Oberlin Scope
The Yeomen will come into Saturday’s matchup with the Tigers with nothing to play for other than pride. After big losses to North Coast Athletic Conference teams like Denison University, Wabash College and Wittenberg University, Oberlin College is close to looking at a lost season.
Oberlin has played fairly well over their last four games, winning two and losing two in the process, after losing three of four to open the season. But with the two losses coming against Wittenberg and Wabash, they were hardly games the Yeomen were predicted to win in the first place.
The biggest strength for Oberlin is their ability to move the ball on offense. They average well over 100 yards per game on the ground and over 200 yards through the air. The real cause for the Yeomen’s struggles this year has been their inability to keep their opponents out of the endzone. Teams are averaging nearly 40 points per game against Oberlin this season and have torn them up on the ground and through the air.
DePauw Scope
As was the case in last week’s narrow win at Denison, Saturday’s game is a must-win for the Tigers if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. Junior Marko Adams’ last second field goal was enough to propell the Tigers to a win, but the narrow margin of victory against the Big Red probably didn’t fill Depauw fans with a lot of confidence.
After a poor showing in DePauw’s loss to Ohio Wesleyan University the week before, junior quarterback Matt Hunt rebounded with a very good showing against the Big Red, but the absence of the running game was disconcerting. With senior Amen Galley and junior Jason Kirchhoff out of the lineup, the leading running back for the Tigers, sophomore Jack Gruber, rushed for only 44 yards on the day.
The defense didn’t play spectacularly for the Tigers either. The DePauw secondary gave up nearly 350 yards passing and watched as the Big Red spread out the wealth to nine different receivers.
The win against Denison keeps DePauw’s postseason hopes alive, but they’ll need better performances down the stretch to keep things going.
Oberlin Key Players
QB Lucas Poggiali, Sr.: Poggiali leads the Big Red’s attack through the air and has been their biggest offensive weapon so far this year. He’s already thrown for nearly 1400 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in addition to being the team’s third leading rusher. However, Poggiali has already thrown nine interceptions this season. He’ll need to manage the ball better to give the Yeomen a shot against the Tigers.
WR Robby Reinheimer, So.: On a team with a weak receiving core, Reinheimer stands out as the biggest weapon. He is tied for the team lead in touchdown catches with three and leads the Yeomen with 427 receiving yards. His biggest asset comes as a downfield threat, as he averages just over 20 yards per reception.
LB Justin Bute, Sr.: Bute leads the team in tackles with 48 and is tied for the team lead in sacks with four. He’s also been valuable for the Yeomen in the secondary breaking up passes. With the running back situation for DePauw not totally clear, Bute could have a big day stopping the DePauw running game.
Matchup to Watch: DePauw running backs vs. the Oberlin front seven
The rush defense for the Yeomen is incredibly weak, giving up over 170 yards per game on the ground, but DePauw’s running back situation is unclear. If Kirchhoff and Galley return, the Tigers could be in store for a big game. But if Gruber is left to carry all of the workload, it could be another slow game for the Tigers on the ground.
DePauw wins if…
They prove they have short memories and don’t look ahead to Wabash. After the loss to Ohio Wesleyan University and the last-second win against Denison, the DePauw confidence may have taken a hit. Likewise, with Monon on the horizon, it’s easy to see how the Tigers could get caught focusing on the Little Giants instead of the Yeomen.
Predictions
I think this game comes at a perfect time for the Tigers to get their confidence back. After a pair of tough games, it’s nice for the Tigers to have a weaker opponent to face before ramping things up for Wabash and the fanfare of Monon. I think Hunt will continue trending in the right direction and whoever gets the start in the backfield will have a good day against the porous Yeomen rush defense. I would guess the Tigers win this game, but pay attention to the margin of victory. A DePauw blowout means they’ve gotten back on track and are ready for Wabash, while a close affair will cause some tension leading up to Monon week. Bring on the Little Giants.
Final Score:
DePauw 38, Oberlin 20.