Calvin is under the direction of head coach Trent Figg who guides his 110-member roster into year one this fall. 

Tickets - Saturday's game ia a sold out. 

How to Watch/Listen: The Calvin football team can be followed live in several different ways during the 2024 season.

 Saturday's game can be followed by Live stream, live audio and live stats.

The Calvin University live stream broadcast can be found online at: Calvin-Hope Live Stream Broadcast. An audio and video stream sponsored by Mercantile Bank will also be available through Michigan Sports Radio (Michigansportsradio.com).

The broadcast will also be televised on West Michigan cable television station WXSP-TV Nexstar Media Inc.

 In addition, it will air on Grand Rapids radio station Talk 1230 AM WTKG with the link to that broadcast available at: Calvin-Hope Radio Broadcast on Talk 1230 AM WTKG. 

The live statistics of the game will be produced at: Calvin/Hope Live Stats

The Lead-Up – Calvin is in its first season of intercollegiate football. The Knights are 2-6 overall and 0-5 in the MIAA after gaining non-conference wins over Oberlin and Anderson and dropping games to Concordia (Wis.), Kalamazoo, Alma, Adrian, Trine and Olivet. Graduate student Chase Bradman has been strong for the Knights at the quarterback position, completing just over 57 percent of his passes (166-288) including 16 touchdown tosses. Graduate student Jaier Harden has been strong on the ground, gaining 623 yards on 108 carries and four touchdowns. He averages 5.8 yards per rush. Freshman Luke Michmerhuizen has been Bradman's top target in the receiving column, hauling in 40 catches (15.58 yards per catch) and four touchdown grabs. Freshman linebacker Carson Schnurstein has 61 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks with junior Travor Martens close behind with 59 tackles, 8.5 tackles loss, 3.5 quarterback sacks and two blocked kicks.

The Calvin Coach-Head coach Trent Figg was hired on January 6, 2023. He is a native of Chillicothe, Missouri, located an hour-and-a-half from Kansas City. He is a 2008 graduate of William Jewell College where he was a four-year member of the football program as a special teams ace and defensive back. He later earned his master's degree from Northwest Missouri State in 2013. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at (then NAIA) William Jewell and later had stints as the special teams coordinator and defensive coordinator at D2 Southern Arkansas, defensive coordinator at William Jewell and special teams coordinator at Missouri State. He later spent two years (2019-21) at the University of Hawaii, serving as chief of staff of the football program and later associate head coach. In 2022, he served as the lead offensive analyst for the University of Oregon football program under head coach Dan Lanning. Figg and Lanning are former teammates and roommates at William Jewell College and stood up for each other at their respective weddings.

MIAA Non-Conference Slate – Combined, the MIAA was 18-6 in non-conference football action over the first three weeks of the season with Hope, Adrian and Kalamazoo all posting 3-0 marks while Calvin, Albion, Alma and Trine were 2-1 and Olivet 1-2.

A Look at the Hope Coach – Hope is under the direction of eighth-year head coach Peter Stuursma who is a 1993 graduate of Hope. As a student, Stuursma was a four-year member of the football program at Hope and a team co-captain his senior year. He earned his master's degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1998 and was a graduate assistant football coach on the school's 1997 Division II National Championship team. He later went on to a decorated high school coaching career at East Grand Rapids High School, leading the school to seven state championships. He has been at the helm of the Hope football program since 2016 and has fashioned a won-loss record of 62-17 including MIAA titles in 2019 and 2021. Of note, Stuursma has ties to Calvin as his grandfather Herman "Fuzz Van Faasen was Calvin's first great point guard in men's basketball, starring on Calvin teams in the late 1930s and early 1940s with Calvin winning a pair of Michigan Ontario Collegiate Conference (MOCC) titles.  Calvin was a member of the MOCC prior to joining the MIAA in 1953.

MIAA Preseason Poll – Calvin was picked to finish eighth out of eight teams in the 2024 MIAA preseason poll with Hope selected to finish second. Alma was the preseason favorite to win the league.

