The Ottawa University football team will look to build on its momentum from a thrilling 38-35 overtime Homecoming victory over Evangel University when the Braves face Tabor College in KCAC Kessinger Division play. The Braves finished with 526 yards of total offense, including 470 passing yards and 56 rushing yards. Ottawa recorded 23 first downs and converted 44 percent of its third-down opportunities.

Ottawa enters the matchup with a 4-3 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the KCAC. The Braves have won four of their first seven games and are averaging 34.3 points and 388.4 yards of total offense per contest. The Braves lead the all-time series against Tabor College, 32-15, and have won the last meeting between the two programs, a 28-21 victory on Oct. 25, 2025.

OU senior defensive back Ethan Yinger has been named KCAC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in OU's 38-35 overtime victory over, then, no. 24 Evangel University. He had 14 tackles and three pass break ups. The win was Ottawa's first over a NAIA Top 25 team since the 2023 season. 

Braves at a Glance: Points Per Game: 34.3 | Points Allowed Per Game: 27.6 | Total Offense: 388.4 yards per game | Passing Offense: 307.3 yards per game | Rushing Offense: 81.1 yards per game | Total Defense: 397.9 yards allowed per game | Passing Defense: 167.3 yards allowed per game | Rushing Defense: 230.6 yards allowed per game

Ottawa Offensive Notes: Braves Rank Fifth Nationally in Passing Offense. Ottawa continues to feature one of the NAIA's most productive passing attacks. Through seven games, the Braves rank fifth nationally in passing offense, averaging 307.3 yards per game. The Braves have thrown for 2,151 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing 167 of 276 attempts (60.5 percent). 

Luke Edwards: 80-of-131 passing (61.1 percent), 1,176 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions in five games.Elijah Ribaudo: 87-of-145 passing (60.0 percent), 975 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in five games. Edwards returned from injury in the 38-35 overtime win over no. 24 Evangel. He was 32-of-46 through the air for 470 yards and three touchdowns. Edwards averages 235.2 passing yards per appearance.

Jayden Johnson has established himself as Ottawa's leading receiving threat in 2026. Johnson has caught 47 passes for 689 yards and six touchdowns in six games. He averages 114.8 receiving yards per contest and 14.7 yards per reception. AJ Moore: 37 receptions, 463 yards, four touchdowns. De'Anthony Curtis: 35 receptions, 455 yards, four touchdowns. Hagan Johnson: 13 receptions, 189 yards, two touchdowns. Quinn Conley: Seven receptions, 136 yards. Rowdy Keith: Nine receptions, 99 yards, one touchdown. Ottawa has three receivers with at least 450 receiving yards, and Johnson, Moore and Curtis have combined for 119 receptions, 1,607 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns.

Malakai Hudson leads Ottawa's rushing attack with 216 yards on 42 attempts. He averages 5.1 yards per carry and has scored one touchdown.Anthony Powell: 36 carries, 145 yards, two touchdowns. Kimbriq Minnis: 24 carries, 41 yards.

Ottawa's defense has recorded 507 tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 15 sacks and eight interceptions through seven games. Cade Monroe leads the Braves with 58 total tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Ethan Yinger follows with 56 tackles, an interception, six pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. 

Defensive Leaders: Cade Monroe: 58 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. Ethan Yinger: 56 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception, six pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. Jacob Hill: 42 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception and three fumble recoveries. Gabe Watson: 37 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble. Ibrahimi Mahdi: 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Kage Castling: 31 tackles. Donovan Martin: 20 tackles, one interception, five pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Ottawa has forced 17 turnovers this season, collecting eight interceptions and recovering nine fumbles. The Braves have also recorded 29 pass breakups and six forced fumbles. Gabe Watson leads the team with three sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss, while Monroe has two sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. Ottawa's defense is allowing just 167.3 passing yards per game while holding opposing quarterbacks to a 50.6 percent completion rate.

Ottawa has been dangerous in the return game, scoring three special teams touchdowns this season. De'Anthony Curtis has returned eight kickoffs for 231 yards and a touchdown while adding six punt returns for 95 yards and a touchdown. AJ Moore has returned five kickoffs for 151 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown return. AJ Moore: 151 kickoff return yards, one kickoff return touchdown. Hagan Johnson: 11 kickoff returns, 211 yards.

