Lone Star Showdown - Iowa Western and Hutchinson face off in 2024 NJCAA Division I Football Championship
Charlotte, NC: After an exciting weekend of football action, two teams remain and will play in Canyon, Texas, for the 2024 Credit Union 1 NJCAA Division I Football Championship presented by Zurich Insurance.
No. 1 Iowa Western will face No. 3 Hutchinson (KS) will play for the national championship for the second time over the last three years. The matchup will occur on Wednesday, December 18th at 7:30 PM CT / 8:30 PM ET in Canyon, TX, at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on the campus of West Texas A&M University. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and is the seventh consecutive NJCAA Football Championship to be aired on national television.
Tickets for the Championship game will be available starting at $15 for general admission plus taxes and fees in advance.
Ticket Pricing:
- Club Level - $45 Chairback seat that includes access to premium concessions, beverages, and private restrooms.
- Loge Box - $30 per seat Located on Level 1, Loge Boxes are available in groups of 4, 6, 10, or 12. Includes tables and chairback seats.
- Reserved - $25 Located on Level 2, these seats include a chairback.
- General Admission - $15
- Children 4 & under - Free
To purchase tickets, visit: NJCAA DI Football Playoff Tickets
Inside the Matchup
These teams are no strangers to each other. On September 7th, the Blue Dragons handed Iowa Western their only loss of the season with a 38-37 win in Council Bluffs, IA. Iowa Western is going for its third straight national championship and would be the first NJCAA Division I program to three-peat. Hutchinson will play for the national championship for the third time over the last five seasons. The two teams faced off in the 2022 NJCAA Division I Football National Championship in Little Rock, AR. The Reivers defeated the top-ranked Blue Dragons 31-0.
How we got here:
Iowa Western
Iowa Western faced the No. 4 seed Northwest Mississippi in their semifinal game. Both teams came out firing, with a 14-all score to end the opening quarter. The second quarter saw both defenses step up, and the Reivers finally broke the tie on a Daniel Swinney 5-yard touchdown run with just under four minutes remaining in the quarter. Northwest Mississippi quickly went down and scored off a K.D Gibson touchdown catch with 1:22 remaining in the quarter. Hunter Dekkers would lead the Reivers on a quick touchdown drive and score with just 5 seconds remaining in the half, taking the lead 28-21 going into halftime. The Reivers defense would lock in, not allowing the Rangers to score throughout the entire second half and eventually win the game 42-21.
The Reivers have one of the best passing attacks in the country. They lead the nation in passing yards and yards per game and are second in passing touchdowns. Quarterback Hunter Dekkers leads the Iowa Western attack with 3,413 passing yards and 30 touchdowns on a 65.1% competition percentage. Dekkers' 284.4 yards per game lead the nation. The wide receiver duo of Titus Myers and Fresh Walters have been formidable for opposing defenses to defend on the outside. Myers leads the team with 830 yards and eight touchdowns, while Walters leads the team with 69 receptions, holding 811 yards and seven touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, Iowa Western holds one of the steadier units in the country. Three Reivers have 10+ tackles for loss on the season, and 2023 NJCAA DI Honorable Mention All-America Walt Gray leads the team with nine sacks. Lucas Struck leads the team in tackles with 68 on the season.
Hutchinson
The Blue Dragons went on the road to face No. 2 Georgia Military in the second semifinal game. The Bulldogs struck first by scoring late in the first quarter. Hutchinson bounced back with a score on the first play of the second quarter to tie the game up at 7. They would go on to score a total of 28 points in the second quarter to hold a one-score lead at the half. The Hutchinson defense would hold Georgia Military scoreless in the second half and win the game 63-21. Kedrick Walker and Tyler Blevins posted double-digit tackles for the Blue Dragons, and Walker had a third-quarter interception. Running back Waymond Jordan Jr. had a sensational performance, rushing for 201 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns.
Hutchinson's offensive attack is one of the most prolific in NJCAA football. It averages 46.6 points per game and leads the nation in yards at 478.1. Jordan leads the nation in rushing with 1,533 yards on the season and is the only NJCAA rusher with 20 touchdowns. Signal caller Samari Collier holds 1,293 yards passing with 18 touchdowns on the season. On the ground, Collier has rushed for 515 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Blue Dragon defense has smothered opponents all year, allowing more than 30 points only twice and holding three shutouts. They rank ninth in the nation in sacks and have 14 interceptions on the year. Sophomore Kedrick Walker leads the team in tackles with 61 while also totaling 8.0 tackles for loss. Sophomore defensive end Marshon Oxley leads the team in sacks (9.0) and tackles for loss (11.0).
For all national championship updates, visit: 2024 NJCAA Division I Football Championship
