DES MOINES, IA -- The Vikings take the field for the first time since playing in the Semifinals of the NAIA Championship Series when it opens the 2023 campaign on the road versus MidAmerica at 6:00 p.m in Olathe, KS. 

ABOUT THE GAME
•At No. 3 by the 2023 NAIA Football FirstDown PlayBook Top 25 Preseason Edition. The last time the Vikings were unranked was back on October 24, 2011. The team is currently at a consecutive 135 straight-season rank, the second longest in NAIA history. 
•GVU is opening its season against MidAmerica Nazarene for the second time ever in program history, the last meeting dates back to August of 2019 when the Vikings won 34-0 in Des Moines. 
•Woodley is 3-0 against MidAmerica as a head coach. Prior to last season's 51-0 win in Des Moines, his previous two games versus the Pioneers came to a close with scores of 47-21 in the 2021 season, and 34-0 in 2019.  
•The Vikings have not lost an opening road game since the 2018 season. 
•The Vikings average 45.43 points against the Pioneers. 
•The Vikings won't return to the road until September 23rd, after a two home game stint following this weekend.

VERSUS THE HEART OF AMERICA 
•Dating back to 2019, the Vikings head coach Joe Woodley is undefeated in conference play. The Vikings with Joe at the helm are 42-0** overall without divisions in the Heart of America, and are 18-0 (including 3 wins during the COVID-19 season) in the North. 

OPENING NOTES
•The Vikings are 12-3 in season openers in their history, having won 5 since Joe Woodley became head coach in 2019. 

THE TEAM 
•The Vikings return many key pieces on offense this season, but will be commanded by a new face in Jackson Waring, the Junior transfer from DI Illinois State, the former Redbird, and Des Moines Christian graduate who started five times at quarterback for the Redbirds, completed 54.6 percent of his passes on the season and finished the year with 879 yards and six touchdowns in the fall of 2021. Offensively the Vikings return statistic leaders, Damon Street, Nathan Hamilton, Seth Juhl, and Avery Gates. 
•The Vikings defense also has the comfort of retention from last season, the Vikings return many statistical leaders including Nate Ewell, Patrick Savage, Seth Adrian, Aaron Brown, and Tristin Waugh. The Vikings also added some key transfers in the secondary, including Jaylen Perkins who played at NCAA DII Nebraska Kearney where he had 20 solo tackles, 6 pass break-ups, and one QB hurry in 2021.