More on Hope  - Hope heads in with an overall record of 8-0 and a conference record of 5-0. The Flying Dutchmen are ranked 17^th in the latest D3football.com Top 25 poll, 16th in the most recent AFCA D3 Top 25 poll and sixth in the latest NCAA D3 NPI rankings. Hope needs one win its final two games to clinch a share of the MIAA title and its first NCAA III playoff berth since 2019. The Flying Dutchmen are ranked third in the latest NCAA III statistics in total offense, averaging 537.6 yards of offense per game. Additionally, Hope is ranked fifth nationally in total defense, allowing just 200.8 yards of offense from its opponent per game.  Hope averages 311.8 yards a game on the ground and 225.9 yards a game through the air. Hope's starting signal caller at quarterback has been senior dual-threat quarterback Ben Wellman. He has 337 yards rushing with six touchdowns while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes (92 of 133) with 13 touchdown strikes. Senior running back Chance Strickland, a 2023 First Team All-MIAA selection, leads the Hope ground game with 885 rushing yards and 17 (rushing) touchdowns which ranks second in Division III. Senior wide receiver Grant Holtzer is the top receiving threat for Hope. A 2023 First Team All-MIAA selection, Holtzer has 27 catches for 651 yards and six touchdowns. Fifth-year senior offensive tackle Dylan Clem leads the push up front for Hope. Clem was a 2024 preseason D3football.com All-American. On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Cole Luhmann leads the Flying Dutchmen in tackles (55). Senior Andrew DeBri has 34 tackles and junior Liam Danitz 31 tackles and four sacks.

Statistical Matchup – Calvin is ranked 69th nationally in Division III in passing offense (238.5 ypg) and 152nd nationally in rushing offense (121.4 ypg). Hope is ranked 85th in passing offense (225.9 ypg) and 3rd in running offense (311.8 ypg). Hope is also ranked 3^rd nationally in total offense (537.6). Calvin has forced 14 opponent turnovers (eight interceptions and six fumble recoveries) through eight games while losing 14 (nine interceptions, five fumbles) itself. Hope has collected 11 turnovers defensively (eight interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries) and committed seven itself – five fumbles and two interceptions. Offensively, Calvin is averaging 29.63 points a game. Defensively, Calvin is allowing 30.5 points a game, 151.3 yards per game rushing and 204.38 yards per game passing. Offensively, Hope is averaging 44.63 points a game. Defensively, Hope is allowing 156.5 yards per game through the air and 45.5 yards per game on the ground while giving up just 8.0 points a game on the scoreboard. In MIAA conference games only, Calvin is ranked fifth in passing offense (234.4 ypg) while Hope is ranked fourth (251.6 ypg). Hope is ranked second in the MIAA in rushing yards per game (266.6 ypg) while Calvin is ranked seventh (72.6 ypg).

Calvin Ground Game / Calvin Passing Game – Calvin's run game is led by graduate student running back Jaier Harden who transferred to Calvin from Division II Davenport University. Harden has 623 yards rushing with four touchdowns through eight games for an average of 77.88 yards per game. Calvin's passing game is paced by graduate student Chase Bradman – a transfer from Indiana Wesleyan University. Bradman is 166 of 288 passing with 1,811 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Freshmen Luke Michmerhuizen leads the Calvin receiving corps. Michmerhuizen has 40 catches for 623 yards and four touchdowns. Hunter Hogan is next with 32 catches, 381 yards and five touchdown receptions. Hogan is coming off a career-high nine-catch, 119-yard game last Saturday against Olivet. Freshman Jude Klunder has 25 catches for 216 yards. Freshman Seth Ritsema has 20 catches for 196 yards and three touchdowns. The Knights have eight different players with at least one receiving touchdown.

