WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein scored 28 points in the second quarter and held off a late Ohio Northern charge to win 38-36 in a key Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup Saturday at home in Memorial Stadium.

The 18th-ranked Cardinals improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the OAC while the 9th-ranked Polar Bears fell to 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the OAC.

Junior place-kicker David Brewer’s 36-yard field goal in the heavy downpour of rain with 4:34 to play in the game proved to be the winning margin of victory for the Cardinals. Also helping, Ohio Northern missed two extra-point attempts in the game.

Otterbein sophomore Austin Schlosser, filling in for injured quarterback Jack Rafferty, turned in an impressive performance in his first varsity start. Schlosser completed 10 of 15 pass attempts for 157 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball 12 times for 72 yards, including a 2-yard run for a touchdown to give Otterbein a 35-17 lead with 20 seconds remaining in the first half.

Ohio Northern led 10-7 before Otterbein went on its second quarter scoring spree. The Cardinals scored 21 straight points, beginning with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Schlosser to senior running back Eric Yates 30 seconds into the second quarter. Junior running back Colton Coy followed with a 29-yard touchdown run, his second of the afternoon, with 10:51 remaining in the quarter. On the ensuing Ohio Northern possession, Otterbein sophomore linebacker Shane Centers picked off a Kyle Simmons pass and returned it 36 yards for a score to put the Cardinals up, 28-10, with 10:23 to play in the first half.

The Polar Bears finally answered with a score of their own, a 2-yard run by junior running back Brent Donley with 6:46 to play in the half. The Cardinals closed out the half with a 14-play, 67-yard drive, capped off by Schlosser’s 2-yard touchdown run. The drive used up 6:11 on the clock.

The momentum began to shift in Ohio Northern’s direction after junior cornerback Eric Wenzler intercepted a Schlosser pass in the end zone with Otterbein threatening inside the Ohio Northern 10-yard line with 5:57 remaining in the third period. Following the interception, Northern mounted an 11-play, 80-yard drive resulting in a 6-yard touchdown run from junior quarterback Simmons. The extra-point attempt from senior place-kicker Jake Heaphy, however, hit the left goal post to narrow Otterbein’s lead to 35-23 with 2:28 remaining in the third quarter.

The Polar Bears scored again on its next possession, another touchdown run of five yards from Simmons. Once again, the extra-point attempt was no good, and the Cardinals led 35-29 with 9:52 to play.

The Cardinals made it a two-possession game following Brewer’s 36-yard field goal with 4:34 to play. In that drive, senior wide receiver Ryan Rowley caught a pass over the middle on 3rd-and-10 and took it 40 yards to the Ohio Northern 17-yard line.

The Polar Bears scored one more time, to pull within two points, on a 21-yard touchdown reception by junior wide receiver Michael Busch with 2:57 to play.

Following a Schlosser fumble which Ohio Northern recovered on its own 43-yard line with a 1:44 to go, the Polar Bears found new life. But three plays later, Ohio Northern returned the favor as Otterbein senior cornerback Chad Woodfork forced and recovered a fumble to seal the win.

For the third straight game, Otterbein’s Coy hit the 100-yard mark, rushing for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Rowley led the Cardinal receivers with seven receptions for 111 yards.

In addition to his game-saving fumble recovery, Woodfork led the Cardinal defense with 17 tackles. Junior defensive end Chaz Horsley tallied seven stops along with two tackles for a loss, including a pass sack.

Otterbein remains at home next Saturday, hosting Heidelberg in the battle for the Rhine River Cup. It will be Hall of Fame Day at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.