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Cheers filled the St. Thomas football locker room as the Tommies celebrated their No. 1 seed in their bracket, No. 3 seed overall in the NCAA playoffs.

Five wins would make St. Thomas national champions, but for now, the team is focused on St. Scholastica.

The Tommies play the St. Scholastica Saints (10-0) Nov. 19 at O’Shaughnessy Stadium in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. The Tommies are the only MIAC team in the field, and St. Scholastica is the only other Minnesota school.

Senior quarterback Dakota Tracy and senior linebacker Tony Danna said they didn’t know much about St. Scholastica, but Danna said he’s excited for a fresh challenge.

“Playing the same teams all the time in the MIAC, you get used to the things they’re going to run,” Danna said. “We’ll just have to put the time in the film room and study up.”

Thanks in part to a strong recruiting pipeline in the Iron Range, the Saints were able to go undefeated in only their fourth season in existence.

Running backs Jake Jensen and Travis Nehowig share the load at running back for the Saints and have combined for 1,411 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.

Although Caruso said his team will prepare just like every other week, Saturday’s game will start at noon instead of the usual 1:10 p.m. The Tommies will also have to cut their active roster to 52.

“That cuts into your special teams depth,” Caruso said. “It means you are no deeper than two deep at most positions, and you have to make some really tough decisions.”

Saints quarterback Alex Thiry has put up huge numbers this season. He’s thrown 37 touchdown passes and only one interception. The Tommies will begin watching film on Thiry and the Saints Sunday night.

Caruso said home field advantage is “enormous” for the Tommies, and he “couldn’t put a price on it.”

“There is nothing like being in your bed the night before and being around the things you’re used to before a big game,” Tracy agreed.

A digital timer hangs in the Tommie locker room counting down to Saturday, when the Tommies take the field in what Caruso called the team’s “second season.”

“It would mean the world to me to make a good playoff run,” Danna said. “We want to do whatever we can to finish strong and make sure we are remembered in the history of this program.”

Alex Keil can be reached Amkeil@stthomas.edu