Dec. 20, 2008

·          The announced game time temperature was 61 degrees with rain and overcast skies.

·          The official attendance was a sell-out of 6,500 at Barron Stadium. Numerous empty seats could be seen due to the wet and overcast weather.

·          There were four fumbles in the first quarter (three by Sioux Falls); none of them were lost. Both teams recorded fumbles in their opening possessions of the game.

·          There were only four first downs in the first quarter – all by Sioux Falls.

·          Carroll recorded its initial first-down on its third possession of the game – their 13th play of the game at the 11:31 mark of the second quarter.

·          The first penalty of the game was 7:09 in the first quarter – offsides on the Saints.

·          The blocked punt against Carroll’s Zach Thiry was the first of his career.

·          Carroll trailed 10-0 in the second quarter – marking the largest deficit this year. Rocky Mountain was the only opponent (Sept. 13) to lead by as much as seven points this season – Carroll won 47-14 in that game.

·          The last time Carroll was shut out in the first half was on Sept. 22, 2007 against MSU-Northern – a game Carroll won 10-3.

·          This year’s Championship Offensive MVP, junior quarterback Lorenzo Brown from Sioux Falls, was playing in his first Championship game, while Championship Defensive MVP, junior linebacker Kyle Cummings, also from Sioux Falls, was playing in his second Championship game.

·          Last year’s Championship Offensive MVP, Gabe Le, was held to 15 rushing yards.

·          Carroll running back John Camino rushed for 48 yards. That total marked the most all season for a Sioux Falls opposing running back.

·          Sioux Falls has now won 11 of its last 12 playoff games overall.

·          Sioux Falls fourth-year head coach Kalen DeBoer now has been a part of all three National Championships. He was a wide receiver on the 1996 Championship team and his 2006 program won the title in his second season of coaching.

·          Ranked No. 9 in the country in rushing offense (220.3) coming into the game, Carroll was held to 62 overall (1.6 ypc).

·          The Sioux Falls defense ends the season giving up just 10 touchdowns in 14 games (8 passing, 2 rushing). Just three opponents have reached 10 or more points.

·          Since 2000, there have been five games pitting No. 1 against No. 2 (including 2008). The second-ranked team has won four out of those five times (including the last three seasons).

·          Since the Rawlings-NAIA Player of the Year award was handed out beginning in 1997, the player who won the award was on a team that is 5-4 in the National Championship – Carroll’s Owen Koeppen is the 2008 Player of the Year. With Carroll losing this year, the Player of the Year has now been on the losing team in each of the last three Championship games.

·          In Championship action, Carroll drops to 5-1 while Sioux Falls improves to 3-2.

·          Sioux Falls finished with seven shut-outs this year – one shy of tying the national record set in 1989 by St. Mary of the Plains (Kan.).

·          The Carroll offense was held to just 47 total yards on 26 plays (1.8 avg.) in the first half.

·          Carroll had its 28-game winning streak snapped and fell for the first time in National Championship play (5-1 overall).

·          With three titles, Sioux Falls is one of 11 NAIA programs all-time to earn at least three National Championship titles.