The 2021 Morningside Mustangs football team was an American football team that represented Morningside University as a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) during the 2021 NAIA football season. In their 20th season under head coach Steve Ryan, the Mustangs compiled a perfect 14–0 record (10–0 against GPAC opponents) and won the NAIA national championship, defeating Grand View, 38–28, in the NAIA National Championship Game.[1][2]
| 2021 Morningside Mustangs football | |
|---|---|
NAIA national champion GPAC champion | |
NAIA National Championship Game, W 38–28 vs. Grand View | |
| Conference | Great Plains Athletic Conference |
| Record | 14–0 (10–0 GPAC) |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Elwood Olsen Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Morningside $^ | 10 | – | 0 | 14 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Northwestern (IA) ^ | 9 | – | 1 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Concordia (NE) | 7 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 23 Dordt | 7 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Midland | 6 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doane | 5 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dakota Wesleyan | 4 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Briar Cliff | 3 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hastings | 2 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jamestown | 2 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mount Marty | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Senior running back Anthony Sims led the team with 1,653 rushing yards (127.2 yards per game) and 32 touchdowns.[3]
Schedule edit
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 4 | Concordia (NE) |
| W 63–7 | ||||
| September 11 | at Doane |
| W 56–14 | ||||
| September 18 | Mount Marty |
| W 56–7 | ||||
| October 2 | Midland |
| W 59–14 | [4] | |||
| October 9 | at Hastings |
| W 62–7 | ||||
| October 16 | at Briar Cliff | Sioux City, IA | W 84–7 | [5] | |||
| October 23 | Dordt |
| W 34–28 | ||||
| October 30 | Jamestown |
| W 70–7 | [6] | |||
| November 6 | at Northwestern (IA) |
| W 55–49 | [7] | |||
| November 13 | at Dakota Wesleyan | Mitchell, SD | W 52–7 | [8] | |||
| November 20 | Ottawa (AZ)* |
| W 63–39 | [9] | |||
| November 27 | Kansas Wesleyan* |
| W 58–21 | [10] | |||
| December 4 | Northwestern (IA)* |
| W 28–19 | [11] | |||
| December 18 | vs. Grand View* | Durham, NC (NAIA Championship Game) | W 38–28 | [12] | |||
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References edit
- ^ "2021 Football Schedule". Morningside Mustangs. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ Shane Lantz (December 19, 2021). "Returning To Glory: Morningside wins 3rd national title". The Sioux City Journal. p. B1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Shane Lantz (December 21, 2021). "'He's the best back': Sims pushes through during title game". The Sioux City Journal. pp. B1, B2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Shane Lantz (October 3, 2021). "Mustangs keep clicking: Morningside crushes Midland in homecoming". The Sioux City Journal. pp. B1, B5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Barry Poe (October 17, 2021). "Morningside crushes Briar Cliff: Steve Ryan earns 200th win". The Sioux City Journal. pp. B1, B2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mustangs surpass 50 points again". The Sioux City Journal. October 31, 2021. p. B5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Haggerty lifts Red Raiders". The Sioux City Journal. November 8, 2021. p. B2.
- ^ "Mustangs complete 10-0 regular season". The Sioux City Journal. November 14, 2021. pp. B1, B3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Shane Lantz (November 21, 2021). "Schweigart turns the tide". The Sioux City Journal. pp. B1, B5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Zach James (November 28, 2021). "A healthy reassurance: Johnson breaks out with 153-yard game". The Sioux City Journal. pp. B1, B6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Barry Poe (December 5, 2021). "Fight to the finish: Morningside defense stymies Red Raiders". The Sioux City Journal. pp. B1, B2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Alyssa Hertel (December 18, 2021). "It'll be Grand View vs. Morningside – Iowa vs. Iowa – for NAIA title". The Des Moines Register. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com.