Otterbein 17, #5 Capital 10
(WESTERVILLE, Ohio)—Capital University’s football team, ranked No. 5 in the nation, was upset at cross-town and Ohio Athletic Conference rival Otterbein College, 17-10, Saturday in Westerville, Ohio.
The loss leaves Capital at 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the OAC, while Otterbein improves to 4-3 overall and 4-2 in the OAC.
Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty was 9-of-16 passing for 121 yards and rushed for a team-high 63 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown. Cardinal running back Eric Yates had a game-high 25 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown, while wide receiver Josh Bope had a game-high 87 yards receiving. On defense, Wil Longsdorf had a game-high 12 stops.
Capital junior quarterback Wade Bartholomew (Williamsport/Westfall) had career-highs completing 23 passes on 49 attempts for 226 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore running back Matt Merritt (Cincinnati/Indian Hill) had 20 carries for a career-high 84 yards, while senior wide receiver Kevin Brackman (Coldwater/Coldwater) had seven receptions for 86 yards. Sophomore Matt Heagen (New Concord/John Glenn) had 10 tackles and forced a fumble to lead the Crusader defense.
Capital outgained Otterbein, 326-242, but in the first half the Cardinal defense held the Crusader offense to 97 yards while running out to a 10-0 lead on a 26-yard field goal from Alek Shirvanian and a two-yard touchdown run from Rafferty.
The Crusaders scored its first points of the game in the first drive of the second half on a 23-yard field goal from senior Matt Spitz (Xenia/Xenia) to make it 10-3. Otterbein answered going 80 yards on 13 plays as Yates punched in a touchdown to go up 17-3 with 1:13 left in the third quarter. The drive was extended on a roughing the punter penalty when Otterbein had a 4th and 9 from its own 21-yard-line.
On each of its next two possessions, Capital got to the Otterbein eight and 16 yard lines before turning the ball over on downs. After the Cardinals went three-and-out, Capital's offense got in the endzone for the first time with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Bartholomew to junior Mando Ancona (Johnstown/Johnstown) to close the gap to 17-10 at the 4:19 mark. On Otterbein's next possession, Rafferty completed a 31-yard pass to Bope on a 2nd and 9 play to extended the drive and eat some clock. Capital would get the ball back three plays later on its own eight-yard line but with no time outs left the final drive got only has far as the Crusaders' 29-yard line.
Capital returns home to host No. 1 ranked Mount Union College next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Bernlohr Stadium.