Wildcats Stun Oilers In Double Overtime
The University of Findlay football team fell 30-23 in double overtime against Northern Michigan University on Saturday, September 10 at Donnell Stadium. The loss gives the Oilers a 0-2 record on the season with a 0-1 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
Down 20-17 with 3:13 remaining in regulation, the Oilers began a drive on their own 27-yard line. The Oilers then moved the ball through the air into Northern Michigan territory, highlighted by a 13-yard pass from junior quarterback Clay Belton to junior wide receiver Seth White on a fourth down and ten situtation.
Sitting on the Northern Michigan 20-yard line, Belton scampered for ten yards, but the Oilers would go backwards from there as penalties and a fumble pushed them back to the 31-yard line. A 19-yard pass from Belton to junior receiver Alex Kovach put Findlay in position to tie the game and they did just that as freshman kicker Zack Housholder forced overtime with a 29-yard field goal.
In overtime, the Oilers got the ball first and received a 23-yard run from junior back Monterae Williams on the first play. The Oilers would then lose three yards on two runs and throw an incompletion before Housholder connected on a 22-yard field goal attempt.
The Wildcats would answer the Oilers three points during their possession and force a second overtime.
In the second extra session, Northern Michigan's Carter Kopach threw a 9-yard touchdown pass meaning the Oilers needed to score a touchdown to continue. The Oilers would not however as Belton was picked off by Jacob Lehmann, ending the game.
As a team, the Oilers registered 484 yards of total offense on a school record 107 plays. They gained 197 yards on the ground and 287 in the air.
Belton finished the game by completing 26-of-52 passes for 287 yards, but tossed four interceptions in the loss. His 52 passes broke the single game of 49 set by Anthony Lanzara against Saginaw Valley State University in 2008.
Williams carried 25 times for 143 yards and a score while Kovach hauled in six receptions for 108 yards.
Kopach led the Wildcats with 93 yards on the ground and 158 through the air.
Defensively, junior defensive lineman Richard Sumlin had 12 tackles, which included 0.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for a loss.
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler registered ten tackles while senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard had six tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and four passes defensed.
The Oilers will be back in action again next Saturday when they host Tiffin University at 12 pm.