Following its bye week, William Woods University (1-5, 0-2 Heart of America Athletic Conference South Division) hosts another ranked opponent in the Heart South, No. 19 Baker University (4-1, 1-1), at 1 p.m. Saturday at North Campus Athletic Complex.

The last time WWU took the field, the Owls fell 70-7 to then-No. 17 MidAmerica Nazarene University on Oct. 5 in Fulton. The Owls finished the game with 207 yards of total offense, 205 yards passing and two yards rushing. MidAmerica Nazarene had 419 yards rushing and 190 yards passing for 609 yards of offense.

Through six games this season, William Woods is averaging 13.8 points and 220 yards of offense per game, 197.7 yards passing and 22.3 yards rushing. Opponents are scoring 56 points and averaging 522 yards of offense per game, 319.7 yards rushing and 202.3 yards passing.

WWU is ranked fifth in the NAIA in tackles (470), sixth in interception return average (27.3), seventh in punts (No. - yards) (51-1,494), 12th in kick returns (No. - yards) (31-576), 14th in interception returns (No. - yards) (6-164), 17th in penalty first downs (14), 31st in defensive touchdowns (one), 32nd in punt return average (12), 37th in completion-attempt-interception rate (96-215-5) and 38th in passing touchdowns (10).

Gabe Serri leads the Owls in passing. He is 84-for-190 for 1,027 yards and 10 touchdowns. Serri has thrown five interceptions. He is averaging 171.2 passing yards per game and has completed 44.2 percent of his passes. Jalen Proctor leads WWU in rushing touchdowns with one. Chris Hunter is WWU's leader in rushing with 72 yards on 46 carries. He is averaging 1.6 yards per carry. Troy Oliver leads the Owls in receptions (33), receiving yards (472) and receiving touchdowns (six).

Carter Holloway is WWU's leader in tackles with 62. He is averaging 10.3 tackles per game, has one sack and 2.5 tackles per loss. Clarence Jackson is second on the team in tackles with 42. He has seven tackles per game, 0.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Jaylen Wiley Scruggs has 33 tackles and one tackle for loss.

Saturday is the first meeting between Wililam Woods and Baker. The Wildcats have been inside the GoRout NAIA Top 25 rating in all six regular-season ratings and the preseason rating this year, and they have been at No. 19 in the two most recent ratings. Baker was rated a season-high No. 16 in the third rating released Sep. 23, after it began the season at No. 17.

Baker University is a private university in Baldwin City, Kan. Founded in 1858, it was the first four-year university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker has had football since 1890, owning an NAIA best all-time record of 646-409-39. The Wildcats have won 20 conference titles (most recently in 2023) and made 20 NAIA playoff appearances (most recently in '23), with their national championship runner-up finishes in 2016 and 1986 their best.

Baker is 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Heart South. The Wildcats' four victories are a 26-16 triumph against Missouri Valley College on Oct. 5 in Baldwin City, Kan., 61-7 over Culver-Stockton College on Sep. 21 in Baldwin City, Kan., 43-21 over William Penn University on Sep. 14 in Oskaloosa, Iowa and 52-0 over St. Ambrose University on Sep. 7 in Baldwin City, Kan.

Then-No. 13 Benedictine College handed then-No. 16 Baker its lone loss this season, as the Wildcats fell 27-24 on Sep. 28 in Atchison, Kan.

BU averages 41.2 points and 422 yards of offense per game, 239.4 yards passing and 182.6 yards rushing. Opponents are scoring 14.2 points and averaging 289 yards of offense per game, 206 yards passing and 83 yards rushing. 

The Wildcats are ranked first in the NAIA in field goals (10-11), second in defensive touchdowns (five), fifth in interception returns (No. - yards) (10-229), sixth in red zone percentage (96 percent), eighth in punt return average (20.5) and defensive interceptions (10), 11th in punt returns (No. - yards) (8-164), 14th in interception return average (22.9), 15th in field goal percentage (90.9 percent) and 17th in time of possession per game (33:34).

Truman Juelsgaard leads Baker in passing. He is 63-for-88 through the air for 841 yards and 11 touchdowns. Juelsgaard has thrown two interceptions. He is completing 71.6 percent of his passes and averages 210.3 passing yards per game. Chauncey Andrews leads BU in rushing with 259 yards on the ground this season. He is averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 51.8 rushing yards per game. Gaige Warren leads the team in receptions with 21 for 199 yards. He has three receiving touchdowns.

Zac Kramer leads the Wildcats in tackles with 51. He has 5.5 tackles for loss. Canon Karn is second on the team in tackles with 29. He has 1.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and one interception. PJ McCallop Jr. is BU's leader in interceptions with three.

In the Wildcats' win versus Missouri Valley two weeks ago in Baldwin City, Kan., the Vikings led 16-6 at halftime before the Wildcats shut out MVC and tallied 20 points in the second half to seal a 26-16 comeback victory. Baker had 338 yards of offense in the triumph, 236 yards rushing and 102 yards through the air.