Fresh off a well-time midseason bye, the Central College football team returns to action today with a home contest against Nebraska Wesleyan.

The Dutch have climbed to #13 in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25, are ranked 15th by d3football.com and most importantly are #14 in the NCAA Power Index, which is used to select the 40-team national tournament field.

That ascension is due to a 5-0 start to the season, and a 3-0 start in American Rivers Conference play, and Central is heavily favored to make it 6-0 today. The Prairie Wolves are 1-5 and 1-3 in league play, with the lone win coming over winless Luther.

With a showdown looming next Saturday against three-time defending conference champion Wartburg, it would be easy to look ahead, but coach Jeff McMartin is confident that their focus is on the task at hand.

“Whatever happens with the score today, it won’t be because as a coaching staff or as players we’ve looked past this game. We haven’t. We’ve solely been focused on this. We’re really in the now, living in the present and trying to play our best today.”

The Dutch got good news on the injury front during the bye. Senior quarterback Hunter Hoffman got banged up late in the first half two weeks ago against Loras and missed the remainder of the game. Time off has allowed him to heal, and he’ll be back under center today.

Kickoff is at 1pm at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium. Trevor Castle and George Wares will call the action live on 92.1 KRLS and the Central Dutch Network beginning with pregame coverage at 12:35.