Defense Leads Oilers to Second Straight Shutout of Walsh
Canton, OH – The University of Findlay football team went on the road for the final time this season on Saturday, Oct. 30. The Oilers took care of business in Canton, Ohio, defeating the Walsh Cavaliers by a score of 49-0, the first shutout since beating Walsh 35-0 in the 2021 spring season. In their last two meetings in the series, the Oilers are outscoring the Cavaliers 84-0. With the victory, Findlay improves to 6-3 with a 4-1 mark in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play while Walsh loses their eighth-straight game, falling to 1-8 on the year with an 0-5 record in the G-MAC. It is the fourth time that Findlay has held an opponent scoreless under Head Coach Rob Keys.
Findlay kicked off to start the game and right away, asserted their dominance against a Cavaliers offense that is last in the conference in touchdowns scored. The Oilers forced a three-and-out and quickly took possession of the football.
11 plays later, senior running back Brian Benson found the end zone to put Findlay on top 7-0.
A Walsh fumble was recovered by the Oilers which then led to a one-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter by quarterback Matt Winzeler.
With 14 seconds to go before the half, Winzeler capped a nine-play, 46-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Marlin Richardson, Richardson's first touchdown of the season. The extra point made the score 21-0 going into halftime.
Findlay score on their opening possession of the second half and then scored again on the first play of the fourth quarter to take a 35-0 advantage.
The Cavaliers got a break on the following series. Forced to punt after three plays, Walsh benefitted from a muffed return by Tanner Schroeder and took possession of the ball on the Oilers' 11-yardline, putting the shutout in jeopardy.
Findlay's defense stood tall. After three plays, the Cavs had first and goal from the Oilers' one. Quarterback Jeremy Hodge fumbled the ball and Findlay's Marqis Stokes scooped it up and ran 99 yards the other way for the score, stunning the Walsh sideline. That play was the longest scoring play since Nathan Morris recorded a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 2014 and is the longest scoring play by a Findlay defender since Nate Weihrauch had a 100-yard interception return for a score in 1995.
Another score gave Findlay 21 points in the quarter and 49 for the game as the Orange and Black went on to their largest margin of victory in a shutout since beating Tuskegee 61-0 in 2017.
The Oilers put up 411 yards of total offense while allowing just 114 yards to the Cavs, the fewest yards allowed in a game this season by Findlay's defense and the worst offensive output of the season for Walsh whose previous season-low was 218 total yards in the season-opening win against West Liberty.
Of Findlay's 411 yards, 200 came through the air and 211 were on the ground. With just 56 yards rushing and 58 yards passing, today marked the first time the Oilers defense has held an opponent to under 60 yards both passing and rushing since 1995 in a win against Urbana.
Leading the Oilers defense, which spent much of the game on the sideline thanks to nine drives that ended with a three-and-out or better, was Jeremiah Jackson who had five tackles including a tackle-for-loss, half a sack and two pass breakups. Grey Brancifort also had five tackles and 1.5 TFL in the game while Stokes had four tackles, 1.5 TFL, and a 99-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. Johnny Harris and Shean Rheams each tallied interceptions in the victory. In total, Findlay's defense had 11 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, forced four turnovers, and scored a touchdown.
On offense, Matt Winzeler was 20-for-30 through the air for 193 yards and three scores. He also had a rushing touchdown to his credit. Winzeler's top target was Marlin Richardson who had six receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns, his first two scores of the season. Tanner Schroeder led the team with 60 yards, doing so on four catches. He also scored a touchdown, his second of the year.
Derek Lynch led the Oilers on the ground, picking up 71 yards on 15 carries. Briand Benson had ten carries for 60 yards and a touchdown while Dominic Bennett had six carries, 38 yards, and a touchdown, the first of his young career.
The Oilers return home for a game on Saturday, Nov. 11 where they will take on Ashland University. That contest will kick off at noon in Donnell Stadium.