Game Notes
WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- The Cardinal football team, ranked 25th in the most recent D3football.com poll, will put its undefeated record on the line when it hosts Muskingum University in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) showdown under the lights Saturday at Memorial Stadium. A win over the Fighting Muskies would give Otterbein University its 400th all-time win in program history.
The Cardinals (4-0, 3-0 OAC), under first-year taskmaster Tim Doup, are in the D3football.com national poll for the first time since the week two poll was released in 2010. Otterbein is also receiving votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll.
"In Monday’s team meeting I walked right up to the front and asked them what they thought I was going to say," Doup said. "They said rankings don’t mean anything. I think that’s the difference with this team, we are very even keeled. We haven’t talked about it at all this week. We just have to concentrate on Muskingum."
Otterbein garnered the national attention following their 38-17 victory over then No. 9 (AFCA)/ No. 15 (D3football) Baldwin Wallace University. Senior quarterback Aaron Kingcade led the Cardinals by accounting for all five of Otterbein’s touchdowns (three rushing, two passing). For his efforts, the Worthington native was named the OAC’s Offensive Player of the Week.
"Aaron came into his own last week," Doup said. "He had trouble in the past making some reads, making the right checks. He didn’t miss one check or read against BW. He put us in position to win the football game."
Muskingum (1-3, 1-2 OAC) is coming off of its first win of the season, a 45-0 thrashing of Wilmington College. The Muskie defense held Wilmington to just 74 yards of total offense and blocked two punts in the victory. Sophomore quarterback Alex Meridith led Muskingum with 167 yards passing and a touchdown on 11-of-17 attempts. He also added 48 yards rushing and a score on 10 carries.
Two weeks ago, the Fighting Muskies, under sixth year head coach Al Logan, nearly pulled off an upset of their own but fell in overtime to Baldwin Wallace 12-6.
Coach Doup said Muskingum’s record is not an indicator of their ability, as the combined mark of the three teams they have lost to is 12-1.
"Muskingum is a very good football team," Doup said. "They are 1-3, but Waynesburg’s undefeated, Mount Union’s undefeated, they took BW into overtime, and they beat Wilmington. If you look at it that way, they are a very good football team."
Last season the Cardinals used a late-score to drop Muskingum, 17-13, in New Concord. Otterbein scored the winning touchdown with 1:54 remaining when former quarterback Austin Schlosser scored on a 2-yard run.
"Their offensive line is probably the best we’ve seen," added Doup. "Our defensive line is really going to be tested this week. Defensively, their d-line is the best we’ve seen, so we are going to have to win some battles upfront."
At halftime, Otterbein will honor the eight individuals and one team that were inducted into the Otterbein University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Following the Muskies, the Cardinals will head to Tiffin to take on rival Heidelberg University (4-0, 3-0 OAC) for the 21st annual Rhine River Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
