Game Notes
Coach Doup Radio Show - Week 9

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein football team gets set for its final road game of the season Saturday afternoon, traveling to take on No. 20/22-ranked John Carroll University for a 1:30 p.m. contest at Don Shula Stadium in University Heights.

The Cardinals, 4-4 overall and 4-3 within the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), are currently in the most-challenging stretch of their schedule after last week's loss to top-ranked and defending national champion Mount Union.

"We are playing two of the best teams in the country back to back," head coach Tim Doup said. "You face one, and then you have to turn around mentally, physically and emotionally to prepare for the other. Hopefully we can respond to the challenge."

Otterbein was toe-to-toe with the Blue Streaks for three quarters last year in Westerville, leading 13-7 in the second period, and trailing just 21-13 at halftime, before JCU slowly pulled away after intermission to win 42-13.

"John Carroll wore us down last year," Doup explained. "They methodically moved the ball on offense and then figured some things out defensively following our initial touchdowns. We just weren't able to keep pace after they made adjustments."

The Cardinal offense, averaging over 30 points per game, will face a stiff test against John Carroll's defense, which ranks third-nationally in third-down conversions allowed (22%), fourth in total defense (211.1) and eighth in scoring defense (11.3).

"Everyone has to focus on doing their job and helping us throw some things their way," Doup explained. "They have one of the best defenses in the country and will provide some big challenges. We can't just line up and run it at them twice, and then find ourselves in third-and-long. It will be important to stay as balanced as we can and then go from there."
 
Otterbein junior quarterback Logan Stepp continues to lead the OAC in total offense by a wide margin, averaging 303.7 yards per game with 21 total touchdowns and just one interception. He has thrown for 1,620 yards and 13 scores while rushing for 659 yards and eight TD's.

At Stepp's disposal are two of the league's top wide receivers in juniors Julian Lowe and Hunter Joseph, who both sit top-5 for receiving yards and touchdowns. Lowe ranks second in the OAC with 44 catches while Joseph comes in second in yards (631) despite missing one game.

John Carroll (7-1, 7-0 OAC) has won seven-straight since a season-opening loss at No. 5-ranked UW-Oshkosh, holding four teams in single-digit scoring and allowing nobody to surpass 16 points in a contest. The Blue Streaks are currently ranked 20th by D3football.com and 22nd in the American Football Coaches Association poll.

Freshman quarterback Anthony Moeglin ranks third in the OAC with 14 passing touchdowns, junior Ro Golphin sits fifth in rushing yards per game (87.3) and senior Marshall Howell serves as the top weapon out wide with 38 catches and four TD's. JCU is currently second in the country in time of possession (35:34) and kickoff-return average (29.6).

The game will also see two of the top defensive lineman in the conference in John Carroll's Ray Brown and Otterbein's Kyle Blust, who are both tied for 21st-nationally with 14.5 tackles for loss. Each also has seven sacks.

Fans can follow Saturday's game through LIVE STATS, LIVE AUDIO (WOBN 97.5) and LIVE VIDEO.