Tackling Tandem – Calvin freshmen linebackers Trevor Martens and Carson Schnurstein have combined for 62 tackles over their last three games. Martens had seven tackles at Adrian, a career-high 12 stops at Trine and 11 tackles at Olivet last weekend. Schnurstein had a career-high 10 tackles at Adrian and followed with a new career-high 11 tackles against Trine. He recorded 11 tackles for the second straight week last Saturday at Olivet. In conference games only, Martens is currently ranked third in the MIAA in tackles (43) while Schnurstein is ranked fifth (42).

Bradman in the NCAA III Stats – Calvin's Chase Bradman is ranked 54^h nationally in passing touchdowns (16), 20th in completions per game (20.75), 52nd in passing yards (1,811), 58th in passing yards per game (226.6) and 142^nd in completion percentage (.576).

Bradman in the MIAA Stats – In conference games only, Bradman is ranked fourth in the MIAA in passing yardage (1,811) as well as fourth in yards passing-per-game (226.6).
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More on Calvin – Calvin features one of the youngest rosters in America this fall as the Knights feature 88 freshmen (54 true freshman, 34 red-shirt freshmen) as part of their 112-man roster. 10 players feature from other states including Texas (three), Ohio (two), California (one), Georgia (one), Illinois (one), Minnesota (one) and New York (one) with the remaining 102 coming from Michigan. 

The Calvin Offense by the Numbers – (66 total) - Quarterbacks (4), Running Backs (11), Wide Receivers (20), Tight Ends (8), Offensive Lineman (21) 

The Calvin Defense by the Numbers – (45 total)-  Defensive Linemen (15), Linebackers (14), Defensive Backs (16). 

Special Teams Unit – Calvin's special teams play has been solid this fall. Freshman placekicker Sal Ruffino is 11of 16 (.687) on field goals with a long of 41 yards. He has also connected on 26 of 27 of his point-after tries. Freshman punter Logan Nap averages 35.91 yards per punt and has placed two kicks inside the 20-yard line. His kick down to the one-yard line in Calvin's season opener against Oberlin set up a subsequent two-point safety by the Knight defense – the first points in Calvin football history. 

National Honors – Calvin freshman Dylan DeHoop was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week on Sept. 10 for his play in Calvin's opener. DeHoop picked up a pair of Oberlin passes including one in the end zone while making four solo tackles. 

Starting Signal Caller – Calvin graduate student Chase Bradman has started Calvin's opening seven games. A local product out of South Christian High School, Bradman arrived at Calvin in time for the 2024 spring semester after graduating from Indiana Wesleyan University in December. Bradman was a four-year member of the highly successful NAIA Indiana Wesleyan program. At Indiana Wesleyan, Bradman appeared in 17 games, completing 11 of 15 passing attempts for 136 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 30 yards as a senior in 2023 with one rushing touchdown. He helped Indiana Wesleyan reach the quarterfinals of the 2023 NAIA Playoffs. 

South Christian Sailor Connection – Bradman is one of five South Christian High School graduates on the Calvin roster and has been throwing to fellow Sailor in redshirt freshman Seth Ritsema who is set again to start at wide receiver this Saturday. Ritsema was a starting receiver on South Christian's 2022 Division IV Michigan High School State Championship team. 

Family Ties – Seth Ritsema has strong Calvin family ties. His father Steve Ritsema was a four-year member of both the Calvin men's golf team and Calvin baseball team from 1986-1990, earning three-time First All-MIAA honors in golf (1986, 1988 and 1989) as well as First Team All-MIAA baseball honors in 1991 and Second Team All-MIAA baseball accolades in 1989. His first cousins Rebecca, Lizzie, Stacey, Maggie and Anna Kamp were all members of national championship Calvin women's volleyball teams with four of the Kamp cousins earning D3 National Player of the Year honors. 

Receiving Unit – The Calvin starting receiving unit features a strong West Michigan flavor as Ritsema (South Christian), Luke Michmherhuizen (Holland Christian) and Hunter Hogan (Ravenna) are listed as starters today. Also look for Rockford High School graduates Seth Anderson and McCoy Baxter as well as freshmen Kaleb Dubowski  (Big Rapids HS) to see time. The 6-7 Michmerhuizen is the second member of his immediate family to be a Calvin varsity athlete as his older sister Nicole was a multiple All-American for the Calvin women's track and field team including a national champion in the 10,000 meter run in 2013. Klunder's mother Tonya (Elgersma-Klunder) was a four-year member of the Calvin women's soccer team (1990-1994) while his father Dan (Klunder) was a four-year member of the Hope College men's basketball team (1985-1990). 

