Game Notes
WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein University Cardinals travel to New Concord Saturday to take on the Fighting Muskies of Muskingum College in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game. It will be homecoming on the Muskingum campus. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Both teams head into the game seeking to snap losing streaks.
The Cardinals (1-5, 0-5), still searching for their first OAC win this season, suffered a 24-20 loss to cross-town rival Capital at home last Saturday. Otterbein has lost four conference games by six points or less this season, with two of them coming in overtime.
“A story of our season,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth about the loss to Capital. “It came down to a couple of plays at the end—a chance for us to win or a chance for us to lose—and we didn’t make the plays we needed to.”
Junior running back Cody Green rushed for a career-high 166 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals, who led Capital, 20-12, at the half. Green also rushed for 109 yards at John Carroll University Oct. 1.
“We knew going into the season that Cody had a chance to be a real good running back in this conference,” said Loth, who is in his ninth season at his alma mater. “He was kind of banged up with nicks and bruises the first three weeks.”
Muskingum (4-2, 3-1), under fifth-year head coach Al Logan, lost at John Carroll, 33-14, last Saturday in University Heights. The Muskies led, 14-13, at the break, but the Blue Streaks took advantage of two Muskingum fumbles, one recovered for a touchdown, to pull away in the second period.
The Muskies, off to their best start since 1996, won their first four games of the season before a 17-7 loss to Heidelberg University at home Oct. 8. The team owns OAC wins over Marietta College, 34-14, Ohio Northern University, 27-7, and Wilmington College, 14-3.
“Muskingum is really good on defense and solid on offense,” Loth said.
The Fighting Muskies lead the OAC in pass sacks and tackles for a loss and sit second in total defense, allowing 262.5 yards a game.
In last season’s meeting between the two teams, the Cardinals scored 35 points in the second half on their way to a 49-14 win over Muskingum in Westerville.
Following the Muskies, the Cardinals remain on the road, traveling to the University of Mount Union Oct. 29.
