Venue & Broadcast
- Location: Jack and Pat Bush Stadium, Davenport, Iowa
- Kickoff: 12:00 PM CT
- Surface: Artificial turf
- Capacity: ~5,000
- Broadcast: St. Ambrose Athletics live stream (check official site for link)
Weather Outlook (early-week forecast)
- Temperature at kickoff: ~73°F (23°C)
- Conditions: Mostly sunny, light northwest wind (5–8 mph)
- Precipitation chance: <10%
- Impact: Ideal offensive conditions — minimal wind impact for passing/kicking games.
Injury & Availability Report
(NAIA programs often release limited official injury info — monitor late-week updates)
- Central Methodist: No confirmed starters ruled out; offense looking to rebound after scoring just 16 total points in first two games.
- St. Ambrose: No major injuries reported; QB and WR units intact after competitive early-season outings.
- Key Note: Both teams expected to be near full strength barring late-week scratches.
Recent Form
Central Methodist Eagles:
- L 51–10 @ Missouri S&T — struggled to contain passing game.
- L 38–6 vs. William Penn — offense stalled, averaging just 169.5 total yards per game through two contests.
- Strength: Special teams coverage, defensive front capable of generating pressure.
St. Ambrose Fighting Bees:
- L 38–35 @ Missouri Baptist — offense showed explosiveness, but defense allowed late scoring drive.
- Strength: Passing attack, red-zone efficiency.
Series History
- All-time: Limited recent history; both programs in Heart of America Athletic Conference but have not met frequently in recent years.
- Trend: No clear dominance — matchup offers a fresh early-season test for both sides.
Key Player Matchups
- QB Duel:
- CMU QB — needs improved protection to establish rhythm.
- SAU QB — accurate on intermediate routes, thrives in quick-strike offense.
- Ground Game:
- CMU RB rotation — must find running lanes to keep SAU defense honest.
- SAU RB — versatile backfield threat, effective in screen game.
- Defensive Edge:
- SAU secondary vs. CMU WRs — Bees’ DBs look to capitalize on turnover opportunities.
Betting Trends
- Central Methodist is 2-6 ATS in last 8 road games.
- St. Ambrose is 4-1 ATS in last 5 home openers.
- Last 4 St. Ambrose games have gone Over the total.
- CMU has failed to score more than 20 points in 6 of last 8 games.
Game Odds
Central Methodist Eagles 52
St. Ambrose Fighting Bees – 9.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 12, 2025
