Box Score
Photo Gallery

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Cardinal football team walked away with another loss by the slimmest of margins Saturday afternoon during Homecoming, fumbling late in the game and watching cross-town rival Capital University escape with a wild 42-41 victory.

Both offenses moved the ball with relative ease throughout the entire game, leading to a 21-20 halftime advantage for Otterbein (1-3, 1-2 OAC) after a 10-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Logan Stepp to wide receiver Julian Lowe with 46 seconds left before intermission.

Capital (3-1, 3-0 OAC) attempted a pair of fake extra-point attempts in the first half, neither of which were successful, and struggled punting throughout the entire contest that gave the Cards great field position in certain situations.

The second half was even more wild than the first, with Otterbein opening a 28-20 lead on its first possession of the third quarter and then carrying a 35-28 advantage into the fourth period after running back Christian Johnson punched in his second score of the day.

Otterbein appeared ready to take control for good with just over 7:00 remaining in the game when freshman Dassan Jefferson blocked a Capital punt, which trickled down inside the five-yard line and was ultimately recovered by the Cards for a touchdown. However, after a lengthy discussion by the officials, an illegal-batting foul was called against Otterbein and, with a 10-yard penalty from the original line of scrimmage, gave the visitors enough yards for a first down.

Capital then scored on a 69-yard touchdown pass two plays later, with a slightly-tipped ball over the middle ending up in the hands of wide receiver David Barnett, who went the remaining distance for a score. The Purple and White came up empty on their ensuing two-point conversion attempt and Otterbein remained ahead, 35-34, with 5:20 to play.

The Otterbein offense kept rolling on its next drive, culminating with Stepp busting up the middle on a 43-yard touchdown scamper with 3:42 on the game clock. The Cards' extra-point attempt was missed, leaving the cushion at 41-34.

Capital went right back down the field, capping a quick five-play, 75-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Thomas Wibbeler to receiver Nick Waters. Capital's two-point conversion pass would be good this time around, giving the visitors a 42-41 lead with 2:09 remaining.

Otterbein converted a critical 4th-and-10 during its last drive, on a 26-yard aerial connection from Stepp to classmate Payton Vanderkooi, and eventually had the ball in the red zone after completions to Dean Supelak and Julian Lowe. Unfortunately, Johnson would be stripped on a rushing attempt coming out of a timeout, with Capital falling on the ball and taking a subsequent knee to ice the game.

Stepp finished with 370 total yards for Otterbein, completing 21 of 31 passes for 235 yards and also rushing 16 times for 135 yards. He had two scores through the air, another two on the ground and helped the offense convert 8 of 11 third-down opportunities.

Vanderkooi had a team-best 86 yards receiving, Lowe tallied a season-high 12 catches for 85 yards and two TD's and running back Isaiah Richmond, playing just his second game after recovering from a preseason injury, toted the rock nine times for 94 yards.

Otterbein lost three fumbles on the day and committed 11 penalties for 96 yards throughout, while Capital had no turnovers and was whistled for seven penalties that resulted in 60 yards.

The Cardinals limited the Crusaders to just 90 yards rushing, but Wibbeler had himself a day through the air by finishing 21 of 32 for 351 yards and five touchdowns. Barnett tallied eight grabs for 190 yards out wide while linebackers Kane Murray and Shawn Facione each had 10 stops for the defense.

Linebacker Nick Toledo and safety Steven Carpenter led the Cardinal defense with eight stops each. Toledo was surprised pregame by his older brother, Christopher, who returned from his Air Force base in Alaska on temporary leave to see his brother for the first time in over three years.

Otterbein will be back in action next weekend at Muskingum, traveling to New Concord for a 1 p.m. start time.