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By David Boyce  |  Northwest vs. Washburn  |  Saturday, Nov. 15  |  1 p.m.  |  Bearcat Stadium  |  Maryville, Mo.
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MARYVILLE, Mo. - No matter the circumstance, and now the opponent, a special feeling engulfs the Northwest Missouri State football team when they run through the tunnel and onto the field at Arrowhead Stadium.
 
Senior linebacker Cody Matthewson understands it as well as anybody. Because of a redshirt season and a medical redshirt year, Matthewson, like several of his senior teammates, is in his sixth season for the Bearcats.
 
He is going to savor Saturday when Northwest, 9-1, concludes its regular season at Arrowhead against Washburn. Northwest played Pittsburg State in the Fall Classic at Arrowhead in the past.
 
For a while, it looked like the game last year would be the final one for the Bearcats at Arrowhead.
 
"It is really fun experience, getting a good crowd and being able to room in the Chiefs locker room," Matthewson said. "It is neat it is the last game of the season. When you watch the Chiefs on TV, you can say we played there and that is something not a lot of people get to do. I am glad our school stuck with it this year."
 
As nice as it is to play a football game in a NFL stadium, the Bearcats will head to Arrowhead with other important things on their mind.
 
A win insures at least a share of the MIAA title and guarantees Northwest a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs. A win might also give the Bearcats a home playoff game.
 
Northwest head Adam Dorrel doesn't have to give motivational speeches to get his team ready. He found that out early Tuesday afternoon.
 
"I came from the locker room and just the energy level in there was high and we were two hours away from practice," Dorrel said. "Let's make sure we save some for Saturday."
 
There really isn't a need to worry. The Bearcats have an experienced senior class that has been through so many important games throughout their careers that they know how to handle emotions leading up to the contest.
 
Matthewson said the current group of seniors want to continue the legacy of winning.
 
"We always talk about leaving our legacy," he said. "Something we want to do is leave our legacy of going out on top. That is the way we have been approaching it our senior year.
 
"With DJ Gnader, Travis Manning, Zach Williams, CJ Keeney, Kohlman Adema-Schulte, myself and all the six-year guys, we have been through everything together. We have had the highest highs and the lowest lows all together. It is a brotherhood for us. It is sad to see it is close to coming to an end."
 
The close bond among the players is what Matthewson expected when he arrived at Northwest from Madrid, Iowa.
 
"I was recruited by Coach T (Mel Tjeerdsma)," Matthewson said. "I went to a lot of different places. There was one in particular. I was sitting in the office of the head coach and he couldn't name the players on his two deep. It was kind of embarrassing. It was a Division I school.
 
"When I came here and sat down with Coach T, he could name every player and where they were from. That stood out, the whole family aspect and it hit home with me."
 
Matthewson plans to return to Iowa when he is finished at Northwest. Iowa is where he plans to do his student teaching. He plans to be a high school teacher and coach.
 
Dorrel is confident Matthewson will succeed in both areas.
 
"He is a good communicator," Dorrel said. "I think he has always done a good job of being an even keel kid. He never gets too high or too low. I think for a young coach that is important. I think that will be a great attribute for him. He enjoys the game. He is a student of the game."
 
Matthewson wants to give back to the game that has given him so much.
 
"It has done a lot for me over the years," he said. "That is the one thing that really stands out to me. I want to help kids and help transform their lives.
 
"It is not always about sports. It is about making them a better person even outside the sport."
 
As for the rest of this football season, Matthewson said the team is prepared for whatever follows, whether that is playing playoff games north of Maryville or south or even at home.
 
"We want to end on a good note," he said.