Schedule
Ohio Dominican (4-6, 3-5 G-MAC) at Hillsdale College (5-5, 5-3 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 11 | Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium | Hillsdale, MI
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Hillsdale Roster | ODU Roster | 2023 Hillsdale Stats | 2023 ODU Stats | G-MAC Schedule | G-MAC Standings
Last Week
Hillsdale's defense dominated on the road to help the Chargers pick up their fourth-straight victory in a 28-3 win over host Walsh last Saturday. The Cavaliers won the time of possession battle but were unable to break through the Chargers D when it mattered, with a lone field goal serving as Walsh's only points. Shea Ruddy scored two rushing touchdowns, Kyle Riffel added a third, Garrit Aissen completed a 41 yard touchdown pass to Logan VanEnkevort and Michael Herzog rushed for 156 yards to lead the Chargers offensively.
Scouting the Opposition
The last obstacle to a winning season for the Hillsdale College football team is Ohio Dominican, which comes to town this weekend with wildly different outcomes so far on each side of the ball.
On defense, the Panthers are a ferocious unit among the top in the G-MAC. ODU is especially stout against the run, conceding just 83.5 yards on average, promising a critical matchup of strength on strength against a Hillsdale rushing attack that puts up over 200 yards a game on average.
The Panthers defense is experienced and proud, led by arguably the G-MAC's top defensive lineman in pass rush maestro Eddie Miller-Garrett, who has 10.5 sacks on the year, and playmaking safeties Jayden and Daishaun Hill, who both earned first team All-G-MAC honors in 2022. Linebacker Michael Powers and hybrid safety Brady Blattner also put up big numbers for a defense that's shut down many opponents this season.
As good as the Panthers' defense has been, it's had tough sledding making up for an offense that's struggled to get traction throughout a 4-6 season and ranks as one of the G-MAC's least successful units in 2023 so far. ODU does have an experienced tailback in senior Travis Whittaker, a three-year starter on the ground who has a career-high 542 rushing yards this season, but the Panthers have struggled to find complements for him on the ground or get consistent production as a unit.
The starting quarterback is Drew Gallehue, who took over midseason for injured starter Jake Byrd and has put up decent numbers, with a 58.8 completion percentage and 936 yards, but has struggled with turnovers, throwing 11 interceptions in eight games. Toledo transfer Ty Wiley is ODU's top receiving threat, with 647 yards and three touchdowns, and junior Jayden Cornell has four receiving touchdowns as well. If ODU's offensive line can hold up at the point of attack, the Panthers could be tough to beat – but ODU has struggled to do that this season, giving up 26 sacks, the third-most by any team in G-MAC play.
On special teams, A.J. Young is perfect on field goal opportunities, but on just two attempts with a long of 38. Logan Ortt has been one of the G-MAC's better punters, with an average of 41.6 and a long of 59.
Ohio Dominican is coached by Kelly Cummings, who's in his eighth season in charge of the Panthers with a record of 52-27 overall. Cummings has guided the Panthers to the 2017 G-MAC title and a 2019 America's Crossroads Bowl bid during his tenure.
The Series
Hillsdale and Ohio Dominican have an incredibly competitive series going since the two teams first met on the gridiron in 2010. The Panthers have a narrow 7-5 lead, buttressed by a 20-10 victory by ODU at home in last year's season finale, but Hillsdale has won three of the last five, including a last-second 21-17 victory at home in 2021. Seven of the 12 games in the series have been decided by 10 points or less.
Other Notes
- Hillsdale will honor a large senior class on Saturday on the occasion of their final home game in a Charger uniform, with 23 current players and three student managers set to be recognized. Among those players are senior captains Michael Herzog and Garrit Aissen, as well as three-time All-Great Midwest honoree Michael Harding and 2021 All-G-MAC honoree Julian Lee. All 26 seniors will be honored during a pregame ceremony and also will receive recognition at Hillsdale's annual Awards Banquet on Sunday.
- With 156 rushing yards in Hillsdale's 28-3 win at Walsh last weekend, Michael Herzog moved into ninth all-time at Hillsdale in single season rushing yards with 1,158 in 2023, and eighth all-time in career rushing yards with 2,098. His 1,158 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns this season not only lead the G-MAC in both categories, but rank eighth and fourth, respectively, among all players at the NCAA DII level, and Herzog also leads both the G-MAC and the nation in all-purpose yards. Herzog had a breakout season last year, putting up 940 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and earning first team All-G-MAC honors.
