PITTSBURG, Kan. - After three weeks of waiting and preparation, Northeastern A&M's ninth-ranked Golden Norsemen square off against 15th-rated College of DuPage, Ill, Sunday, at 1 p.m., in the fourth-annual Citizens Bank Bowl on Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.


Ticket prices at the gates for the bowl game are $15 for chair-back reserved seats, $10 for general admission seating and $5 for students (K through 12th grade) and any college student with an NEO student ID card.
The day of the bowl game, a tailgate party will be held from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Gorilla Alley on the east side of the stadium. Tickets for the party are $5 per person which includes hamburgers and  bratwurst, side dishes, desert and a drink.
Coach Dale Patterson's Golden Norse make their 31st appearance in a post-season classic after finishing 9-2 on the regular season. NEO's last bowl appearance was in 2005 as the Norsemen defeated Mississippi Gulf Coast 21-19 in Coffeyville's now-defunct Dalton Defenders Bowl. Coach Rob Green's Norse finished sixth in the nation with a 9-3 record.
"I think the biggest struggle as a coach in getting ready for a bowl game, especially when you're not playing for a national championship, is getting your players motivated for the game," Patterson said. "We've been stressing the importance of the game from the standpoint that we have a chance to win 10 football games which sounds a whole lot better than 9-3."
Ironically, Patterson is the last Golden Norse head coach to reach the 10-victory plateau when he guided NEO to a 10-2 record and a second place ranking during his first stint as head coach in 2003. NEO defeated host Coffeyville 30-27 in the Dalton's Defenders Bowl.
Patterson, who will retire as head coach following the bowl game, posted a hall of fame record 60-25 mark from 1996 to 2003 before joining coach Mike Gundy's staff at Oklahoma State University for a seven-year stint.
"We've also been stressing to our players the importance of the extra time to practice since we lost 62-24 to Navarro on Nov. 10 in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference championship game," Patterson said. "We've had a lot of coaches watching our practices and there will be a lot of coaches at the bowl game.
"Not only is this game important for our sophomores, but also our freshmen will get a good look," Patterson said. "Because recruiting starts so early any more, coaches are even looking at freshmen to see if they want to take another look next year."
Averaging 436.2 total yards per game and 38.6 points, the Golden Norse offense features 10 sophomores in their starting lineup.
"Sometimes you forget what got you this far and you've got to understand that you have dance with the one that brung you," Patterson said. "I think we got away from that a little bit towards the playoffs, but right now we're working on offensively to get back to having that great balance between the run and pass. When we are most effective is when we can do both."
Veteran Clayton Mitchem, SWJCFC Player of the Year, directs the Golden Norsemen at quarterback. Mitchem has completed 152 of 258 passes for 2,201 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He has rushed for 634 yards on 155 carries while scoring 12 TDs.
Sophomore tailback Gerald Howse is expected to return to the starting lineup after being hobbled for five weeks with an ankle problem.
Howse, who was limited to only three yards on one carry against Navarro, has rushed for 756 yards on 166 carries with 10 touchdowns.
"During our practice sessions this week we seem to have that focus back that we need to prepare for the bowl game," Patterson said. "Coming back from the Thanksgiving holiday, these kids have done a great job all year preparing for games and they seem to be back in that habit.
"Sooner of later a game like this boils down to personal pride," Patterson said. "All year long these kids have tried to display a great since of pride every-time they step out on the field."
Three sophomores comprise the Golden Norse receiving corps led by wide outs Kameron Doolittle and Michael Thompson along with flanker Garrett Powell.
Doolittle has made 41 receptions for 537 yards and eighth touchdowns while also gaining 114 yards on 15 carries and one TD.  He has returned nine punts for 32 yards.
Thompson, team leader with 14 kickoff returns for 386 yards and two TDs, has caught 34 passes for 716 yards and eight touchdowns.
Garrett, who averages 39.1 yards on 56 punts, has made 37 receptions for 557 yards and six TDs.
"We've got to be able to use our passing game to set up our running game," Patterson said. "They feed off each other once you get in a pattern of completing passes.
"While our main focus on offense will be to run the football, we also have to be able to stop DuPage from running the ball," Patterson said. "We did a real poor job of stopping Navarro's running game and we're working very hard at improving because DuPage has a very solid ground game."
NEO's defensive unit has been riddled for an average of 438.2 total yards per game while giving up 28.4 points per game.
"We want to take away their running game because they really don't like to throw the football," Patterson said. "But, that's why we need to get back to basics and do the things we know we can do."
Sophomore linebackers Jon Coleman and Jon Bullock lead the Golden Norse defensive effort. Coleman has made 59 unassisted tackles and 47 assists as an outside linebacker. Bullock has recorded 56 solo tackles and 40 assists at middle linebacker with three quarterback sacks for minus-23 yards and six tackles behind the line of scrimmage for minus-17 yards.
NEO's defensive unit ranks No. 1 in the nation with 1,673 total tackles.
"We've seen DuPage on film and we know that they alternate quarterbacks," Patterson said. "When one of them is in, they are not going to run the option as much because he's a passer. They'll still run the option, but just as not as frequently."
NEO's secondary has recorded 15 total interceptions led by freshman strong safety Devron Moore with seven picks for 248 yards and one TD.
"This game will be a challenge for our defense because they have something to prove," Patterson said. "Knowing what DuPage's tendencies have been should help our defense."