1 p.m. Saturday - #11 Carroll at #2 SOU - Raider Stadium
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Tailgate: Starts at 10 a.m. in lot 41 on the north end of Raider Stadium
Gates and ticket booths: Open at 11 a.m.
First 1,000 fans: Receive cowbells courtesy of Butler Ford

ASHLAND – In recent history, the theater produced by the Southern Oregon University and Carroll College football teams has been rivaled only by the championships.

The next installment of the Frontier Conference rivalry, 1 p.m. Saturday at Raider Stadium, is likely to feature more drama – especially if the teams' recent outings against other opponents are any indication – and will undoubtedly be a deciding factor if the second-ranked Raiders (4-1 Frontier) or 11^th-ranked Saints (3-2) plan to capture the conference title.

The season-opener for both teams was a 26-20 Saints victory on Sept. 5 in Helena, Mont. Because SOU (then ranked No. 1) was without quarterback Austin Dodge for the first time since his record-setting career began, all eyes were understandably on the Raider offense, which did not generate a lack of fodder: SOU failed to score multiple offensive touchdowns for the first time in 42 games, went 12 straight drives without one and dropped two potential TD passes in the final minute.

On both sides the performance was a far cry from last year's three shootouts, in which the Raiders and Saints produced an average of 1,053 yards of offense per game (they combined for 713 that day).

The difference since then is that the Raiders have sharpened their attack, posting 565 yards a game while winning four straight, and the Saints are still looking for answers. Winners of 14 of the last 15 Frontier titles, they're in danger of losing three games in a season for just the second time since 2000.

Series:
– Carroll is up 5-3 in the all-time series between the teams, but since SOU joined the Frontier in 2012 they've gone 3-3 and neither team has won consecutively.
– Of the eight games the series has produced, only one has been decided by more than six points: Carroll's 48-30 win in Helena on Nov. 2, 2013.
– Prior to this matchup, the Saints hadn't been ranked lower than No. 6 when facing the Raiders since the very first meeting in 2001.
– SOU running back Melvin Mason has owned the Saints in four games over the last two seasons, rushing for 10 touchdowns and 470 yards on 80 carries (5.9 yards/attempt).
– SOU's 45-42 playoff victory at Carroll last Nov. 29 – when the Raiders scored on all five of their second-half drives and erased a 35-18 fourth-quarter deficit – was the first win in program history over a No. 1-ranked team.

Varying degrees of injury-bug bites: The Raiders needed to scratch and claw last week to come out of Montana Western with a 37-30 overtime win against the 16^th-ranked Bulldogs –ending a five-game OT losing streak that dated back to 2007 and notching their-ever first road win against a ranked team in a Frontier contest. They did it without a handful of regular starters, some of whom aren't likely to return this week, and by making four straight goal-line stops on UMW's OT possession after the Bulldogs reached the 1-yard line on their first play.

Carroll has lately been at a disadvantage, too, and quarterback Mac Roche is paying the price. Last season, Roche completed 67 percent of his passes with 28 touchdowns and four interceptions, but lost top target Anthony Clark to graduation; lost second-leading receiver Kyle Griffith just before this season to injury; lost his leading receiver this season, Connor Fohn (who had been averaging 92 yards per game and made a 55-yard Hail Mary catch to beat Rocky Mountain in the final seconds), to another injury; and has recently been without opening-day starting wideout Dylan Simac.

Those losses, combined with the graduation of All-American running back Dustin Rinker, have seriously hampered Roche. He's now completing 54 percent of his attempts with 11 TDs and eight interceptions – going from a pick every 80 attempts in 2014 to one every 21 attempts this season. Overall, the Saints offense is down from 470 yards per game last year to 325.

Raider quick hits:
– Sean Tow scored three touchdowns last week, including a go-ahead 16-yard pass from Tanner Trosin with 2:49 left in the fourth quarter, and a game-winning nine-yard rush in OT. The TDs were Nos. 18, 19 and 20 for his career.
– Melvin Mason also pushed his career TD total to 31 with his 25^th rushing score last week. He ranks third on SOU's career rushing TD list and is two scores away from tying Dylan Young for third on the total TDs list.
– Since seeing limited action in the opener against Carroll, Trosin has completed 67 percent of his passes (56 of 83) for five TDs, one interception and 728 yards in four games. He's also averaging 7.7 yards per rush and 71.5 rushing yards in his last four games.
– In five games, the Raiders have been led by four different players in receiving yardage. Last week it was Adonis Griffin, who racked up 138 yards by making four catches that went for 20-plus yards.
– Devvon Gage was the Frontier defensive player of the week after making a career-high 11 tackles at UMW, including the third-down stop on the goal line in OT. However, defensive back Karrington Jones may have outdone him with the fifth and sixth interceptions of his career and four pass break-ups.
– Joseph Lealofi had a sack last week for the sixth time in seven games dating back to last season. He owns two solo and two assisted in 2015.
– Among all NAIA teams, SOU ranks second in average penalty yards (115.6), second in third-down conversion percentage (52), second in punt yards per attempt thanks to Thomas Giddens (44.2), fourth in scoring (43.8) and fifth in total offense (517.4).

Home History: Craig Howard has led the Raiders to a 16-2 home record since taking over prior to the 2011 season. They've won eight of their last nine at home against ranked opponents. All-time at Raider Stadium, SOU is 87-55.

Around the NAIA: For the third straight week, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) is No. 1 in the NAIA Top 25 poll, and at 5-0 is one five remaining undefeated teams. The Blue Raiders' opponents this year have posted a combined record of 6-24, but after a bye this week they should be tested by undefeated and eighth-ranked Reinhart (Ga.) on Oct. 24.

Among Frontier teams, Montana Tech – which has forced a first-place tie with SOU and will visit Raider Stadium Nov. 7 – is up four spots this week to No. 13 in the poll. Tech made the biggest move up, and Carroll made the biggest move down from No. 4 to 11.

More on Carroll: The Saints are playing with an all new defensive line this season, but will lean on All-American safety James Dowgin (54 tackles, 3 interceptions), All-Frontier corners Matt Wymore (1 interception) and Ryan Gregory, and All-Frontier linebacker Shayne Durbin (26 tackles). In their efforts to replace Rinker at tailback, the Saints are averaging only 2.7 yards per carry. Ryan Walsh (46.8 rushing yards/game) and Dylan Green (45/game) lead the way, and Walsh also appears to be Roche's best remaining receiving option with 20 catches for 210 yards and two TDs.

Carroll's five games have been decided by an average of 5.8 points. The Saints have taken losses at Montana Tech (19-10) and last week at home against Eastern Oregon (28-21).