Game Notes
Coach Doup Radio Show - Week 7

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein football team hits the road looking to secure a third-straight win Saturday afternoon, traveling to Baldwin Wallace University for another Ohio Athletic Conference showdown. Kickoff from George Finnie Stadium in Berea is scheduled for 2 p.m.

The Cardinals (3-3, 3-2 OAC) hope to ride a wave of momentum after last week's 45-38 victory over Heidelberg University, a game Otterbein led 42-24 before the Student Princes made things interesting late. The win snapped a five-game losing skid in the series and brought the Rhine River Cup back to Westerville.

"It's been huge to show that we can finish two weeks in a row, because we had been leading games early in the season but couldn't close them out," head coach Tim Doup said. "We are maturing, not panicking and didn't falter in a high-scoring, back-and-forth matchup last week. Up by two touchdowns, down by three touchdowns, tie game, whatever it may be… you have to play until the end."

Junior quarterback Logan Stepp turned in a standout performance, setting a new Otterbein single-game record with 477 yards of total offense (365 passing, 112 rushing) to go along with three scores. The reigning OAC Offensive Player of the Week, he currently leads the conference with 18 total touchdowns.

Junior wide receivers Hunter Joseph and Julian Lowe continue leading the way on the perimeter with some acrobatic catches. Lowe reached over a Heidelberg defender to open the game with a 40-yard touchdown before Joseph posted highlight-reel scores of 35 and 67 yards. Joseph's 221 receiving yards were the most by a Cardinal since 2004.

"We made some big plays last week, and that's certainly part of football," Doup explained. "Those momentum swings help ignite your team and crowd. I think we are just getting more confident each week, whether it be running or throwing."

The Cardinal defense remains stingy against the run, ranking third in the conference by allowing just 100.3 yards per game on the ground. Two-time All-OAC linebacker Austin Jones, missing all of 2015 due to injury, tallied a season-best 12 tackles last week as he continues returning to his old form.

"You can see his improvement on the field the past two weeks," Doup said. "He wasn't able to do anything in camp and has been shaking off some rust, but now has the brace off and feels more like himself. He is comfortable flying around, doesn't feel restricted and now looks like the old Austin."

From a special-teams standpoint, sophomore punter/kicker Joe Sanfillipo sits third amongst OAC kickers in scoring with 37 points. He has connected on 22 of 25 extra-point attempts and 5 of 7 field goals, including a long of 47 yards.

Otterbein will now look for redemption against Baldwin Wallace, a team it had defeated three-straight times under Doup before last year's 55-21 setback. The Yellow Jackets (2-4, 1-4 OAC) finished last year with a solid 7-3 record but have endured one-possession losses to John Carroll, Marietta and Muskingum so far this fall in addition to playing top-ranked Mount Union.

"They returned a lot of guys on offense and have a sophomore quarterback coming into his own, both running and throwing," Doup said of BW. "They are a mature team and, similar to us, just haven't had some things go their way in close games. I expect them to be wound up and ready to go on their Homecoming weekend. Both teams really need this game, so we'll see what the fourth quarter brings."
 
Production in the final quarter could be especially critical in this affair, with both teams holding an advantage over its opponents in the initial three quarters but getting outscored in the fourth. Otterbein has outscored teams 161-92 through three quarters but is slightly behind, 57-43 in the fourth. BW is also better offensively than opponents until the fourth, where its opposition holds a 58-36 scoring edge.
 
Guiding the Yellow Jacket offense is quarterback Jake Hudson who, much like Stepp, paces his squad in passing and rushing. He has 543 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions through the air while also scampering for 340 yards and a pair of TD's on the ground. Running back Austin Smith leads the squad with six touchdowns while receiver Bryon Cook has reached the end zone three times despite only appearing in three games.
 
Linebackers Brian Stepp and Sam Groff have combined for 107 tackles, with Groff also tied for the team lead at two interceptions.
 
Fans can follow Saturday's game through LIVE STATS, LIVE AUDIO and LIVE VIDEO.