and likely dashing any dreams of making it to the postseason.

Coach Jeff McMartin says that they’re still holding slim hopes on qualifying for the playoffs, but more importantly they’re focused on finishing the final four games strong.

“You’ve got to keep working to get better. You’ve got to pay attention to mindset and attitude and how practice is going – we’ve got five weeks. The message that we’ve tried to convey is that none of us, especially our players, ever put a helmet and shoulder pads on and said that the only reason that I’m playing this game is to win championships or win everything. They play because they love the game and we have to keep doing that.”

The Dutch have a 14-year winning streak against Luther and are heavy favorites against a Norse team that is 1-4 on the year and has been outscored 175-20 in starting conference play 0-3.

Kickoff is at 1:00 today at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium in Pella. Trevor Castle and George Wares will call the action live on 92.1 KRLS and the Central Dutch Network, beginning with pregame at 12:35.