Box Score

DELAWARE, Ohio – The Otterbein football team opened its season with a nice road victory Saturday evening, slowly pulling away to secure a 36-15 triumph at nearby Ohio Wesleyan.

The Cardinals, snapping a four-game losing skid in season openers, received an inspired defensive effort with five turnovers and ultimately delivered a 567-299 advantage in total offense. Otterbein picked off four passes on the night after making six interceptions all of last season.

The defense forced a quick three-and-out to begin the game, and the offense took over near midfield en route to its first scoring drive of the year. The possession appeared to have been halted after an incomplete pass on third down, but a personal-foul penalty against Ohio Wesleyan extended the drive.

Quarterback Logan Stepp eventually punched in the first touchdown of 2017, slipping free and running 11 yards to the outside for an early advantage. Freshman Brandon Paschal intercepted a deep OWU pass on the next sequence, but the hosts came up with a tackle for loss on the ensuing play to get on the board with a safety.

Otterbein strung together a lengthy drive early in the second quarter after taking over at its own one-yard line, but the effort came up empty when a 4th-and-12 pass from the Ohio Wesleyan 29 was batted incomplete. The Bishops jumped ahead soon after, connecting on a 56-yard TD pass up the sideline during a third-down play. The PAT was wide right, leaving the score at 8-7.

Sophomore Fred Hardgrove, playing his first-ever game at safety, gave the Cards a boost shortly before the half with a diving interception in the middle of the field. Otterbein took over in plus territory, quickly marching 41 yards and ultimately punching in a one-yard score up the middle from Stepp.

Otterbein carried that 14-8 lead into halftime, but widened the gap to 20-8 in the latter portion of the third quarter with a 13-play, 89-yard drive that culminated with a seven-yard rushing score from junior Christian Johnson. The possession lasted 6:02 of game time.

The Cards continued pulling away from there, hitting a 12-yard TD pass from Stepp to Hunter Joseph in the opening minute of the fourth quarter and then forcing two more turnovers on defense. Hardgrove snagged his second interception, followed by linebacker Steven Masters chasing down the OWU quarterback and forcing a fumble, which was picked up by Dassan Jefferson.

Freshman Tanner Brooks buried a 24-yard field goal afterwards, and then an exclamation point was added with 4:11 to go when Stepp found a wide-open Payton Vanderkooi for a 69-yard aerial score.

Stepp threw for a career-high 402 yards on the night and had four touchdowns collectively, two with his arm and two with his legs. He also added 62 yards rushing to end the night with 464 of total offense, which flirted with his school-record of 477 last season.

Senior Julian Lowe finished with nine catches for 147 yards out wide, while Joseph and tight end Josh Plieninger hauled in five balls each. The Cards held a 31-11 edge in first downs and possessed the ball for almost 40 minutes.

Paschal tallied a team-high 10 tackles in his Otterbein debut while Hardgrove and linebacker Jake Harper both had seven. Masters was impressive throughout, totaling five tackles (3.5 for loss), two sacks and the forced fumble.

Otterbein will be back in action next weekend with its home opener, welcoming Muskingum University for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff inside Memorial Stadium.