2019 Morningside Mustangs football team

The 2019 Morningside Mustangs football team was an American football team that represented Morningside University as a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) during the 2019 NAIA football season. In their 18th season under head coach Steve Ryan, the Mustangs compiled a perfect 14–0 record (8–0 against GPAC opponents) and won the NAIA national championship, defeating the Marian Knights, 40–38, in the NAIA National Championship Game.^[1]

2019 Morningside Mustangs football
NAIA national champion GPAC champion
NAIA National Championship Game, W 40–38 vs. Marian (IN)
Conference	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Record	14–0 (8–0 GPAC)
Head coach	Steve Ryan (18th season)
Co-defensive coordinators	Casey Jacobsen (9th season) Nathan Turner (9th season)
Home stadium	Elwood Olsen Stadium
Seasons ← 2018 2020 →

2019 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 1 Morningside $^		9	–	0					14	–	0
No. 10 Northwestern (IA) ^		8	–	1					9	–	2
Dordt		6	–	3					7	–	4
Midland		6	–	3					7	–	4
Briar Cliff		4	–	5					5	–	6
Doane		4	–	5					4	–	7
Concordia (NE)		3	–	6					3	–	7
Dakota Wesleyan		2	–	7					3	–	8
Jamestown		2	–	7					2	–	9
Hastings		1	–	8					2	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

Quarterback Joe Dolincheck completed 295 of 433 passes (68.1%) for 4,303 yards and 49 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Running back Arnijae Ponder carried the ball 323 times for 1,884 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.^[2]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	St. Francis (IL)*	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA	W 80–0	1,000
September 14	Dordt	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA	W 56–14	1,100
September 21	Midland	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA	W 51–29	5,600
October 5	at Hastings	No. 1	Lloyd Wilson Field Hastings, NE	W 69–13
October 12	at Briar Cliff	No. 1	Memorial Field Sioux City, IA	W 49–14	1,000
October 19	Jamestown	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA	W 61–0	1,105
October 26	at Dakota Wesleyan	No. 1	Joe Quintal Field Mitchell, SD	W 69–0
November 2	at Doane	No. 1	Papik Field Crete, NE	W 42–10	1,000
November 9	Concordia (NE)	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA	W 52–7	1,050	[3]
November 16	at No. 5 Northwestern (IA)	No. 1	DeValois Stadium Orange City, IA	W 37–27		[4]
November 23	No. 17 Dickinson State*	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA (NAIA first round)	W 57–14	1,000	[5]
November 30	No. 9 Saint Xavier*	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA (NAIA quarterfinal)	W 51–0	600	[6]
December 7	No. 4 Grand View*	No. 1	Elwood Olsen Stadium Sioux City, IA (NAIA semifinal)	W 21–16	4,500	[7]
December 21	vs. No. 2 Marian (IN)*	No. 1	Eddie Robinson Stadium Grambling, LA (NAIA Championship Game)	W 40–38	1,646	[8]
*Non-conference game Rankings from NAIA Poll released prior to the game