Kickoff: 1:00 PM EDT
Venue: Bishop John M. D’Arcy Stadium, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Broadcast: NAIA.TV / Urban Edge Network
Game Overview
Week 1 of the 2025 NAIA season opens with a non-conference showdown as the Campbellsville Tigers travel from Kentucky to face the host Saint Francis Cougars. Both programs return veteran leaders on offense and defense, making this early clash a prime barometer for playoff potential and conference positioning later in the year.
Team Profiles
Campbellsville Tigers (KY)
2024 Record: 7–4 overall, 5–3 Mid-South Conference
Head Coach: Autry D. Leonard (5th season)
Offensive Scheme: Balanced spread offense featuring quick reads and perimeter runs
Defensive Scheme: 4–2–5 nickel defense built for coverage versatility
Key Returners
QB Davis Fields (Sr.) — Threw for 2,200 yards and 18 TDs last season, added 450 rushing yards on designed keeps.
RB Jordan Green (Jr.) — Rushed for 820 yards (4.8 YPC) with 10 touchdowns; excels in short-yardage and third-down situations.
LB Malik Carter (Sr.) — Team leader with 95 tackles, 6 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles in 2024.
Outlook: Leonard’s Tigers will lean on Fields’s dual-threat skill set and Green’s north-south running to control the clock. Defensively, Carter anchors a back seven that must contain Saint Francis’s quick-tempo passing attack.
Saint Francis Cougars (IN)
2024 Record: 6–5 overall, 4–4 Mid-States Football Association (Mideast)
Head Coach: Kelly Butler (8th season)
Offensive Scheme: Up-tempo power spread with play-action emphasis
Defensive Scheme: 3–3–5 multiple fronts, stressing run fits and zone coverage
Key Returners
QB Hunter Miller (Sr.) — Completed 62% of passes for 2,000 yards and 16 TDs, added 300 yards rushing.
RB C.J. Sanders (Sr.) — Had 780 rushing yards (5.5 YPC) and 9 TDs; threat as check-down receiver.
DB Elijah Brown (Jr.) — Picked off 5 passes and led the team with 14 pass breakups.
Outlook: Butler’s Cougars aim to set the tone with a no-huddle attack, forcing Campbellsville’s defense to communicate quickly. Special teams veteran Mason Killian provides field-position prowess with a strong leg and return skills.
Key Storylines
Season Opener Stakes: Both teams seek early momentum. A road win for Campbellsville would boost its national profile, while Saint Francis needs a home victory to anchor its MSFA campaign.
Tempo vs. Control: The Cougars’ hurry-up offense clashes with the Tigers’ ball-control philosophy. Whichever side dictates the pace will likely determine possession advantage.
Front Seven Battle: Campbellsville’s nose tackle tandem vs. Saint Francis’s interior offensive line will shape each drive’s success in short-yardage and red-zone scenarios.
Tactical Matchup
Offensive Line vs. Front Six: Can Campbellsville’s tackles contain SF’s edge-blitz packages?
Ball Security: Both teams emphasize takeaways—turnover control will swing field position.
Special Teams Edge: A blocked punt or long return could flip momentum in a one-score game.
Saint Francis’s tempo-driven offense and home-field crowd give the Cougars a slight edge. Campbellsville will battle early with big-play potential from Fields and Green, but SFU’s ability to control the line of scrimmage and force key turnovers should prevail in a back-and-forth opener.
Game Odds
Campbellsville (KY) 54.5
Saint Francis (IN) – 3.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, August 29, 2025
