GAME NOTES

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein football team looks to get back in the win column Saturday afternoon, traveling to cross-town rival Capital for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff inside Bernlohr Stadium. It will be Homecoming for the Crusaders.

The Cardinals (3-1, 2-1 OAC) are eager to bounce back from a couple different angles, the first being a tough 35-7 loss at Ohio Northern last week in which they managed just one first down after halftime.

"It was a learning experience because we didn't play well, but we also give Ohio Northern credit," head coach Tim Doup said. "We had disasters everywhere and did a lot of things that were uncharacteristic, so they took advantage. The sun came up on Sunday, we addressed the issues and now it's time to move forward."

Senior quarterback Logan Stepp, who entered last week ranked top-10 nationally in passing efficiency, points responsible for and total offense per game, completed just 8 of 25 passes for 76 yards in the struggle. He was vocal afterwards about taking the blame and needing to be better.

"Logan certainly didn't have a typical day, but it's not all on him," Doup said. "He recognized that he had a rough game and was quick to acknowledge it to us. I think that's a sign of leadership. We obviously weren't prepared enough and ultimately that falls on me. That's the way it is as a head coach, but I promise our guys will be ready to go this Saturday."

Stepp delivered 375 yards of total offense and a combined four TD's (two passing, two rushing) last year against Capital. Wide receiver Julian Lowe had 12 catches for 85 yards in that game while running back Isaiah Richmond averaged 10.4 yards per carry.

Senior linebacker Austin Jones forced a fumble and turned in a season-high 16 tackles last week against ONU, falling two shy of his career-best from the 2014 season… against Capital. Junior Andre Douglas blocked an extra point, a field goal and was in on a sack, but the defense allowed Polar Bear quarterback Will Freed to complete 28 of 33 passes for 311 yards and four TD's.

The second angle of redemption this week lies in last year's very disappointing 42-41 rivalry loss to Capital, where the Cardinals fumbled in the closing minute upon centering the ball for a game-winning field goal attempt. Otterbein had won four-straight matchups prior to that as the all-time series record between the schools now stands at 44-44-3.

"Intense," Doup said when asked to describe the rivalry. "The way that game ended last year left a very bad taste in our mouth. I'm sure Capital will be fired up for their Homecoming so it will be another big showdown. This is huge for us in terms of responding from Ohio Northern, and then heading into our bye week on a good note with a 4-1 record."

While there were multiple momentum-changing plays in last year's battle, many will largely remember an illegal-batting penalty called against Otterbein after blocking a Capital punt with 6:00 left and recovering it in the end zone. The play would have bumped the Cards' lead to 41-28, but the Crusaders were awarded back possession and hit a long score two plays later.

"The disappointment from last year is squarely on us," Doup explained. "People will mention that specific play or penalty this week, but you can't give up a long touchdown two plays later. You also can't allow a two-point conversion later on, miss an extra point or fumble the ball on your last drive. We lost three fumbles in the game as a whole so that one play wouldn't have mattered had we taken care of other mistakes. There will always be tough plays, but it's how you react on the next one."

Capital (1-2, 1-1 OAC), under second-year head coach Chad Rogosheske, has a victory over Muskingum sandwiched between losses to Mount St. Joseph and Wilmington. The latter occurred last week, where the Quakers snapped a 40-game losing streak in OAC play with a 37-30 overtime victory.

The Crusaders are paced by junior quarterback Thomas Wibbeler, who suffered a season-ending injury after six games last year but has since recovered to already throw for 830 yards and nine touchdowns this fall. He went 21 of 32 for 351 yards and five scores last year against Otterbein.

At his disposal are veteran running back Cory Heeter, All-OAC wideout David Barnett and fellow WR Dar Stanford, who reunited with Wibbeler after transferring from nearby Ohio Dominican. Barnett and Stanford have 30 catches for 470 yards and five touchdowns between them right now.

Upperclassmen linebackers Kane Murray, 32 tackles, and Derek Eibon, 21 tackles, spearhead the defense while senior defensive back Eric Stroski has 21 stops himself to rank second on the club.

Fans can follow Saturday's game through live stats, audio (WOBN 97.5) and video feeds. View the schedule page HERE to access all links.