Friends Football Dominated NAIA Scoring and Rushing

The Wichita-based team enters Saturday's matchup leading the nation in both points and rushing yardage.

Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Football

Friends Football Dominated NAIA Scoring and Rushing

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The Friends football team has dominated the NAIA this season, maintaining an undefeated 4-0 record while leading the nation with an average of 68 points and 450 rushing yards per game. The team enters a road game against Evangel University this Saturday following a historic run last season.

Why it matters

The team's success stems from a strategic emphasis on sharing the football, which keeps opponents guessing and defenses fresh. By rotating six to eight running backs per game based on defensive alignments, the coaching staff maintains high-intensity offensive production.

Friends currently averages 68 points per game with 450 rushing yards per outing. The squad leads the NAIA in rushing for the fourth consecutive year and features a rotation of six to eight running backs in every contest.

The players

Friends University

This private Christian university based in Wichita, Kansas, supports a football program that has led the NAIA in rushing for four consecutive years.

Evangel University

Located in Springfield, Missouri, this private university operates a football program that previously suffered a 53-0 loss to Friends last year.

The details

The program enters Saturday's game against Evangel with a perfect 4-0 record and a deep bench of running backs. This balanced approach to ball distribution has allowed the team to sustain its high-scoring pace throughout the first four weeks of the season.

Last season, Friends won 12 games and reached the quarterfinals.
Last year, Friends defeated Evangel 53-0.
Over the past four weeks, Friends maintained a 68-point scoring average.
Saturday, Friends plays Evangel in Springfield.

Season Trajectory

Following a program-record 12 wins last season, this dominant start positions Friends as a primary contender for a return to the NAIA playoffs. The team's consistent ability to lead the nation in rushing suggests a well-established offensive identity that remains difficult for opponents to stop.

The team's reliance on rotating six to eight running backs per game minimizes the fantasy or statistical impact of any single individual. Fans attending Saturday's game in Springfield will witness whether this committee approach can replicate the 53-0 margin of victory seen last year.

The takeaway

The team proves that a deep, distributed rotation of players can outperform individual-focused strategies in high-scoring offensive systems. Coaches and athletes looking to emulate this success should emphasize flexible personnel usage rather than relying on a single star player.