Ottawa finished last season with a record of 1-10 and is on a four game losing streak. The Braves averaged 266.7 yards of offense per game, 131.1 rushing and 135.6 yards passing. OU scored 13.9 points per game. Ottawa's defense allowed 27.5 points per game and 355 yards of offense, 209.6 rushing and 164.5 passing.
The Braves were selected to finish fifth in the Kessinger Division of the KCAC. OU received 27 points from the media and 11 points from the coaches. Evangel University was selected by both the coaches and media to win the Kessinger Division.
OU had two players named to the 2025 KCAC Football Preseason Team,
Donovan Martin and
De'Anthony Curtis. Martin, a junior defensive back from Dallas, Texas, was named First Team All-KCAC Bissell Division as a sophomore. He finished the season with 30 tackles, one tackle for loss, and five pass break ups. Curtis, a junior kick returner and receiver, earned Second Team honors as a kick returner in 2024. He had 18 returns for 371 yards and averaged 20.6 yards per return.
Saturday is the 86th game between Ottawa University and Kansas Wesleyan University. The Braves lead the series 44-36-5. Ottawa is 18-21-2 all-time against Kansas Wesleyan in Salina. OU is 1-9 in its last 10 games against the Coyotes. KWU won the contest last season, 23-20, in Salina on Nov. 9.
Ottawa has lost five straight on the road against Kansas Wesleyan. OU's last win over KWU in Salina was on Nov. 1, 2014. The Braves won the game 48-20.
The first ever meeting between Ottawa and Kansas Wesleyan happened on Oct. 19, 1908 in Ottawa. OU won the game, 30-5.
In 2024,
Taylor Eggers led the Braves in passing. He was 147-for-307 through the air for 1,407 yards and nine touchdowns. Eggers completed 47.9 percent of his passes and averaged 127.9 passing yards per game. He had 17 interceptions.
Jordan Clay was OU's leader in rushing. He rushed for 606 yards, an average of 55.1 rushing yards per game. Clay scored six touchdowns.
De'Anthony Curtis led OU with 60 receptions for 633 yards. He had three touchdowns and averaged 57.5 receiving yards per game.
AJ Hemphill led OU with 112 tackles, an averaged of 10.2 tackles per game.
Teagan Flynn was the Braves' leader in sacks with 5.5.
Elijah Hann led the team in interceptions with two.
KWU Season Preview - Bob Davidson
Henry Austad, a transfer from Southeastern (Florida), and Caden Middleton, Middleton's son and a transfer from Southern Arkansas headline the list at quarterback. Austad started all nine games and threw for 935 yards and six touchdowns last season as the Firebirds went 7-2. Caden Middleton was a redshirt last fall but played his freshman season.
Running back Luke Armstrong returns after earning NAIA First Team All-America honors in 2024. He led the KCAC in rushing with 1,453 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. Veteran D'Heaven Domena is in the mix after a solid spring.
Rhadarious Lomax-Spivey returns at wide receiver after sitting out last season. He caught 27 passes for 465 yards in 2023. Will Wilcox (Henderson State) and Jevin Dorsey (Western New Mexico) were outstanding in the spring.
The guys up front appear to be capable as well. Easton Lewis, a Third-Team All-American, leads the group at center.
Linebacker Myles Elam and end Josh King-Bradley were major contributors last fall and are back. Elam had a team-best 117 tackles (sixth in the NAIA). King-Bradley had a team-high 17 tackles for loss that included 13 sacks (second in the NAIA) and received Third Team All-America recognition.
Key newcomers are end Diego Davis (Harding), edge Gavin Skerik (Shasta) and safety Robert Rezex (Southern Arkansas).
Placekickers Cole Segraves and Talon Cope return along with punter Griffin Wiltse. Segraves handles kickoffs and had three field goals in 2024 while Cope converted 10 field goals and 35 extra points. Wiltse averaged 35.3 yards per punt. Enoch Walton is the long snapper.
