Ottawa enters the matchup with a 3-1 overall record, including a 2-0 mark at home. The Braves have outscored their opponents 150-78 through four games, averaging 37.5 points per game while allowing 19.5. This will be the 92nd meeting between Ottawa and McPherson College.

Ottawa holds a commanding 61-30 advantage in the all-time series. The series dates back to Oct. 18, 1929, when McPherson defeated Ottawa 21-0. The Braves are looking to snap a five-game losing streak against the Bulldogs. Ottawa's last victory in the series came on Oct. 17, 2020, a 31-13 win in Ottawa. McPherson won last year's meeting 70-28 on Sept. 27, 2025, in McPherson. Ottawa has historically enjoyed several lengthy runs of success against the Bulldogs. The Braves won 11 straight meetings from 1969 through 1982 and seven straight from 1986 through 1994. Ottawa also won six straight from 2011 through 2016, averaging 43.5 points during that stretch. The Braves' largest victory in the series was a 76-7 win in 2001.
Four of the last five meetings have been played in Ottawa or McPherson in alternating two-game stretches. This year's contest returns the series to Ottawa for the first time since the Braves' 60-17 loss in 2023.

Ottawa's offense has produced 1,431 yards between its passing and rushing totals, with the passing game accounting for 1,029 yards. The Braves are averaging 257.3 passing yards per game. OU has thrown 11 touchdown passes against only three interceptions.

Defensively, Ottawa has been especially effective against opposing passing attacks. Opponents have completed just 45 percent of their passes for 601 yards and four touchdowns, while the Braves have intercepted seven passes.
Ottawa has accumulated 30 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, seven interceptions, 19 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. The Braves have scored 21 offensive touchdowns — 11 through the air and nine on the ground — with another touchdown coming on a kickoff return.

Luke Edwards has completed 48-of-85 passes for 706 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception. He is averaging 176.5 passing yards per game. Elijah Ribaudo is 25-for-40 through the air for 323 yards and three touchdowns. Combined, Ottawa's quarterbacks have completed 58 percent of their attempts.

De'Anthony Curtis leads Ottawa with 271 receiving yards on 15 receptions. His 18.1 yards per reception leads the Braves among players with multiple catches. Jayden Johnson has caught 14 passes for 226 yards and a team-high four touchdowns. He is averaging a team-best 75.3 receiving yards per game. AJ Moore leads OU with 16 receptions, totaling 208 yards and two touchdowns. Curtis, Johnson and Moore have combined for 45 catches, 705 yards and eight touchdowns.

Amiri Mumba leads Ottawa's ground attack with 116 yards on 22 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. More importantly, Mumba has found the end zone five times on the ground, giving him a team-high 30 points. Malakai Hudson has 83 rushing yards on only eight attempts, an average of 10.4 yards per carry, with one touchdown. Anthony Powell has added 75 yards on 16 attempts. Rowdy Keith has scored twice on three rushing attempts and also has a receiving touchdown. Ottawa has scored nine rushing touchdowns through four games.

Ottawa has displayed plenty of explosive-play ability through its first four games. Curtis owns a 68-yard reception, Johnson has a long catch of 51 yards and Hagan Johnson has a 43-yard reception. Hudson has broken a 58-yard run, while Mumba has a long rush of 57 yards. Quinn Conley has also scored on a 52-yard rushing play. On special teams, AJ Moore has provided one of Ottawa's biggest plays of the season with a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Ottawa's defense has intercepted seven passes in four games, compared to just three interceptions thrown by the Braves' offense. Seven different OU defenders have recorded an interception: Ethan Yinger, Jacob Hill, Cade Monroe, Daniel Walker, Abdullhi Mahdi, Kadyn Hodson and Ethan Gardner. Hodson has Ottawa's longest interception return, taking his pick 54 yards. Yinger returned his interception 33 yards. The Braves have 108 interception-return yards as a team. Ottawa has also broken up 19 passes, led by Donovan Martin with three.

Ottawa has recorded 30 tackles for loss for 115 yards and 11 sacks for 66 yards. Ibrahimi Mahdi leads the Braves with 4.0 tackles for loss, resulting in 22 lost yards. Gabe Watson has a team-best 2.0 sacks and has totaled three tackles for loss. Jacob Hill and Ibrahimi Mahdi have 1.5 sacks apiece. Cade Monroe, Abdullhi Mahdi, Kadyn Hodson, Ethan Gardner, Qui'len Johnson and Bryson Nolan have each recorded a sack. Watson has also forced a fumble and blocked a kick.