- Senior tight end Michael Harding earned a prestigious honor by being named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy in September. Harding, a three-time All-G-MAC tight end, was nominated for the award, considered by many to be the academic equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, both for his outstanding play on the football field and his impressive achievements in the classroom.
- Redshirt freshman linebacker Jacob Vance is making the most of his opportunity over the last few weeks. Vance didn't play in two of Hillsdale's first three contests this season, but after stepping into the lineup against Findlay on Sept. 23, he's been a difference-maker for Hillsdale, recording a team-leading 49 tackles and two sacks in eight games, including 12 tackles in a win over Northwood. Vance should be an important player down the stretch for the Chargers as Hillsdale looks to finish the 2023 season strong.
- Junior defensive back Sam Zemis has been a playmaker for the Chargers this season, with 39 tackles, a team high three interceptions and three pass breakups. The junior is on track for a career season this year, on pace for a career high in tackles and already setting new career highs in pass breakups, interceptions and tackles for loss.
- Hillsdale has turned to a young receiving corps this season, with encouraging results. In just his second season with the Chargers, Sam Lee leads the team with 34 catches for 473 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while two true freshmen, Shea Ruddy and Jonathan Metzger, are also playing important roles. Ruddy became Hillsdale's first true freshman with a 100-plus yard receiving game since All-American Trey Brock in 2015, and has five receiving touchdowns and three rushing scores on the season, while Metzger caught a 40-yard touchdown pass for his first career score against Kentucky Wesleyan on Oct. 14. All three players have a bright future with the Chargers.
- 2018 graduate Zach VanValkenburg recorded his first career NFL sack on Sunday, Oct. 8 in the Los Angeles Rams' 23-14 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, and has nine tackles in his first NFL season. VanValkenburg was the G-MAC Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2018 while leading the Chargers in sacks and helping Hillsdale win a 2018 G-MAC title and make the NCAA DII Playoffs. After graduating from Hillsdale, VanValkenburg went on to play two seasons at the University of Iowa while getting his masters degree. He was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 but did not make the final roster. In January, he was signed by LA and made the 53-man roster for the 2023 season in August, becoming the first Charger since Jared Veldheer's retirement in 2021 to appear in an NFL game.
- The Charger football program has long been known for its strong family tradition, and that continues in 2023 with multiple sets of brothers on the roster. On the offensive line, twin brothers Nick Affholter and Benjamin Affholter (Quincy, MI/Reading) will hold down interior line spots for the third straight season, and are joined on the roster by younger brother Zac Affholter, a true freshman lineman. All three are sons of Brad Affholter, a multi-year starter on the Charger offensive line in the mid-90s and an assistant coach with the team in 2023. There are several other sibling duos on the team – twin brothers Josh Lee and Sam Lee (Toledo, OH/Central Catholic) return as sophomores this season, as do junior tight end Ben Hinrichs and his younger brother, Christian (Escondido, CA/Classical Academy). Also in 2023, Hillsdale sophomore wide receiver Corban Creason (Coppell, TX/Founders Classical Academy) is joined by his younger brother, Christian, and sophomore offensive lineman John VanOpstall (Jenison, MI/Jenison) is joined by his younger brother, Chris. Along with those sibling pairs, several other players on the roster have older brothers, fathers or grandfathers who suited up for previous Charger teams.
- Hillsdale's longest-tenured assistant coach received a prestigious honor in the offseason as Offensive Coordinator Nate Shreffler was named the American Football Coaches Association's NCAA DII Assistant Coach of the Year for 2022. Shreffler is entering his 25th season with the Chargers and was recognized for both his outstanding contributions to Hillsdale's success on the field, and his work running the Chargers' "Guys With Ties" program that helps teach elementary school kids confidence and proper etiquette through interactions with players on the football team.
- With 132 wins to date, Otterbein is third all-time in career coaching victories at Hillsdale, trailing two Charger Athletics Hall of Famers in Frank "Muddy" Waters (138) and Dick Lowry (134). If he maintains his current career pace of wins per season, Otterbein would pass Waters for the all-time record in the fall of 2024.