Findlay Wraps Up Season at No. 24 Tiffin in DII National Showcase
The Game
With the playoffs essentially out of the picture, Findlay travels 40 minutes on route 224 for the third season in a row to take on the no. 24 Tiffin University Dragons on Saturday, Nov. 10 at Frost-Kalnow Stadium in what will be the Oilers' final game of the 2018 campaign.
The Series
There isn't a more lopsided series in the Oilers' record books as Findlay holds a gaudy 25-1 record against the Dragons all-time including wins in their previous 18 meetings dating back to 1993. The teams first met in 1986 in Tiffin, a game the Oilers won 35-3. Offense has been king in this series as the winner of the matchup has scored at least 30 points in 17 of the 26 meetings and has scored 40 or more points 11 times.
Video Stream
Video streaming for the contest will be produced by Niles Media Group and will stream live on the Great Midwest Digital Network and the NCAA Division II Facebook and Twitter pages as part of the NCAA Division II National Showcase.
Click any of the options below to find the contest live:
Coach Keys Weekly
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Fans are also encouraged to send questions in for coach Keys through Twitter. Please send questions throughout the week on Twitter Tim Montgomery @Oilersonair.
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Head Coach Rob Keys
Head coach Rob Keys is in his eighth season at the helm of the Oilers football program in 2018. He has recorded a 55-33 record with the program as a head coach, which includes a 45-29 mark in conference games. He has coached Findlay to winning records in seven of his eight seasons including last season when he lead the Oilers to their first-ever NCAA Division II Playoffs.
For Findlay's 2018 coaching staff, please click on the following link:
Findlay Oilers (7-3, 5-2 G-MAC)
Coming into the final game of the season, the Oilers have one thing on their mind; earn win number eight. Pride is on the line this week when Findlay heads to their nearest geographic conference competitor and despite Tiffin's national ranking and a 9-1 record, the Oilers will do anything but back down.
In an era where many teams have adopted four-wide, pass-first offenses, this season the Oilers have been the most run-heavy team in the league. Wielding three tailbacks that could start for any team in the region, Findlay has put together seven games this season with more than 200 team rushing yards and are coming off a season-high 467 rushing yards against Malone last week.
Redshirt sophomore Brian Benson has burst onto the scene in the previous three weeks and has taken over the top spot in the conference in terms of rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. He is averaging 107 yards per game and has scored 16 touchdowns and last week became the first Oilers' running back in 33 years to record back-to-back 200-yard games. Junior Richard Wilson and Senior Chauncey Bridges are both tied for tenth in the league with 52.5 rushing yards per game.
With that success on the ground, senior Adam Bertke has settled nicely into his role as the starting quarterback. In the previous two games, Bertke has completed 70% of his passes for 210 yards per game and has not thrown an interception. He has his experienced offensive line to thank for that success as, not only have they paved the way for the most explosive rushing attack in the league, but they have allowed just seven sacks this season, the least in the league.
2018 Season Statistics
2018 Roster
No. 24 Tiffin Dragons (9-1, 6-1 G-MAC)
Just three years ago, the Dragons were finishing up their eighth consecutive losing season, but the previous two years have been winners for Tiffin including a 2016 season where the team finished 8-3 and second in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
In 2018, Tiffin's strengths are the same as they have been in the past. All-American wideout Charles Holland is having another big-time season, currently at 866 yards and nine touchdowns this season. In his career, Holland has 3,201 receiving yards on 231 receptions and has 37 touchdowns, second all-time at Tiffin to a two-time Super Bowl champion, Nate Washington. Holland has seen lots of success against the Oilers in his career. In three games against the Oilers, Holland has 381 receiving yards on 30 catches including a massive 17-catch, 222-yard performance against Findlay in 2016.
Running the offense is a redshirt sophomore Nick Watson who is among the league leaders in nearly every passing category. He has completed 216-of-329 passes for 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions. His efficiency rating of 155.0 ranks third in the G-MAC. Last year against Findlay, Watson completed 22-of-37 passes for 194 yards. He threw one pick and was sacked three times and failed to complete a touchdown pass.
Running back Kyle Brunson is one of the best backs in the league and has rushed for 890 yards and ten touchdowns this season. He has five games with 100 or more yards out of the backfield this year including a career-high 143 yards on Sep. 29 against Wayne State.
Links
NCAA Division II Stats
NCAA
NCAA Division II Football
American Football Coaches Association
D2Football.com
Great Midwest