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WESTERVILLE, Ohio-The Otterbein University football team, playing the toughest schedule in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), takes on another top-10 team, traveling to sixth-ranked John Carroll University Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

John Carroll marks the third top-10 team that Otterbein will face this season. The Cardinals head into the game off a 66-7 loss to third-ranked University of Mount Union last Saturday in Westerville. Otterbein faced 15th-ranked St. John Fisher College to open the season. Fisher was ranked ninth when they played the Cardinals.

"You have to play them sometime," said Otterbein head coach about playing back-to-back games against two top-10 teams. "It just so happens that we are playing them back-to-back. We just have to execute. Just have to play. That's the biggest thing. We are over the Mount Union game, we've moved on. We are doing some things a little bit differently this week-offensively and defensively-to correct what we did against Mount Union. I just think this game is a good opportunity to see how we rebound."

Unbeaten John Carroll shares the top spot in the OAC with Mount Union, each 8-0 overall and 7-0 in league play. Those two teams are scheduled to meet in Alliance Nov. 15 in the last game of the regular season. Otterbein, 5-3 overall, shares third place with Heidelberg University, each 5-2 in the OAC. The Cardinals are scheduled to host Ohio Northern University Nov. 15 on Senior Day to close out regular-season play.

The Cardinals got off to a good start against Mount Union last Saturday, entering the second quarter deadlocked at 7-7. It was all Mount Union after that. The Purple Raiders scored 31 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 38-7 lead into the locker room at the half.

"7-7 at the end of the first quarter, and then we got OAC-ambushed," Doup said. "We threw a pick-six, we fumbled. We couldn't punt and get it out of there-the wind played a big factor. Before you looked up, it was 38-7 at the half. But those are the things that can't happen this weekend. John Carroll is leading the country in punt blocks. We can't get a punt blocked."

John Carroll, under second-year head coach Tom Arth, rolled past Muskingum University, 62-14, last Saturday on the road in New Concord. Senior quarterback Mark Myers completed 16 of 23 pass attempts for 275 yards and five touchdowns.

The Blue Streaks have had just one close game in 2014, a 17-10 win at Ohio Northern University Oct. 4. John Carroll ranks second in total defense and 13th in total offense in NCAA Division III. They also rank second in scoring offense, and third in scoring defense.

"In terms of throwing, he's the best," Doup said about the John Carroll quarterback. "He sits in that pocket and slings it. He's not looking to run. He may be the best pure passer in the country, and they don't let you get to him. They protect him very well.

"We just got to keep doing what we've been doing, try to pressure him and make him make a couple of bad decisions. But he's a smart quarterback too, and he'll get rid of it. He's got some great receivers too."

Otterbein's best chance for success in University Heights will probably come down to the play of the defensive line and linebackers. The Cardinals lead the OAC in pass sacks, and rank sixth in NCAA Division III. Otterbein was able to get to Mount Union quarterback Kevin Burke for three sacks in last weekend's loss.

The Cardinals have won four of the last six games with John Carroll. The Blue Streaks won last season, 28-0, in University Heights.