Spartan Football NCAA Playoff Bound

AURORA, Ill. November 17, 2008 - The Aurora University Spartan Football team, winners of the inaugural Northern Athletics Conference football championship and NCAA Division III Football Championship bid, will travel to Monmouth College for the first round of 2008 NCAA Division III Football Championships.

AU will take on the Scots who won the Midwest Conference championship with a 10-0 overall record and were 9-0 in conference play. The Spartans are making their fourth playoff appearance having qualified in 1992, 2000 and 2004, while the Scots are making only their second playoff appearance, the first appearance coming in 2005 (62-3 loss at St. John’s [MN]).

In the only previous meeting between the Spartans and Scots, September 12, 1987, Monmouth defeated AU 42-27 in Monmouth, IL.

The Spartans are led offensively by sophomore quarterback Nate Peterson (Aurora, IL/Aurora Christian H.S., 111-of-224 passing for 1,434 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions), junior running back Ryne Reder (Aurora, IL/Marmion Academy, 172 rushes for 838 yards and seven touchdowns) and senior receiver Cory Cowan (Peoria, IL/Notre Dame H.S., 31 catches for 503 yards and four touchdowns).

Defensively, AU is led by junior linebacker Mike Budzinski (Minooka, IL/Minooka H.S., 67 tackles, three interceptions and one quarterback sack), senior defensive back Matt Meyer (Yorkville, IL/Yorkville H.S., 54 tackles, nine interceptions and 11 pass break-ups) and senior defensive tackle Marcus Goedken (Sugar Grove, IL/Kaneland H.S., 51 tackles, 13 for loss, five and one-half quarterback sacks).

AU has set numerous individual and team records this season including tying the school record for wins (nine), interceptions in a season (30), interceptions in a game (seven vs Wisconsin Lutheran), touchdown passes in a season (20 by Nate Peterson), interceptions in a game (four by Tony Musaraca), extra points in a game (nine) and season (48 by Ryan Subick) and consecutive extra points made (35 by Subick).

The Spartans (9-1, 7-0 NAC) will take on the Scots (10-0, 9-0 MWC) on Saturday, November 22, 2008. Game time is set for Noon in Monmouth, IL.

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