GAMEDAY: Football team goes on the road to play Hope

The Olivet College football team hosts looks to bounce back from a heartbreaking 50-49 loss last Saturday when it goes on the road to play Hope College. Kick-off at Ray & Sue Smith Stadium in Holland is 5 p.m.

GAMEDAY: Football team goes on the road to play Hope
October 19, 2018

OLIVET, Mich. -- The Olivet College football team hosts looks to bounce back from a heartbreaking 50-49 loss last Saturday when it goes on the road to play Hope College. Kick-off at Ray & Sue Smith Stadium in Holland is 5 p.m. Fans can follow the game via live stats and video. Links are below as well as above.

The Comets enter the game with a 4-2 overall record, with a 2-1 record against MIAA opponents. In conference play, the Comets have beaten Finlandia University, 72-7; and Adrian College, 50-22, and the 50-49 loss to Trine (Ind.) University. For the season, the Comets are averaging 478.7 yards of offense -- 266.8 rushing and 211.8 passing. Sophomore Matthew Ellis is the top running back with 713 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior Jamaul Martin also has seven touchdowns to go along with 551 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Lane Porter has completed 90-of-130 passes for 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also has four rushing touchdowns. Senior Jacob Jodway has 22 catches for a team-high 504 yards. Senior Nick Thomas has hauled in 20 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns. Senior tight end Chris Talbott also has three touchdown receptions.

Defensively, senior Chase Cavric has a team-high 42 total tackles, including three quarterback sacks. Senior Mo Young is next with 30 tackles and leads the team with 4.5 tackles for loss. Sophomore John Adams III tops the secondary with four interceptions and six pass break-ups.

On special teams, junior Douglas Pollard has made five field goals and 33-of-34 PAT kicks for 48 points. In addition, he handles kickoff duties, with a 57.7 average on 48 kicks. Freshman Tyrain Connor has done the punting duties and is averaging 39.3 yards on 14 kicks. Adams III has returned 10 kickoffs for 198 yards and three punts for 35 yards. Martin is averaging 17.8 yards on 10 kickoff returns. Sophomore Hayden Barry-Coulier has returned 11 punts for a 10.0 average.

As a team, Olivet is second among all NCAA Division III schools with four blocked punts and third with six total blocked kicks. The Comets have the fifth-best red-zone offense percentage at 97.2. Olivet is the top-ranked NCAA DIII school with fewest turnovers lost (two). Lastly, the Comets are tied for sixth in scoring offense at 47.0 points per game.

Hope enters the game with matching 4-2 overall and 2-1 MIAA records. The Flying Dutchmen's wins in MIAA play were 29-24 at Albion College and 70-6 at home against Finlandia. Their loss was a 35-25 setback at home to Trine. The Hope offense is averaging 397.2 yards per game, with 236.5 yards on the ground. Mason Opple is the top rusher with 366 yards and touchdowns and has thrown for 900 yards and nine touchdowns on 76-of-116 passing. Christian Bos has caught 29 passes for 282 yards. Evan Johnson has made four field goals and 25-of-30 PAT kicks for 37 points. Defensively, Luke Beckhusen has a team-leading 41 tackles. Mason Deeker and Tate Knapp each have 32 stops. Knapp tops the team with 6.5 tackles for loss, including 4.5 quarterback sacks.