Box Score

ADA, Ohio – The Otterbein football team closed out its 2015 season with a road loss in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Saturday afternoon, falling by a score of 42-10 at Ohio Northern University.

As a result, the Cardinals finish the fall schedule at 4-6 overall (4-5 in OAC play) after a pair of .500 seasons in 2013 and 2014.

Ohio Northern, receiving votes in the latest D3football.com national poll, finishes its stellar regular-season with an 8-2 mark, 7-2 against the rest of the league.

ONU scored early, going 73 yards in just five plays on its opening possession to settle into a 7-0 lead. Otterbein recovered a surprise onside-kick from the Polar Bears moments later, but would ultimately pin Ohio Northern deep after a quick-punt on a 4th and short from around midfield.

 

Otterbein took back over after the defense forced a punt, and the offense drove it across midfield before eventually having to quick-punt again. The nicely-executed play was downed at the 1-yard line, but the Polar Bears proceeded to go 99 yards in 10 plays to extend their lead to 14-0.

The rest of the half would continue to be about ONU running back Justin Magazine, who scored all four of the team's touchdowns as the hosts busted the game open.

Sophomores Melvin Medina and Steven Carpenter both came up with interceptions down near the goal line to halt two other Polar Bear drives.

The Cards finally got on the scoreboard early in the third quarter, getting a 29-yard field goal from freshman Abass Ceesay after an 11-play, 66-yard drive. Otterbein then tried an onside kick, but an illegal-touching penalty would be called and ONU took over in Cardinal territory.

Magazine would continue his impressive day, scoring two more times on the ground to bump the Northern cushion to 42-3 and tie a school-record with six rushing touchdowns.

Otterbein would cross the goal line late in the game, capping a 14-play, 55-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing score from senior Cole Benner out of the wildcat formation. He finishes the season with eight total touchdowns; four rushing, three passing and one receiving.

Ohio Northern held a 462-212 edge in total offense on the day, getting 204 yards on 18 carries from Magazine while Devon Price hauled in eight catches for 113 yards. He became ONU's all-time leader in receiving yards.

Senior linebacker Drew Ervin tied for a game-high 12 tackles despite the loss, finishing the year with 123 total stops. He becomes the first Cardinal since Kieran Johnson, in 2005, to lead the OAC in tackling and compiled the most for Otterbein since All-American Don Snider had 147 back in 1976.

Senior John Pyles scampered for 64 yards on 15 carries in the final game of his career while sophomore Julian Lowe had seven receptions out of the slot. He finishes with 77 catches on the season, the most for an Otterbein player since Ron Severance's school-record of 92, all the way back in 1990, and one behind Price this season for best in the OAC.

It was the final game for 19 members of the Otterbein senior class, who helped the team win 22 games since arriving as freshmen.