Today's Contest
Today is the ninth game of the 2024 season, the eighth Ohio Athletic Conference and final home game for the Baldwin Wallace University football team as it hosts an Ohio Athletic Conference game against Ohio Northern University. The Yellow Jackets defeated Muskingum University by a final score of 54-17 last Saturday at home.  Ohio Northern fell to John Carroll University by a final score of 49-13 in Ada last Saturday.

The Series
BW and Ohio Northern are meeting for the 49th time on the gridiron. The Yellow Jackets hold a 33-14-1 advantage in the all-time series  BW has won 10 of the last 15 meetings. The Polar Bears won the first meeting in 1923 by a final score of 20-13.

BW Head Coach Jim Hilvert
Hilvert is in his eighth  season at BW and has a record of 47-23 and Ohio Athletic Conference slate of 41-21. He is 114-49 in his 16th overall season. Hilvert is 7-0 all-time against Muskingum.

Ohio Northern Head Coach Andy Fries
Fries is in his first season at Ohio Northern and has a record of 4-4 and an OAC mark of 3-4.

Last Game vs. ONU - September  23, 2023
BW scored 31 points on 254 yards rushing and 132 yards passing for 386 total yards.  Ohio Northern scored 21 points on 203 yards passing and 163 yards rushing for 366 total yards.

Scouting the Yellow Jackets
In week seven of the season, BW scored 54 points on 292 yards passing and 219 yards rushing for 511 total yards.  Muskingum scored 17 points on 201 yards passing and 58 yards rushing for 259 total yards.

BW Leaders
Offensively, sophomore quarterback Charlie Bubonics (Solon) has completed 179-of-244 passes for an OAC third best 1,789 yards. Bubonics is tied for the OAC lead with 22 touchdowns and also is second in the league with a .734 completion percentage.  Sophomore running back George Linberger (Barberton/St. Vincent-St. Mary) leads the ground game with 362 yards on 87 carries with one touchdown.  Junior wideout Tim Conwell (Avon) has caught an OAC fourth best 40  passes for 441 yards with an OAC third best tying seven touchdowns. Defensively, senior defensive back Alden Steele (Lorain/Amherst) leads the team and with a career-high 44 tackles.

Scouting the Polar Bears
In week of the eight of the season, Ohio Northern scored 13 points on 168 yards passing and 143 yards rushing for 311 total yards.  John Carroll scored 49 points on 316 yards passing and 231 yards rushing for 547 total yards.

Ohio Northern Leaders
Offensively, junior quarterback Sam Feldman has completed 71-of-138 passes for 936 yards with 10 touchdowns. Sophomore running back Jordan Pettaway has rushed for 789 yards on 88 carries with seven touchdowns.  Sophomore wide receiver Keegan Wilson has caught 24 passes for 249 yards with one touchdown. Defensively, senior All-OAC defensive back Dalton Tjong leads the team and is third in the OAC with 68 tackles.
Defensive Star
Senior defensive back Alden Steele had a career day last Saturday against Muskingum. He recorded a career-high and team leading 11 tackles while also forcing a career-best three fumbles.  For his efforts, Steele was named the OAC Defensive Player of the Week and to the D3football.com Team of the Week.  It marked the second time in his career to achieve both accolades.

Opendorse Bowl Series
The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, North Coast Athletic Conference, Ohio Athletic Conference, and Presidents' Athletic Conference will face-off in the inaugural Opendorse Bowl Series. The four conferences will each be represented by their highest-ranked team to not make the NCAA Playoffs  in a one-day, two-game series at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at Hall of Fame Village.