Ethan Yinger and Cade Monroe are tied for the team lead with 28 total tackles. Yinger has 20 solo stops, eight assists, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Monroe has 13 solo tackles, 15 assists, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and a pass breakup. Jacob Hill has 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. Ibrahimi Mahdi has added 21 tackles, while Gabe Watson has 20 and Kage Castling has 17.

Ottawa is averaging 23.9 yards per kickoff return, compared to 17.4 yards by its opponents. Brian McKoy has averaged 18.5 yards on two punt returns, including a long of 37 yards.

Joshua Iraheta has placed nine punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Ottawa's punting unit is averaging 40.7 yards per punt. Ike Prengel has scored 20 points, connecting on 14-of-16 extra points and two field goals. His long field goal is 43 yards.

Series: Ottawa leads, 61-30
Meetings: 91
First Meeting: Oct. 18, 1929 — McPherson 21, Ottawa 0
Last Meeting: Sept. 27, 2025 — McPherson 70, Ottawa 28
Last Ottawa Win: Oct. 17, 2020 — Ottawa 31, McPherson 13
Current Streak: McPherson, five
Ottawa's Largest Win: 76-7 (2001)
Highest-Scoring Ottawa Win: 76-7 (2001)
Closest Recent Meeting: McPherson 19, Ottawa 17 (2019)
Overtime Meetings: Ottawa won 44-41 in 2OT in 2009 and 41-38 in 2OT in 2014
Since 2008: Ottawa is 9-7 against McPherson.
Since 2011: Ottawa is 8-6 against the Bulldogs.

No. 15 McPherson enters the week with a 4-0 overall record and has won two games at home and two on the road. The Bulldogs have yet to play a conference contest. McPherson opened the season with a 48-7 victory at Avila, followed by a 73-0 win over Bethel, a 21-13 road victory at Tabor, and a 40-14 win over Evangel.

The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 182-34 through four games, averaging 45.5 points per game while allowing just 8.5 points per contest. McPherson's offense has been one of the most productive in the NAIA. The Bulldogs rank second nationally in total offense (2,237 yards) and second in yards per game (559.3).

The Bulldogs are averaging 274.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks fourth nationally, while throwing for 285.0 yards per game, ranked 13th. McPherson has also been very efficient on third down, converting 60 percent of its opportunities, which ranks first in the NAIA.

Ryan Markarian has led the Bulldog passing attack. In three games, Markarian is 61-of-90 for 742 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 67.8 percent of his passes. He is averaging 247.3 passing yards per game. As a team, McPherson has completed 69 percent of its passes for 1,140 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Bulldogs are averaging 285.0 passing yards per game.

Jalil Brown has powered McPherson's rushing attack. Brown has carried the ball 55 times for 488 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 8.9 yards per carry and 162.7 yards per game. His longest run is 74 yards. Max Younie has added 148 yards and a touchdown on only 17 attempts, an average of 8.7 yards per carry. Santiago Salas has 102 yards and a score on 17 attempts. McPherson has rushed for 1,097 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging an impressive 7.7 yards per carry and 274.3 yards per game.

The Bulldogs have spread the ball around in the passing game. Kaden Millinder leads McPherson with 14 receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown. Mitchel Aubrey has 11 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Jamai Rutherford has been a big-play scoring threat, catching seven passes for 108 yards and a team-high three receiving touchdowns. He averages 15.4 yards per reception. McPherson has 10 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns, giving the Bulldogs balance in the red zone and across the offense.

The Bulldog defense has been just as impressive as the offense. Opponents are averaging only 168.3 yards of total offense per game, including 57.3 rushing yards and 111.0 passing yards.

McPherson has held opposing quarterbacks to a 48 percent completion rate, allowing 444 passing yards and two passing touchdowns while intercepting six passes.
Against the run, Bulldog opponents have managed only 229 yards on 123 attempts, an average of 1.9 yards per carry, with just one rushing touchdown. McPherson has been disruptive in the backfield, totaling 36 tackles for loss for 153 yards and 18 sacks for 106 yards. The Bulldogs have also collected six interceptions.

Nate Campbell leads McPherson with 20 total tackles and has a sack, a pass breakup and a forced fumble. Tyler Powell and Kenneth Ray have three sacks apiece. Powell has three tackles for loss for 25 yards, while Ray has three tackles for loss totaling 26 yards. Malachi Mazzetti has added two sacks and three tackles for loss. The Bulldog secondary has produced six interceptions, while the defense has broken up 13 additional passes.

Jack Finder is averaging 42.4 yards per punt, with five of his punts landing inside the 20 and a season-long punt of 74 yards. Finder has made 16-of-17 extra points and one field goal. As a team, McPherson is 3-for-4 on field goals and 23-for-24 on PATs. McPherson is averaging 24.4 yards per kickoff return and 9.1 yards per punt return.