NAIA-CFB Game Preview: St. Thomas Bobcats (3-1) vs. Warner Royals (0-4)

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Venue & Logistics

Stadium: Tye Athletic Field, Lake Wales, Florida

Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ET

Conference: Sun Conference (NAIA)

Weather Forecast (Lake Wales, FL)

Temperature: 84°F at kickoff, humid conditions

Conditions: Mostly sunny with scattered clouds, 10–12 mph winds

Impact: Heat and humidity could test depth and conditioning, especially for Warner’s thinner roster

Injury Report

St. Thomas Bobcats (3-1):

RB Jalen Clark – Probable (ankle, limited practice but expected to play)

WR Chris Jean – Questionable (hamstring, game-time decision)

Defense otherwise healthy and rested after bye week

Warner Royals (0-4):

QB rotation unsettled after injuries; starter expected to be sophomore Caleb Pierce (ankle soreness but cleared)

OL depth thin after two season-ending injuries

Secondary at full strength

Key Player Matchups

St. Thomas QB Tyler Thomas vs. Warner Secondary
Thomas has thrown for 9 TDs in 4 games, and Warner’s defense has allowed over 250 passing yards per game.

Warner RB Committee vs. St. Thomas Front Seven
Warner averages just 92 rushing yards per game; St. Thomas allows only 3.1 yards per carry. If Warner can’t establish the run, they’ll be forced into predictable passing downs.

Special Teams Edge
St. Thomas kicker has been perfect inside 40 yards, while Warner has missed 3 field goals this season. Hidden points could matter if Warner keeps it close.

Recent Team Form

St. Thomas Bobcats (3-1, 1-0 Sun Conference)

Last Game: Defeated Florida Memorial 31–17, controlling time of possession

Strength: Balanced offense, opportunistic defense (+5 turnover margin)

Weakness: Penalties (averaging 8 per game)

Warner Royals (0-4, 0-1 Sun Conference)

Last Game: Lost 43–15 to Florida Memorial, struggled defensively in the second half

Strength: Young QB shows flashes of mobility and arm talent

Weakness: Offensive line protection and defensive stamina

Series History

All-Time Meetings: 6

Series Record: St. Thomas leads 5–1

Recent Trend: St. Thomas has won 5 straight, including a 60–32 victory in 2024.

At Lake Wales: St. Thomas leads 2–1

Betting Trends

St. Thomas is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 Sun Conference games

Warner is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 overall

The Over has hit in 4 of the last 5 meetings

Historical Betting Results:

St. Thomas has covered in 4 of the last 5 matchups

Average margin of victory for St. Thomas in the last 3 games: +21.3 points

Predicted Score: St. Thomas 41, Warner 20

Game Odds

St. Thomas Bobcats        – 17

Warner Royals                  56

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, October 10, 2025