OU fell 27-18 to McPherson College last Saturday night at AdventHealth Field. Ottawa finished the contest with 400 yards of offense, 215 yards rushing and 185 yards passing. McPherson had 452 yard of total offense, 288 yards rushing and 164 yards passing. There were a lot of penalties called in the game last Saturday night. Ottawa had 10 for 123 yards and McPherson finished with nine for 101 yards.
Through three games this season, the OU defense has only allowed a total of 13 points to be scored in the first half. That is an average of 4.3 points per game. The only team that has scored any points in the first half against the Brave defense is Avila. Ottawa's defense has not allowed a point in the first half against Southwestern and McPherson.
Devin Johnston scored the first touchdown of the game with a 63 yard punt return for a touchdown. Johnston's 63 yard return is tied for ninth in the OU record book for longest punt return in a game. It is also tied for seventh for longest punt return for a touchdown in a game.
Through three games this season, Ottawa is averaging 300.3 yards of offense per game, 138.3 rushing and 162 passing. The Braves are averaging 11 points per game. Opponents are averaging 387.3 yards per game, 189 rushing and 198.3 passing. Opponents are averaging 31.7 points per game.
Saturday is the 73rd meeting between Ottawa University and Bethel College. The Threshers are on a three game winning streak against the Braves, winning last season's match up in Ottawa on Sept. 25, 40-17. The first meeting took place on Oct. 4, 1929 in Ottawa. OU won the game 14-0. The first game that the Braves played at night was against Bethel College on Oct. 2, 1930 in North Newton, Kan. Ottawa won the game 13-6.
OU is ranked 42nd in the NAIA in rushing yards (415), 39th in rushing yards per game (138.3), 25th in yards per rush (4.4), 47th in passing first downs (27), 33rd in penalty first downs (6), fifth in fourth down conversions (7-13), 25th in fourth down conversion percentage (.540), second in punt return average (35.5), and 19th in field goals (4-7).
Jared Daniels leads OU in rushing with 219 yards. He is averaging 8.4 yards per carry.
Noah Shoeman and
Billy Maples leads OU in passing yards with 175. Shoeman is averaging 87.5 yards passing per game.
Cory Jones is the team's leader in receptions with 13. Both Jones and
Jermaine Ziegler have 86 receiving yards.
AJ Hemphill leads OU with 24 tackles. He has two recovered fumbles.
Jensen Riffel is second on the team in tackles with 19.
Santino Gee has 17 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.
Bethel has opened 2022 with three straight wins, including a 30-26 come from behind victory over no. 9 Kansas Wesleyan University on the road last Saturday/Sunday in Salina. The game was delayed on Saturday night due to the weather and finished on Sunday evening.
The Threshers had 290 yards of offense while Kansas Wesleyan finished with 306. Bethel rushed for 192 yards and threw for 98.
DJ Ciers went 8-for-12 through the air for 98 yards and one touchdown in the victory. He also led the Threshers in rushing with 63 yards and scored one touchdown on the ground. Brayden Francis led BC in receiving with three receptions for 39 yards and one touchdown. Grant Godsey was Bethel's lead inn tackles with 10 and one recovered fumble. Houston Buckner and Kade Miller had eight tackles apiece.
Through three games, Bethel is averaging 285 yards of offense per game, 211.7 on the ground and 73.3 yards through the air. BC is averaging 24 points per game. Opponents are averaging 251.7 yards of offense per game, 172 rushing and 79.7 passing. The Thresher defense is allowing 17.7 points per game.
Bethel is ranked 15th in the NAIA in rushing yards (635), 16th in rushing attempts (146), 14th in rushing yards per game (211.7), 25th in yards per rush (4.3), 21st in rushing touchdowns (6), 17th in rushing first downs (35), 26th in fourth down percentage (.500), 26th in punt returns (No.-Yards) (6-59), 29th in punt return average (9.8), 17th in punts (No.-Yards (22-838), 32nd in average per punt (38.1), 45th in red zone scores (8-12), 30th fumbles-lost (5-2), seventh in fumbles recovered (5), 30th in defensive INTs (4), 25th in interception returns (No-Yards) (4-77), 22nd in interception return average (19.3), second in defensive touchdowns (2), and 48th in tackles (209), 47th in sacks (6).
DJ Ciers leads Bethel in passing yards with 215. He is 25-for-34 through the air and has thrown two touchdowns and two interceptions. The sophomore is completing 73.5 percent of his passes. Ciers also leads the team in rushing, averaging 80.3 yards on the ground per game. He has 241 rushing yards this season and has scored five touchdowns.
Brayden Francis is the Threshers' leader in receptions with eight. He is averaging 23.7 receiving yards per game and 8.9 yards per reception. Francis has scored one touchdown.
Kade Miller leads Bethel in tackles with 24. He has 7.5 tackles for loss and one pass break up. Josh Seabolt has 23 tackles in 2022, one forced fumble, one interception, and one pass break up. Grant Godsey is third on the team in tackles with 20 and has recovered one fumble.
