GAMEDAY: Football team hosts MIAA co-leader Kalamazoo
The Olivet College football team looks to snap a two-game losing streak when it welcomes Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association co-leader Kalamazoo College Hornets to the Cutler Athletic Complex for a 1 p.m. contest.
OLIVET, Mich. -- The Olivet College football team looks to snap a two-game losing streak when it welcomes Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) co-leader Kalamazoo College Hornets to the Cutler Athletic Complex for a 1 p.m. contest. Fans can follow the game via live stats and video. Links are below as well as above.
The Comets enter the game with a 4-3 overall record, with a 2-2 record against MIAA opponents. In conference play, the Comets have beaten Finlandia University, 72-7; and Adrian College, 50-22, and lost 50-49 loss to Trine (Ind.) University and 35-30 to Hope College. For the season, the Comets are averaging 463.0 yards of offense -- 257.7 on the ground and 205.3 through the air. Sophomore Matthew Ellis leads the rushing attack with 805 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior Jamaul Martin has scored seven touchdowns to go along with 649 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Lane Porter has thrown for 1,366 yards and 14 touchdowns on 107-of-157 passing. He also has four rushing touchdowns. Senior Jacob Jodway leads the receiving corps with 513 yards on 24 receptions. Senior Nick Thomas has caught a team-leading 30 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns. Senior tight end Chris Talbott also has three touchdown catches.
Defensively, senior Chase Cavric has a team-leading 42 total tackles, including three quarterback sacks. Senior Mo Young is next with 35 tackles and tops the team with 7.5 tackles for loss. Junior Tyler Mojet has 33 tackles. Sophomore John Adams III leads the secondary with four interceptions and six pass break-ups.
On special teams, junior Douglas Pollard has made six field goals and 36-of-38 PAT kicks for 54 points. In addition, he handles kickoff duties, and is averaging 57.4 yards on 52 kicks. Freshman Tyrain Connor is the starting punter and is averaging 38.2 yards on 21 kicks. Adams III has returned 11 kickoffs for 216 yards and three punts for 35 yards. Martin is averaging 16.0 yards on 11 kickoff returns. Sophomore Hayden Barry-Coulier has returned 12 punts for a 9.2 average.
As a team, Olivet is first among all NCAA Division III schools and tied for first among all NCAA divisions in fewest turnovers lost. The Comets and Princeton have both only lost two fumbles. In addition, Olivet and Luther (Iowa) College are the only two NCAA DIII schools with a zero interceptions thrown. The Comets are tied for second in red zone offense, with 39 scores in 40 trips in the red zone.
Kalamazoo enters the game with a perfect 7-0 record for the first time since 1962. The Hornets are averaging 358.4 yards of offense, and allowing 278.4 yards per game. Zach VanFaussien has completed 121-of-204 passes for 1,279 yards and 14 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. Seven receivers have more than 100 yards, led by Dylan Padget's 279 yards on 28 receptions. Ethan Kubik has 22 catches for 245 yards. Sam Matthews has caught a team-high four touchdowns. Jared Pittman tops the ground game with 98 rushes for 487 yards. VanFaussien has 407 rushing yards. Jakob Frederick leads the defense with 61 tackles (31 solo and 30 assisted), including 6.5 for negative 25 yards. Taylor Jackson is next with 45 tackles.
- Live stats -- olivetcomets.com/sports/fball/2018-19/boxscores/20181027_wfu0.xml
- Live video -- https://www.youtube.com/OlivetCollegeAthletics
- Live audio --www.wocrfm.com
- Digital program -- olivetcomets.com/sports/fball/2018-19/files/FB_vs_Kalamazoo.pdf