Game Notes (PDF)

Coach Doup's Weekly Radio Show

WESTERVILLE, Ohio—The Otterbein University football team, holding a share of third place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), enters a pivotal period as it heads into the second half of the 2014 season.
 
The Cardinals, 3-2 overall, and 3-1 in the OAC, is scheduled to play their next two games on the road, beginning with Muskingum University, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in New Concord. The Fighting Muskies, 1-4 overall, sit in a four-way tie for sixth place in the conference at 1-3.
 
"Real anxious," was how head coach Tim Doup described his feelings about Saturday's game at Muskingum. "They have always played us tough. For some reason, and I don't know why, they get sky high to play us. I don't have any idea why. We seem to be a rival game for them."
 
Muskingum, under head coach Al Logan, comes into the game off a 54-21 loss at Heidelberg University last Saturday in Tiffin. The Fighting Muskies rushed for 243 yards in the game. Four different players rushed for at least 40 yards, led by Melvin Smith, with 92 yards on 11 carries, including a 62-yarder.
 
The Fighting Muskies, in OAC play, have a win over Capital University, 36-20, and losses to University of Mount Union, 62-6, and Baldwin Wallace University, 35-7.
 
Otterbein, meanwhile, is coming off a big 50-28 win over crosstown-rival Capital last Saturday evening in Westerville.
 
The Cardinals churned out a season-high 544 yards of total offense, rushing for 256 yards and passing for 288 against the Crusaders. Senior quarterback Brick Davis threw for a career-high 288 yards and one touchdown on 17-of-34 passing, and rushed for 25 yards and two TD's on eight carries. Sophomore running back Reid Hutchison rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.
 
"It means a lot—especially against your rival," Doup said about going 3-0 against Capital since taking over the head coaching duties at his alma mater in 2012. "But it's for the kids. The kids do it. I don't. I just motivate them and get them ready to play. I thought we played really well Saturday, especially on offense."
 
Although Otterbein has won the last 10 meetings with Muskingum, the last three have been close, including a 12-10 decision in New Concord last season. Muskingum just missed a 41-yard field goal with 1:08 remaining in the game, and still had a chance for victory after Otterbein failed to move the ball on the next series. Muskingum got the ball back on the 50-yard line with 35 seconds to play and moved it to the Otterbein 39-yard line before time expired.
 
"We just have to do what we do best," said Doup about the matchup with Muskingum. "Offensively, get hat on hat—make sure everyone is blocked to give our backs a chance. Defensively, we have to stop the run."
 
Following Muskingum, Otterbein is scheduled to travel to Baldwin Wallace Oct. 25.