Venue & Game Info
Location: Walston-Hoover Stadium, Waverly, Iowa
Kickoff: 12:00 PM CT
Capacity: ~5,000 (outdoor stadium)
Weather Forecast: Cold, ~36°F, cloudy skies, NW winds 12–15 mph, chance of light snow flurries
Broadcast: NCAA.com / ESPN+
Injury Report
Wartburg Knights: RB Hunter Clasen (ankle) probable; WR Logan Schmitt (hamstring) questionable.
Wheaton Thunder: QB Nathan Arbaugh (shoulder soreness) probable; LB Luke Peterson (knee) out for season.
Key Player Matchups
Quarterbacks:
Wartburg: Carson Jones – 2,785 yards, 27 TD, 6 INT
Wheaton: Nathan Arbaugh – 2,345 yards, 21 TD, 8 INT
Running Backs:
Wartburg: Hunter Clasen – 1,045 yards, 12 TD (probable)
Wheaton: Sam Singleton – 987 yards, 9 TD
Receivers:
Wartburg: Logan Schmitt – 865 yards, 8 TD (questionable)
Wheaton: Andrew O’Malley – 1,102 yards, 10 TD
Defensive Leaders:
Wartburg: LB Mason Miller – 102 tackles, 7 sacks
Wheaton: DL Luke Peterson – 88 tackles, 9 sacks (injured)
Recent Team Form
Wartburg:
W vs Central (28-24)
W vs Coe (35-21)
W vs Simpson (42-14)
W vs Buena Vista (38-17)
W vs Loras (31-10)
Wheaton:
W vs North Central (27-24)
L vs WashU (31-28)
W vs Carroll (35-14)
W vs Elmhurst (41-10)
L vs Illinois Wesleyan (34-20)
Series History
Wartburg and Wheaton have met twice in postseason play.
Series tied 1–1.
Last meeting: 2022, Wartburg won 49–14 in the second round.
Betting Trends
Wartburg has covered in 4 of last 5 games.
Wheaton is 3-2 ATS in last 5, but struggled against nationally ranked opponents.
Wartburg games trend under due to strong defense; Wheaton games trend over due to offensive shootouts.
Historical Betting Results
Wartburg covered vs Central (-3.5), winning 28–24.
Wheaton failed to cover vs Illinois Wesleyan (-2.5), losing 34–20.
Wartburg 6–2 ATS in playoff games since 2020.
Wheaton 4–3 ATS in playoff games since 2019.
Projected Score: Wartburg 31 – Wheaton 21
Reasoning: Wartburg’s balanced offense and elite defense should control the game. Wheaton’s upset potential hinges on Arbaugh’s passing efficiency and O’Malley’s big-play ability, but Wartburg’s depth and undefeated pedigree make them strong favorites.
Final Take: Expect a physical, defensive-minded playoff clash. Wartburg’s ARC championship pedigree meets Wheaton’s CCIW tradition, with the Knights favored to advance at home in Waverly.
Game Odds
Wartburg Knights – 7.5
Wheaton (IL) Thunder 49.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, November 28, 2025
