Bethel University football coach Steve Johnson announced on Monday that he would retire as the Royals’ football coach at the end of the 2023 season.

But retirement is the last thing on his mind right now. And the Royals are living proof of that, clinching a spot in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game for the third year in a row on Saturday with a convincing 31-14 victory over Concordia (Moorhead) at Royal Stadium in Arden Hills, Minn., in a battle of the last two unbeaten teams in MIAC Skyline division competition.

A 1979 Bethel graduate, Johnson became the Royals’ head coach in 1989 and has produced 251 career victories in his 35 years leading the program. He currently ranks as the all-time wins leader among active Division III football coaches.

With 29 winning seasons in a row, he has led the Royals to 11 NCAA Division III playoff appearances, two Final Four appearances, four Elite Eight appearances and five MIAC championships.

And, obviously, he’s not done yet.

Bethel (4-0 MIAC Skyline, 7-2 overall) got 149 yards passing from George Bolt and 117 yards rushing from Aaron Ellingson to put the Cobbers (3-1, 5-4) away. Concordia got 112 yards passing from Cooper Mattern and 84 yards rushing from Colin Conteh.

The MIAC championship game is schedule for next Saturday, when the Royals will play host to Northwoods division winner Gustavus Adolphus (4-0 MIAC Northwoods, 6-3 overall) for the overall championship and automatic berth into the 2023 Division III playoffs..

Gustavus Adolphus 38, Carleton 20

The Gusties warmed up for next week’s game against Bethel for the MIAC championship with a hard-fought win over the Knights in St. Peter, Minn. Gustavus Adolphus jumped to the top of the Northwoods division with its 38-35 win over always-tough St. John’s on Oct. 21.

St. John’s 49, St. Olaf 10

The Johnnies set up a date with Concordia (Moorhead) for next week in a battle of MIAC division runnersup by cruising past the Oles in Northfield, Minn. St. John’s is expecting an at-large bid into the NCAA playoffs after being ranking among Division III’s top 20 teams all season.

Augsburg 42, Macalester 34

Cade Sheehan completed 18 of 27 passes for 220 yards and four touchdowns as the Auggies edged the Scots in St. Paul. Michael Nadeau’s numbers for Macalester were even better than Sheehan’s for Augsburg. Nadeau completed 35 of 53 passes for 434 yards and five touchdowns. The difference in the two might have been Nadeau’s one interception to Sheehan’s none.

Hamline 33, St. Scholastica 26

The Pipers’ ground game was revved up against the Saints in Duluth, Minn., rolling up 256 yards behind three workhorse backs — Malik Wynn (110 yards, 2 TDs), Gilbert Guerra (75 yards) and Alejandro Villanueva (74 yards). Donald West threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns to lead St. Scholastica.

South Dakota State 33, North Dakota State 16

The No. 1-ranked Jackrabbits (8-0) topped the No. 10 Bison (6-2) to win the 2023 Dakota Marker in front of a record crowd of 19,431 at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in a Missouri Valley Football League game in Brookings, S.D. The Jackrabbits forced three turnovers — two interceptions and one fumble — and also blocked an extra point and field goal. South Dakota State has won 23 games in a row dating back to last season.

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