Venue & Game Details
Kickoff: 6:00 PM CT
Venue: Royal Stadium, Arden Hills, Minnesota
Surface: FieldTurf
Broadcast: MIAC Sports Network Live Stream / Live Stats
Fan Info: Gates open at 4:30 p.m.; parking in West Lot (pedestrian walkway to stadium) and Soho Lot for visiting fans.
Weather Forecast (Kickoff)
Conditions: Mostly clear skies
Temperature: ~72°F (22°C) at kickoff, dropping to ~66°F by the fourth quarter
Humidity: ~60%
Wind: Light SSW breeze at 4–6 mph
Impact: Ideal football weather — minimal wind and mild temps should allow both passing and kicking games to operate at full efficiency.
Injury Report
Northwestern–St. Paul Eagles
No official injury report released; expected to have starting QB and primary skill players available after Week 1 loss to St. Olaf (32–7).
OL depth intact; defensive starters healthy.
Bethel University Royals
No significant injuries reported ahead of season opener.
Returning key starters:
QB Cooper Drews — 2024 school-record 43 TD passes, 74% completion rate.
LB Taylor Glynn, DB Devin Williams, DB Trevor Jones anchor a defense replacing 40+ sacks and 15 INTs from last year.
Recent Form
Northwestern–St. Paul Eagles
L 7–32 @ St. Olaf — Offense struggled to sustain drives; defense allowed over 400 yards.
2024: 6-4 overall, 5-3 UMAC.
Bethel University Royals
Season opener; last game was 2024 NCAA Quarterfinal loss.
2024: 11-3 overall, MIAC champions, 4th straight NCAA playoff appearance; averaged 50+ PPG in regular season.
Series History
All-time meetings: Bethel leads 3–0.
Last meeting: Sept. 14, 2024 — Bethel 49, Northwestern 3 (in St. Paul).
Trend: Bethel has won all matchups by 20+ points; last year’s game saw the Royals dominate both lines of scrimmage.
Key Player Matchups
QB Cooper Drews (Bethel) vs. Northwestern Secondary — Drews’ accuracy and deep-ball ability will test an Eagles defense that allowed multiple explosive plays in Week 1.
Northwestern QB vs. Bethel Pass Rush — Eagles’ signal-caller must get the ball out quickly against a defense that, despite turnover in personnel, remains aggressive.
Bethel WR1 vs. Northwestern CB1 — A potential big-play battle; Bethel’s vertical passing game is a known weapon.
Northwestern RB1 vs. Bethel Front Seven — Establishing the run is critical for the Eagles to control tempo.
Special Teams — Field position could be pivotal; Bethel’s return units are dangerous, while Northwestern’s kicking game must be sharp to keep pace.
Betting Trends & Angles
Northwestern–St. Paul: 6-4 SU in last 10 games; 5-5 ATS (unofficial DIII tracking).
Bethel: 9-1 SU in last 10 games; 8-2 ATS.
Totals: Over has hit in 4 of last 5 Bethel games; Under in 3 of last 5 Northwestern games.
Situational: Bethel home opener and first-ever night game at Royal Stadium; Northwestern on the road for second straight week.
Game Odds
Northwestern–St. Paul Eagles 56.5
Bethel (MN) Royals – 35.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 12, 2025