More with Michmerhuizen – Calvin freshman wide receiver Luke Michmerhuizen is currently ranked third in the MIAA in conference games in receiving yardage. In five conference games, he has 23 catches for 404 yards.

Double-Trouble – Red-shirt freshman Hunter Hogan has been a two-way standout for the Knights. On offense, he has 32 catches for 381 yards and five touchdowns and 21 rushing yards on nine carries. He also has two punt returns and is averaging 64.30 all-purpose yards per game. On defense, Hogan has 13 tackles, one for a loss and two interceptions. 

Top Tight Ends – Calvin's top three tight ends include red-shirt freshmen Carter Bylsma, Paul Bouma IV and Tyler Porte. Calvin utilizes a lone tight end in its offensive sets but all three tight ends have caught passes this year with Bylsma snaring 19 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns, Bouma IV seven catches for 46 yards and Porte two catches for 16 yards. 
 
OK-Red Flavor – The Calvin football team has a strong representation from the Ottawa-Kent (OK) Red Conference as Rockford (Caden Hyink, Seth Anderson, Drake Irwin, Mike Liggett, Jonah Carlson, David Ensley, McCoy Baxter), Jenison (Zaiden Chirco, Rowan Stewart, Colin Diekman, Trevor Martens) and East Kentwood (KJ Harp, ShaMar White, Breylon Cox, Kenji Nou) are all represented on the Calvin roster with a total of 15 O K Red alumni.

Cousin Connection – Freshman quarterback Drake Irwin and freshman wide receiver Jude Klunder are first cousins. 

Twin Sighting – Calvin Features a set of twins in Josh and Danny Hitchcock who are both freshmen offensive lineman out of Gobles High School. 

Transfer Portal – Calvin has 10 players that have transferred over from other collegiate football programs. Those 10 individuals are grad student Jaier Harden (Davenport University), junior Jair Nowlin (Greenville University), grad student Chase Bradman (Indiana Wesleyan University), sophomore Beau Ginop (Adrian College), junior Charlie Garbowski (Finlandia University), redshirt freshman Tyler Porte (Central Michigan University), sophomore running back Ronin Russell-Dixon (Hope College), junior Trey Mikkelsen (Ripon University), sophomore Carter Bylsma (Dordt University) and graduate student Bryce Perko (Davenport University). 

Traveling from Out-of-State – Calvin features 10 players from outside Michigan. Those players include junior Jair Nowlin (Sugarhill, Georgia), redshirt freshman Tommy Moore (Millsap, Texas), freshman Hayden Slegers (Ontario, California), sophomore Alexander Minneham (Lakeville, New York), freshman Kai Hanog (Weatherford, Texas), graduate student Pisith Soeun (Eagan, Minnesota), sophomore Preston Sellers (West Chester, Ohio) and freshman Austin Sellers (West Chester, Ohio), redshirt freshman Jaden Lewis (Spring, Texas) and freshman Maxwell Lenters (Palos Heights, Illinois). 

Whitehall Claims First Dibs – The first recruit to commit to the Calvin University football program was redshirt freshman Winton Napier who is slated to start at left tackle. Napier is one of three graduates of Whitehall High School on the Calvin roster joined by redshirt freshman running back Trenton TenBrock, and redshirt freshman running back Jackson Cook. 

High Schools Represented – The high schools with the most represented players are: Hudsonville Unity Christian (8)(, Rockford High School (7),  Holland Christian (6), South Christian (6) and Jenison High School (4).

A Look Ahead – The Knights host Albion next Saturday at Eagles Stadium on the campus of Grand Rapids Christian High School in their season finale with kickoff set for 1 p.m.