Game Notes
WESTERVILLE, Ohio—The Otterbein University football team makes its first road trip of the season Saturday, taking on the Blue Streaks of John Carroll University. It will be homecoming on the University Heights campus. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Both teams come into the game locked in a five-way tie for first place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), each 1-0 in the league.
The Cardinals evened its overall record to 1-1 with a 30-14 conference victory over Wilmington College last Saturday in Westerville. Senior quarterback Ben Sizemore threw for 131 yards and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Steven Carpenter caught touchdown passes of seven and 16 yards in the win.
John Carroll, under first-year head coach Tom Arth, moved to 2-0 overall with a convincing 27-7 win at rival Baldwin Wallace University. The Yellow Jackets entered the game ranked 23rd by D3football. Senior linebacker Mitch Krotz and junior place-kicker Kresimir Ivkovic earned OAC Player of the Week honors for their efforts. Krotz tallied 15 tackles, including 3.5 for loss. Ivkovic made all of his extra-point attempts and nailed field goals of 28 and 45 yards.
"This is the best John Carroll football team that I've seen in five years," said Otterbein head coach Tim Doup, who is in his second season at his alma mater.
Otterbein has won four of the last five meetings with the Blue Streaks, including a 21-7 decision last season in Westerville. Three of the last six meetings between the two schools were decided in overtime.
The Cardinals, however, did not face John Carroll junior quarterback Mark Myers, who was injured, last season. Myers has thrown for 784 yards and five touchdowns over two games this season.
"Mark just sits back there and slings it," Doup said.
Otterbein, meanwhile, has the services of D3football All-American defensive end Pat Seesholtz, who played against Wilmington last Saturday after missing the season opener against St. John Fisher College due to injury. Seesholtz, coming off the bench, tallied three tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, in the win over Wilmington.
Coach Doup cites three key ingredients for Otterbein success at John Carroll: create turnovers, pressure the John Carroll quarterback, and establish an effective running game.
"We have to get some turnovers that put us in good field position," Doup said. "We can't turn the ball over. We do have to get some pressure on the quarterback to where, maybe, he does make some bad decisions."
The Cardinals did show life in their running game against Wilmington. Otterbein gained 172 yards on the ground. Sophomore Drew Ervin rushed for 47 yards, including a 19-yard run for a touchdown. Junior Derik Rudolph rushed for 42 yards.
Following John Carroll, the Cardinals return to Westerville for the Hall of Fame game Oct. 5, facing Baldwin Wallace at 7 p.m.
