NWOSU 14
Lindenwood 13
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GREAT BEND, Kan. – One school accustomed to basking in the national football limelight for many years and another one determined to make its mark consistently among the country’s elite gridiron programs are matched for Wheat Bowl XII.Two-time Wheat Bowl champion Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Alva, Okla.) and fast-rising Lindenwood University (St. Charles, Mo.) have accepted bids to play in the upcoming small-college regional sports headliner to be contested here on Saturday, August 26. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Great Bend Memorial Stadium.

“There aren’t many programs at any level that have the long-standing tradition that Northwestern offers to a Wheat Bowl pairing,” said Toby Johnson, president of Wheat Bowl Inc., in announcing selections for the 2006 pre-season extravaganza endorsed by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

“And there may not be any school in the country that over the past two seasons has elevated its program any more than Lindenwood,” Johnson added. “This will be an outstanding match-up for showcasing top-caliber NAIA football.”

Northwestern will be making its third Wheat Bowl appearance. The Rangers knocked off two quality Heart of America Athletic Conference opponents in rather roughshod fashion – MidAmerica Nazarene 40-7 in 1998 and Missouri Valley 49-14 a year later – in their two previous Wheat Bowl appearances.

The second Wheat Bowl title spurred NWOSU to the 1999 NAIA National Football Championship (34-26 over Georgetown, Ky.) that capped and unbeaten season.Lindenwood already has its sights set on challenging for the NAIA national football title this coming fall. Another HAAC member, Lindenwood will be making its second appearance at the Wheat Bowl, with the Lions having dropped a 31-14 decision to Concordia (Neb.) University in Wheat Bowl VI. As a member of the Central States Football League, Northwestern competes annually on a national scale and is one of the premier small-college programs in the country.

After winning the NAIA national crown in 1999, the Rangers wound up runner-up in the national playoffs in both 2000 and 2003.Fred Slaughter will be entering his second season as NWOSU’s head coach.

The Waxahachie, Texas native, served on the Rangers’ football staff for 11 campaigns under three coaches before being named to guide Northwestern fortunes. Slaughter played cornerback for the Rangers from 1990-93, earning NAIA honorable mention honors in 1992.Ross also has some Kansas coaching roots, having led Ottawa University as head taskmaster to a KCAC title and the national playoffs in 2003. Before that, he was defensive coordinator at Kansas Wesleyan for four seasons.

In addition to the football confrontation, other traditional Wheat Bowl Weekend events will include the Wheat Bowl Banquet on Friday, August 25, at the Highland Hotel & Conference Center in Great Bend, and the game-day Wheat Bowl Luncheon for sponsors, dignitaries, media and special guest scheduled for the Stone Ridge Club in Great Bend.