GAMEDAY: Football team hosts Alma on Senior Day

The Olivet College football team hosts Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Alma College on Senior Day at the Cutler Athletic Complex. Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m.

GAMEDAY: Football team hosts Alma on Senior Day
November 2, 2018

OLIVET, Mich. -- The Olivet College football team hosts Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Alma College on Senior Day at the Cutler Athletic Complex. Kick-off is slated for 1 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 5-3 overall record, with a 3-2 record against MIAA rivals. In conference play, the Comets have beaten Finlandia University, 72-7; Adrian College, 50-22, and Kalamazoo College, 21-17; and lost 50-49 to Trine (Ind.) University and 35-30 to Hope College. For the season, the Comets are averaging 445.0 yards of offense -- 255.0 on the ground and 190.0 through the air. Sophomore Matthew Ellis leads the ground game with 859 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior Jamaul Martin has scored nine touchdowns to go along with 845 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Lane Porter has completed 119-of-171 for 1,449 yards and 15 touchdowns, with zero interceptioons. He also has four rushing touchdowns. Senior Jacob Jodway has hauled in 28 passes for a team-high 545 yards. Senior Nick Thomas has a team-high 34 receptions for 330 yards and five touchdowns. Senior tight end Chris Talbott also has three touchdown catches.

Defensively, senior Chase Cavric has a team-leading 43 total tackles, including three quarterback sacks. Senior Mo Young is next with 36 tackles and tops the team with 7.5 tackles for loss. Juniors Tyler Mojet and Coleton Swims each have 35 tackles. Sophomore John Adams III leads the secondary with four interceptions and eight additional pass break-ups.

On special teams, junior Douglas Pollard has made six field goals and 39-of-41 PAT kicks for 57 points. In addition, he handles kickoff duties, and is averaging 57.2 yards on 56 kicks. Freshman Tyrain Connor is the starting punter and is averaging 37.8 yards on 24 kicks. Adams III and Martin each have returned 13 kickoffs and averaging 19.5 and 16.8 yards, respectively. Sophomore Hayden Barry-Coulier has returned 12 punts for a 9.2 average.

As a team, Olivet ranks first among all NCAA schools in fewest turnovers lost (two). The Comets are also one of only four NCAA schools with zero pass interceptions. In addition, Olivet's average time of possession ranks fourth among NCAA DIII schools. The Comets lead the MIAA in blocked kicks (six), blocked punts (four), fewest fumbles lost (two), passes had intercepted (zero), red zone offense (95.3) and average time of possession (35:00). Olivet ranks second in completion percentage (69.1), net punting average (35.71 ypp) and first downs (192). Individually, Porter is first in passing efficiency (169.7) and completion percentage (69.6). Jodway ranks second in receiving yards and third in yards per catch (19.46).

Alma enters the game with a 1-7 overall record and is winless against MIAA opponents. The Scots' lone win was a 39-33 victory over Manchester (Ind.) University on Sept. 8. Offensively, Alma is averaging 326.6 yards per game, while the defense is giving up 315.0 yards per game. Junior quarterback Mason Ippel tops the ground game with 96 rushes for 396 yards. Steven Sowa is next with 61 carries for 283 yards and five touchdowns. Ippel has thrown for 874 yards on 72-of-142 passing, with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Chase Hinkle is the leading receiver with 32 catches for 439 yards and four touchdowns. Joseph Schaefer also has four touchdown receptions. Jacob Plisko has made six field goals and 20 PAT kicks for a team-leading 38 points. Alex Szajko tops the defense with 69 tackles, and Zeke Ramirez is next with 59. Gunner Lamb is third with 58 tackles.