GAME NOTES

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein football team takes to the Memorial Stadium turf for its final home game of the 2017 season Saturday afternoon, welcoming John Carroll for kickoff at 1:30 p.m.

The Cardinals, 5-3 overall and 4-3 within conference play, will be looking to solidify a winning season and respond from a 51-14 loss at second-ranked and undefeated Mount Union.

"The game is over and you move on," head coach Tim Doup said. "We are still tied for third in the conference and a lot can happen over these last two weeks. You never know what might unfold each week so we watch the film, reassess, and get ready to play again."

Otterbein standout quarterback Logan Stepp took a tough hit early in the fourth quarter at Mount Union, leading to him getting carted off the field with a leg injury. His status moving forward remains unknown and day-to-day.

"Logan gives us a chance to win every week," Doup said of his first team All-OAC signal caller. "Having his dual-threat capabilities makes it tough on teams and he's obviously been doing it well for two years now. We'll see what happens with his progress leading up to Saturday and then go from there."

In the event Stepp is unable to play, the Cards would turn to junior Steven Irwin behind center. He has completed 8 of 14 career passes and also rushed 18 times for 186 yards.

Senior wide receivers Julian Lowe and Hunter Joseph have combined to snag 15 of Otterbein's 20 aerial scores this year, with Lowe needing just one more to tie the program's all-time record. All in all, the Cards will be recognizing close to 20 seniors during pregame for their array of contributions.

"It's a special moment to take that walk and hear your name called," Doup said. "It won't be their last game overall, but it's the last time they will run on the field at Memorial Stadium in front of our fans. It means a lot to reach the end of this road and know that you have navigated four years of college football. These seniors mean so much to me."

Safety Fred Hardgrove continues to lead the Ohio Athletic Conference in tackles at 82, while senior linebacker Austin Jones is second with 77. The defense got off the field in a few key spots last week at Mount Union, which finished at a season-low 390 yards of total offense.

John Carroll (5-3, 5-2 OAC) snapped Mount Union's 112-game regular-season win streak last year and claimed its first league title since 1989. The Blue Streaks made the NCAA semifinals before head coach Tom Arth moved on to UT-Chattanooga.

JCU is now guided by Rick Finotti, who spent the past two seasons on Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan and also won a pair of OHSAA state championships coaching Lakewood St. Edward in Cleveland.

"John Carroll lines up and will run right at you," Doup said. "They are prepared to smash you in the mouth and get physical. You'll see good balance and a lot of talent back from that championship run last season. They are a good football program and I expect them to come ready as usual."

The running game features a two-headed monster in the form of Ro Golphin and Sam Kukura, who have combined for 1,038 yards and 13 touchdowns so far this fall. Sophomore QB Anthony Moeglin is at the controls once again and has a handful of options in the passing game, most noticeably 50 catches and 636 yards from Brian Kornowski.

All-American linebacker Mason McKenrick (54 tackles, 7.5 for loss) spearheads a defense ranking second in the OAC in points allowed, yards allowed and sacks. Lineman Jimmy Thomas is tied atop the league with 7.5 sacks himself.

Junior kicker Matt Danko has been voted OAC 'Special Teams Player of the Week' three times this year, standing 10 of 13 on field goals and 34 of 35 on extra-point attempts.

Fans can follow Saturday's action through live video, live audio (WOBN 97.5) and live stats. Access the schedule page HERE for all links.