ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Otterbein football team kept grinding forward and looking to improve Saturday afternoon with its toughest test of the season, traveling to play No. 2-ranked and reigning national runner-up Mount Union at Kehres Stadium.

The Cardinals became the first team to score double digits on the Purple Raiders this season, but were still forced to settle on the low end of a 51-14 final result. Mount improves to 8-0 this year and is 35-2 over the last three seasons post COVID.

BASIC BREAKDOWN:

• Otterbein freshman QB Lorenzen Horace tallied 227 passing yards, completing 26 passes in his first game back after missing last week due to injury.
   
• Slot receiver Owen Menge caught a career-high 14 passes for 112 yards, including a long grab of 29.
   
• Linebacker Bobby Buckler continued his heightened production with a game-high 14 tackles, while safety Randy Cochran Jr. added another 10. Both had one behind the line of scrimmage.

HOW IT PLAYED OUT:

• The Cardinals trailed just 9-0 near the end of the first quarter before a punt return for a touchdown helped Mount Union create separation. The Raiders later went into halftime leading 30-0.
   
• Otterbein kept fighting and posted consecutive touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but coming via promising freshman running back Matt Griffin. He punched both in from a yard out in his most extended work of the fall.
   
• The Cards advanced back down inside the Mount five-yard line once again later on, but would come up short on fourth-and-goal after a few incomplete passes.

BOX SCORE LOOK:

• Mount held a marginal 25-19 edge in first downs.
   
• Braxton Plunk hit 26 of 24 passes on the day for the Raiders, with star wideout Wayne Ruby Jr. corralling three touchdowns.
   
• The Cards had three sacks defensively, including another from All-OAC edge rusher Justin Bartlett.

UP NEXT:

• Otterbein will stay on the road for its last away game of the fall next Saturday, heading to Ada for a matchup with Ohio Northern. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.