Oct. 1, 2022. It’s been two years since the Otterbein Cardinals have won an official football game.
In that time there has been three different head coaches, and after an 0-10 campaign under coach Tommy Zagorski, the team is now lead by interim head coach Jake Schaefer.
The quest for a win goes on, and frankly the remainder of the schedule doesn’t show too much give for the team on the surface.
It would probably feel odd to predict Otterbein to win not one, but two of their seven remaining games. I am going to try and put together a case for students and fans alike to believe that a drought spanning over two years is soon to come to an end for Otterbein football.
Looking at the remaining schedule, there are two games that jump out as “winnable” for the Cardinals.
On Oct. 12, Otterbein takes on Wilmington at Williams Stadium, the home of the Quakers. Now, an OAC road game is never a gimmie, however Wilmington has struggled immensely so far this season. The Quakers have yet to give up less than 42 points in a game so far after four games, and haven’t scored more than 13 points, which they’ve done twice.
The common thread that ties Otterbein and Wilmington together is that both teams have played Muskingum. Otterbein dropped their game against the Muskies 24-7 on the road. Wilmington on the other hand was dealt a 42-13 beatdown at home.
The Cardinals have struggled greatly on offense, but now having tied down quarterback Cayden Lassiter as the starting quarterback, Otterbein’s offensive woes will have hopefully subsided by the time they match up against Wilmington on Oct. 19.
The second game that stands out as winnable is the battle for the oar with Capital. It is no secret over the past few years that Capital has been one of the worst programs in the OAC, and the rivalry between them and the Cardinals has been competitive in recent years.
The Comets season has been just as troubling as Wilmington’s, remaining winless through their first three games. Giving up over 50 points to Baldwin Wallace and Marietta points to major defensive issues, where Otterbein could take advantage of in their matchup.
Rivalry matches have a tendency to be competitive regardless of the records of teams coming into the game. With this in mind, and with the benefit of the home field advantage, Otterbein will certainly have a shot at taking down Capital come Oct. 26.
It’s easy to look at the first few games of the Cardinals' season and not be too hopeful about the prospects of getting a win, but with good execution and maybe a bit of luck, the Cardinals will be able to ring the victory bell soon.