Ike Prengel: 4-of-11 on field goals, 26-of-28 on extra points, 38 points. Joshua Iraheta: 40.5 yards per punt. Mason Williams: 39.5 yards per punt. Ottawa is averaging 21.9 yards per kickoff return and 16.5 yards per punt return.

Ottawa vs. Tabor College – Series History: Ottawa and Tabor will meet for the 48th time in program history. The Braves lead the all-time series 32-15. The two programs first met on Nov. 1, 1969, with Ottawa earning a 36-7 victory at home. Ottawa has enjoyed several extended winning streaks against the Bluejays, including 13 consecutive victories from 1990 through 2001. The Braves also won seven straight meetings from 2007 through 2012. The Braves scored a series-high 81 points in an 81-6 victory on Oct. 30, 1999. 

Ottawa University has a 14-7 all-time road record against Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan. First Road Meeting: Oct. 31, 1970 – Ottawa won 12-0. Most Recent Road Meeting: Nov. 16, 2024 – Tabor won 20-7. Ottawa has lost three straight to Tabor in Hillsboro. The last time OU won on the road against the Bluejays was on Nov. 15, 2014. OU won the game 17-15. 

The Tabor College Bluejays enter their matchup with the Ottawa University Braves carrying a 3-4 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the KCAC Kessinger Division. Tabor has won two straight games after dropping four consecutive contests earlier in the season.

The Bluejays are coming off a 53-20 road victory over Bethel College on October 17. The Bluejays have scored 94 points in their last two games after averaging 16.2 points during their previous five contests. Tabor has a 1-2 record at home and is 2-2 on the road this season.

Tabor is averaging 25.4 points per game while allowing 27.3 points per contest, according to its seven-game detailed statistical report. The Bluejays average 276.1 yards of total offense per game, including 145.4 rushing yards and 130.7 passing yards. 

Tabor's defense allows 382.3 yards per game. The Bluejays have forced 15 turnovers, including 10 interceptions and five fumble recoveries. Tabor has committed seven turnovers this season, with five interceptions thrown and two fumbles lost. The Bluejays have recorded 12 sacks and 46 tackles for loss. Tabor's defense has scored four touchdowns, three on interceptions and one on a fumble return.

The Bluejays have relied on their rushing attack throughout the 2026 season, with running back Grady Gebhardt leading the offense. Gebhardt has rushed for 644 yards and seven touchdowns on 87 carries, averaging 7.4 yards per attempt and 107.3 yards per game. He has a season-long rush of 53 yards. Keyan Miller provides another option in the backfield, rushing for 249 yards and two touchdowns on 71 carries. Holden Kee has added 112 rushing yards and one touchdown on 11 attempts.

Quarterback Jerome Stewart leads the passing attack. Stewart has completed 70 of 135 passes for 819 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. He is completing 51.9 percent of his attempts and averaging 117 passing yards per game. Tarent Moniz-Babb has also seen time at quarterback, completing 14 of 24 passes for 96 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Tyson Dozhier leads the Bluejay receiving corps with 26 receptions for 417 yards and three touchdowns. He averages 16 yards per reception and has a season-long catch of 52 yards. Weston Rock ranks second on the team with 16 catches for 176 yards, while Kee has added 12 receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown.

The Tabor defense has been opportunistic in 2026, forcing 15 turnovers and returning three interceptions for touchdowns. Kaden Seibel leads the Bluejays with 47 tackles, including 34 solo stops. He has recorded seven tackles for loss, two sacks, and one fumble recovery. Darriene Gibbs has been one of Tabor's most disruptive defenders, recording 44 tackles, a team-leading 14.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Gibbs has also forced one fumble and recovered another. Zach Sandoval ranks third on the team with 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, and three pass breakups. Cesar Hinojos has added 34 tackles, while Sterling Gartin has recorded 30 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and an interception.

Jonathon Scheffler handles the kicking duties for Tabor. Scheffler has connected on nine of 12 field goal attempts, including a season-long 54-yard field goal. He is also a perfect 21-for-21 on extra-point attempts and leads the Bluejays with 48 points. Dan Bevan handles the punting duties, averaging 39.5 yards per punt with a season-long punt of 60 yards. He has placed 10 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Damar Williams has been a threat in the return game, recording four punt returns for 169 yards and one touchdown. He averages 42.3 yards per punt return and has a season-long return of 94 yards. Brandon McNeal leads the team with 12 kickoff returns for 250 yards, averaging 20.8 yards per return.