How to watch and what to know about NJCAA title game between Snow College and Hutchinson (Kansas) CC

Snow College receiver Taylor Larsen stiff-arms a would-be tackler. Snow will face Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College in NJCAA national championship game Saturday in Little Rock, Arkansas. | Snow College

No. 1 Hutchinson CC meets No. 2 Snow College on Saturday in Little Rock, Arkansas, for the NJCAA football national championship

Snow College Badgers vs. Hutchinson CC Blue Dragons

• Kickoff: Saturday, June 5, at 3 p.m. MDT
• Venue: War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, Arkansas
• TV: CBS Sports Network
• Livestream: https://midutahradio.com
• Radio: https://midutahradio.com
• Series: First meeting

Game at a glance

Set up by the National Junior College Athletic Association, the championship game pits the No. 1-ranked Blue Dragons against the No. 2 Badgers on a neutral field in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Badgers are playing for their second national title, having won it all in 1985 when Walt Criner was the coach and Bronco Mendenhall was a star defensive back. Hutchinson has never been in the championship game.

Crystal ball

Hutchinson will win if … the Blue Dragons can control the ball against a very good Snow College defense and keep the Badgers’ potent offense off the field. Hutch, as it is called, outscored opponents 334-80 this season and is coached by first-year coach Drew Dallas. The Dragons are accustomed to big games, having defeated No. 3 Garden City (Kansas) 23-7 on April 25 and No. 6 Independence (Kansas) 42-24 in early May. Hutch’s suspect defensive backs will have their hands full against Snow’s outstanding receivers.

Snow will win if … the Badgers can win the battle in the trenches and get a few big plays on special teams. Snow recorded its first undefeated regular season since 2008 with a top-notch defense and a solid offense that takes care of the football. Turnovers will play a huge role in the matchup of opportunistic, aggressive teams. Snow’s wins over No. 4 Iowa Western (31-30) and No. 10 Iowa Central (48-18) showed it can win on the road hundreds of miles away from Utah. The Badgers won five games by 40 or more points.

Players to watch

Snow’s Garrison Beach, Shad Pulsipher: Former Sky View High quarterback Garrison Beach is a solid game manager for the Badgers, but can also make big plays when he needs to. Beach threw for 132 yards in the big win over Iowa Central and threw a 75-yard strike for a touchdown to Tevita Noa in the regular-season finale. Pulsipher, from St. George, made two sacks against Central and has offers from more than 10 Division I programs as one of the premier pass rushers in junior college football.

Hutch’s Tye Edwards, Ivan Thomas: Edwards, a sophomore running back, has carried the ball 88 times for 574 yards and six touchdowns, with a long of 49. Thomas, a sophomore tight end, doesn’t see the ball a lot, but when he is targeted good things happen. He’s got 17 catches for 323 yards, a 19.0 average, and six TDs.

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