Game Notes
WESTERVILLE, Ohio—The Otterbein University football team, sitting fourth in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) standings, continues OAC play, traveling to Muskingum University Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff. It will be homecoming on the New Concord campus.
The Cardinals, 2-2 overall, ran their conference record to 2-1 with a 19-7 win over Baldwin Wallace University last Saturday in Westerville. The squad sits two games behind league leaders Heidelberg University, the University of Mount Union, and John Carroll University, all a perfect 4-0 overall and 3-0 in OAC play.
The Fighting Muskies, 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the OAC, picked up their first win of the season, a 35-28 verdict over Wilmington College last Saturday in Wilmington. Muskingum rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit to record the football program's 500th win.
Although the Cardinals have won the last nine meetings with the Fighting Muskies, Muskingum is one team Otterbein second-year head coach Tim Doup hates to see come up on the Cardinals' schedule.
"They are just so tough, hard-nosed, and physical," Doup said. "They play us tough every year. They fly around to the ball. They are big up front on offense."
In preparation, Doup is putting his team through another grind week, which he implemented in the week leading up to the win over Baldwin Wallace. The coaching staff and team report for extra morning meeting and film sessions four days a week that begin in the wee hours of the morning. The coaching staff reports at 5:30 a.m., followed by the team at 7 a.m.
"Our guys were prepared very well," Doup said about the BW game. "We made few mistakes, especially offensively. And defensively, we held them to seven points. I think it worked and we are in grind week again."
The Cardinals, led by sophomore running back Drew Ervin, rushed for a season-high 265 yards in the win over Baldwin Wallace. Ervin accounted for 234 yards on 26 carries, including a 69-yard rip to set up Otterbein's first touchdown, a five-yard run by senior quarterback Ben Sizemore, followed by a 76-yard run for a touchdown to give Otterbein a 13-7 lead at the half.
"He's faster than we thought," Doup said about Ervin. "That was good to see—running like he did, breaking tackles, bouncing it, and then going. He's a little elusive."
Like grind week, Doup plans to stick with the same offensive game plan that worked so well against Baldwin Wallace when the team faces Muskingum Saturday.
"Right now, we are not a fancy offense," Doup said. "I think we've gone away from that a little bit. I think we found our niche, and if we can do that again, I think we will be ok."
Last season in Westerville, Otterbein defeated Muskingum 23-13. Sizemore, filling in for senior quarterback Aaron Kingcade, who was injured in the first quarter, threw three touchdown passes in the win.
Following Muskingum, Otterbein returns home to face Heidelberg Oct. 19 under the lights in Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
