5 Iowa college football storylines: Jeron Senters plays big role in Coe’s pass game

Coe’s Jeron Senters contributes to the passing game again. Cornell closes home schedule. Upper Iowa celebrates Senior Day and more in five small college football storylines Saturday.

Coe’s Senters producing again

The junior wide receiver is coming off his best game in about a month, hauling in four catches for 61 yards and a touchdown in a 19-7 victory at University of Dubuque. It was his first catch since facing Buena Vista on Oct. 4. Senters, who ranks ninth in the American Rivers Conference with 61.7 receiving yards per game, also had his best output since three receptions for 29 yards in a loss to conference champion and seventh-ranked Wartburg on Sept. 27. Senters has been a key component to the Kohawk pass attack the last three seasons. Last week’s performance gave him 432 yards and four TDs on 29 catches. Senters improved his career marks to 1,579 yards and 20 TDs on 112 receptions. He is tied for fifth with Kyle Bennis (1997-2000) in career touchdown catches and moved to eighth all-time at Coe in career catches. He is 12th in career receiving yards, needing just 50 to climb into the top-10 in program history. Senters also ranks in the top-10 in seven more receiving categories, tying the program record with 12 TDs in a season a year ago. The Kohawks (6-2, 5-1 A-R-C) host Loras (2-6, 2-4) in their regular-season home finale. The Duhawks rank near the bottom of the A-R-C in team defense, including pass defense. Loras has allowed 236.5 yards per game with opponents scoring 18 TDs. Coe averages 309.8 pass yards per game and has scored an A-R-C best 26 TDs.

Cornell closes home schedule

The Rams wrap up their home slate with Saturday’s Midwest Conference game against Illinois College at Van Metre Field of Ash Park. The Rams are coming off a decisive 35-14 victory over Knox. Cornell rush attack had its most productive game of the season, amassing 259 yards and more than doubling its previous best performance. BooBoo Browning had his breakout game to lead the Rams on the ground. He logged his first 100-yard game, rushing for 116 yards on 10 carries with TD runs of 6, 3 and 49 yards. The Rams still have a chance to finish .500 for Coach Curt Ritchie’s first season. The former high school Hall of Fame coach at Williamsburg and Iowa Valley took over during the offseason. Cornell is 3-5 overall and 3-4 in the conference. The Rams will try to snap an eight-game losing strength to the Blue Boys (6-2, 5-2). Cornell’s last win over Illinois College was a 64-62 decision in 2015. Cornell closes the season next week at Grinnell.

Upper Iowa celebrates Senior Day

The Peacocks will recognize 26 seniors Saturday during their home game against Quincy (Ill.) University. Among the seniors to be honored are former Montezuma standout Eddie Burgess, Dionte Fliss, who played at Cedar Rapids Prairie, former North Linn prep Mason Walthhart and linemen Emerson Bennett, of Iowa City Liberty, and Connor Andresen (Anamosa). Current Upper Iowa leaders Mante Morrow and Darryl Overstreet Jr. will be among the seniors saluted. Morrow is the top receiver with 43 catches, 766 yards and 11 TDs. Overstreet has passed for 2,021 yards and 18 scores, completing 74.9 percent of his passes. Upper Iowa’s offense clicked last weekend, compiling a season-high 580 yards in a 57-7 victory over McKendree. Overstreet threw for 260 yards and three TDs, hitting Morrow seven times for 126 yards and all three scores. Overstreet added 54 rushing yards and a TD.

Drake host St. Thomas for Pioneer League battle

The Bulldogs will look to take another step toward their third straight Pioneer Football League title. Drake is 6-2 overall and 5-0 in the conference, beating Butler, 24-19, last week for its 23rd win the last 24 conference games. The Tommies are 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the PFL. The two programs have split four meetings since 2021 but the Bulldogs have won the last two, including 22-19 last year at St. Paul, Minn. St. Thomas has an Eastern Iowa flavor. Former Cedar Rapids Kennedy players Mitchell Schares, Pierce McCrary, freshman offensive lineman Braylon Edwards and Calvin White and former Iowa City West quarterback Jack Wallace are on the Tommies roster. Schares, a senior linebacker, has 23 total tackles with nine solo and a tackle for loss. Schares is tied for the team lead with three QB hurries and two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in eight games. McCrary, a freshman receiver, has four catches for 36 yards. Edwards has played one game.

Northwestern vies for 9th straight winning season

The Red Raiders (5-3, ) have won three straight games and have climbed back into the top 20 after a 2-3 start to the season. Northwestern hosts Doane on Saturday in Orange City. A victory would secure a winning record with one regular-season contest remaining. If the Red Raiders are successful, they will extend the program’s streak to nine consecutive winning seasons, dating back to 2017. They were 10-2 that season after 3-7 finish in Matt McCarty’s first season as head coach. Northwestern has reached four NAIA national semifinals, three title game appearances and the 2022 national title during the stretch.

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