Carrollton, GA - The matchup that many in the Division II football world have been looking forward to for some time is ready to come to fruition this weekend in Maryville, MO, as the West Georgia Wolves face-off with the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats at Bearcat Stadium in the 2015 NCAA Division II Semifinals. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m., with the game to be televised live on ESPN3.

West Georgia comes into the game as the seventh-ranked team in the nation with a 12-1 record as champions of the Gulf South Conference and Super Region 2. NMSU is 13-0 and entered the playoffs as the nation's No. 1 ranked team, champions of the MIAA and Super Region 3.

Both teams are coming off of a comfortable victory in the last week's NCAA quarterfinal round, with the Wolves taking down Tuskegee 35-6 on the back of a 16-for-24, 398-yard passing effort from senior quarterback Dallas Dickey. Northwest Missouri State jumped out to a 17-0 lead on Emporia State in the Super Region 3 championship game, cruising to a 38-17 victory to reach the semifinals for the first time since winning the national championship in 2013.

The Wolves have been strong against the run in the playoffs, allowing just 108 total rushing yards in two games. Valdosta State and 1,000-yard rusher Cedric O'Neal managed just 81 yards against West Georgia in the second round. Then UWG took down Michigan transfer Dennis Norfleet in the quarterfinal round, allowing just 27 yards on the ground in the contest.

West Georgia is coached by Will Hall, who is in his second season at West Georgia. He has an overall record of 49-15 in his fifth year as a head coach. In 28 games at the helm of the UWG program, Hall is 24-4. The Bearcats are coached by Adam Dorrel, who has a 59-8 record and is in his 5th year as the head coach of the Bearcats.

This game is a battle of the top two defenses in the nation, as Northwest Missouri State and West Georgia are 1-2 in both total and scoring defense this season. NMSU is the top team, allowing 11.9 points per game while the Wolves are second with 14.4 points per game on the year.

Teams are averaging 1.9 rushing yards per carry against Northwest Missouri State this season, while UWG redshirt freshman running back Devontae Jackson is 12th in the nation, averaging nearly seven yards per carry, yet another place where something will have to give between the two teams.

This is also a battle between two teams with exceptional kick block specialists. Marcus Sayles of UWG leads the nation with seven this year, and Edward Richey of NMSU is third in the nation with five.