The Ottawa University football team returns to AdventHealth Field for its 95th Homecoming contest, hosting No. 24 Evangel University in a KCAC Kessinger Division matchup. The Braves enter the contest with a 3-3 overall record and look to snap a three-game losing streak while earning their first victory over the Valor. Ottawa has an all-time Homecoming record of 63-31 and will look to add another victory to its Homecoming tradition.
Ottawa has completed 135 of 230 passes (58.7 percent) for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Elijah Ribaudo has completed 87 of 145 passes for 975 yards and eight touchdowns in five appearances.
Luke Edwards has thrown for 706 yards and eight touchdowns, completing 48 of 85 passes without an interception.
Jayden Johnson leads the receiving corps with 35 receptions for 531 yards and five touchdowns.Johnson averages 106.2 receiving yards per game and 15.2 yards per reception.
De'Anthony Curtis has caught 30 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns.
AJ Moore has 31 receptions for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Ottawa has three receivers with at least 30 receptions and 350 receiving yards.
Ground Attack: Ottawa has rushed for 512 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 85.3 yards per game.
Malakai Hudson leads the Braves with 147 rushing yards on 25 attempts, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
Anthony Powell has 126 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries.
Rowdy Keith has added two rushing touchdowns.
Defensive Leaders:
Cade Monroe leads Ottawa with 49 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception.
Ethan Yinger is second on the team with 42 tackles, adding 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and two fumble recoveries.
Jacob Hill has recorded 36 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and two fumble recoveries.
Ibrahimi Mahdi leads Ottawa with four tackles for loss, totaling 22 yards lost, and has 32 tackles.
Gabe Watson has 31 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a team-leading two sacks.
Donovan Martin leads the Braves with four pass breakups. Ottawa's defense has recorded seven interceptions, 23 pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and eight fumble recoveries. The Braves are allowing 159.2 passing yards per game and have limited opposing quarterbacks to a 48 percent completion rate.
Special Teams:
Ike Prengel has converted 21 of 23 extra-point attempts and three field goals, with a season-long make of 43 yards.
AJ Moore has returned two kickoffs for 119 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown return.
De'Anthony Curtis has 185 kickoff return yards on six attempts, including a 90-yard touchdown return.
Hagan Johnson leads Ottawa with 211 kickoff return yards on 11 returns.
Joshua Iraheta averages 40.5 yards per punt and has placed nine punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. The Braves average 23.5 yards per kickoff return and have scored two kickoff return touchdowns.
Homecoming History: Saturday's matchup marks the 95th Homecoming football game in Ottawa University history. The Braves have an all-time Homecoming record of 63-31, a .670 winning percentage. Ottawa's first Homecoming contest took place on November 18, 1922, against Pittsburg State University. The contest was played at the Athletic Field in Ottawa, with Pittsburg State earning a 14-0 victory. The Braves will look for their 64th Homecoming victory when they host Evangel.
Series History vs. Evangel: Evangel leads the all-time series 3-0. The two programs first met on September 23, 2023. All three previous meetings have been decided by 13 points or fewer. Ottawa's closest contest against Evangel came last season, falling 28-23 on the road. This will be Evangel's second trip to Ottawa and its first appearance at a Braves Homecoming game in the series. Ottawa is looking for its first victory over the Valor.
Passing Leaders
- Matt Allen: 65-of-110, 798 yards, 14 TD, 1 INT, 59.1 completion percentage.
- Luke Milligan: 25-of-39, 303 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT, 64.1 completion percentage.
- Team: 93-of-159, 1,120 yards, 15 TD, 5 INT.
Rushing Leaders
- Noah Bryant: 62 carries, 432 yards, 2 TD, 7.0 yards per carry.
- Kyle Cummings: 57 carries, 227 yards, 5 TD, 4.0 yards per carry.
- Joshua Isaac: 29 carries, 131 yards, 1 TD, 4.5 yards per carry.
- Matt Allen: 50 carries, 64 net yards.
- Team: 224 carries, 958 yards, 11 TD.
Receiving Leaders
- Brady Allen: 25 receptions, 346 yards, 4 TD.
- Broc Lyle: 25 receptions, 325 yards, 6 TD.
- Gunner Ellison: 13 receptions, 257 yards, 3 TD.
- Noah Bryant: 7 receptions, 59 yards, 1 TD.
- Joshua Isaac: 6 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD.
Defensive Quick Hits
- Evangel allows 333.5 yards of total offense per game.
- Opponents average 172.8 rushing yards and 160.7 passing yards per contest.
- The Valor have recorded 44 tackles for loss totaling 200 yards.
- Evangel has registered 16 sacks for a loss of 134 yards.
- The defense has intercepted nine passes, returning them for 102 yards.
- Evangel has recovered three fumbles, giving the Valor 12 takeaways.
- Opponents have converted just 28 percent of their third-down attempts.
- The Valor have broken up 19 passes and blocked three kicks.
Defensive Statistical Leaders
- Draven VanGilder: 34 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR, 2 PBU.
- Erik Spring: 30 tackles, 2 PBU.
- Kenneth Spring: 29 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBU.
- Grady Goss: 26 tackles, 4 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 FR.
- Talon Stephens: 25 tackles, 2 INT, 4 PBU.
- Gennadiy Dudko: 22 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks.
- Garrett Finley: 21 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2 sacks.
- Deacon Peterson: 15 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks.
- Cullen Snow: 4 INT, 45 return yards, 3 PBU.
Special Teams Leaders
- Cody Voysey: 4-of-5 field goals, 28-of-28 PATs, 40 points.
- Colton Brosenne: 40.2 yards per punt, 62-yard long, 10 inside the 20.
- Broc Lyle: 6 kickoff returns, 131 yards, 21.8-yard average.
- Gunner Ellison: 9 punt returns, 53 yards, 5.9-yard average.
- Joshua Isaac: 2 kickoff returns, 70 yards, 35.0-yard average.
