NORTH NEWTON, Kan. - The Thresher Football team has moved up two spots to no. 10 in the most recent NAIA Football FirstDown PlayBook Coaches' Top 25 Poll. 

The Threshers have picked up right where they left off in their historical 2020 season. Bethel has started the 2021 season 2-0 behind their stout defense and high powered offense. The Thresher defense is holding their opponents to abysmally low numbers of 1.5 points per game, lowest opponent average in the country, and just 161.5 yards per game, third lowest in the country.

After a bumpy lightning delayed first contest, the Thresher offense started rolling on all cylinders this past weekend against Friends. They ran for over 540 yards and threw for 101 while putting up 59 points. The offense is averaging 41.5 points per game, 501.5 yards of total offense per game, and 451 yards rushing per game, this is the highest rushing average in the country by more than 120 yards per game. 

Bethel finds themselves in the top 25 in nearly every statistical category on both sides of the ball. The last time the Threshers were ranked in the top 10 was on October 22, 2007 when they were also ranked no. 10, Bethel's highest ranking ever.

The Threshers will square off with a top 20 ranked opponent this weekend as they take on the no. 16 Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes inside Thresher Stadium with kick-off slated for 6:00 PM.