WORCESTER, Mass. - The post-Thanksgiving holiday run continues for Findlay in the second round of the NCAA Division II Football Championships this weekend up in Massachusetts against Assumption.
Kickoff time is 1 p.m. ET with the game nationally televised/streamed on ESPN3 via the WatchESPN app. The other super region matchup in Findlay’s bracket will include No. 1 seed Indiana (PA) vs. No. 5 West Chester in a battle of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference schools.
The seventh-seeded Oilers (10-2 overall) stunned just about everyone with the program’s first-ever playoff win against favored No. 2 seed (also nationally ranked No. 2) and previously unbeaten Shepherd from the Mountain East Conference.
Three of the No. 7 seeds took down No. 2’s in their respective opening-round contests, including No. 7 Harding in Super Region Three, No. 7 West Georgia in Super Region Two and Findlay from Super Region One.
Findlay outscored Shepherd 20-0 in the second half, playing their characteristic stifling defense in the secondary and moving the chains on the ground with the run game.
Assumption, from the Northeast 10 Conference, held off California (PA) in a tight 40-31 finish. The Greyhounds enter Saturday’s game with a record of 10-1, their lone less in the regular-season finale against Bentley.
Sixteen schools remain in the four different super regions with the final four teams advancing to the finals in Kansas City still remain to be seeded.
A breakdown of the tale of tape between the Oilers and Greyhounds reveals what on paper, should be a high-scoring affair as both offenses average well north of 45 points per game.
Less than three yards separate the two programs in overall total defense.
Assumption came into the playoffs ranked No. 15 in the AFCA Poll and feature four major NE10 award winners. Deonte Harris was the NE10 MVP at the wide receiver position while Andrew Benson collected NE10 Defensive Player of the Year. Ray Sarkodieh was the NE10 Defensive Lineman of the Year and Bob Chesney received NE10 Coach of the Year.
Findlay’s bruising duo of Harlon Hill Award nominee Daouda Sylla and Michael Campbell have carved out over 2,300 yards combined and will be looking to make a dent against an Assumption defense that has given up just over 13 points per game on average.
Findlay could opt to air it out against the Greyhounds with quarterback Rhys Gervais directing traffic and targets Jason Moore, Jacob Hill and Andrew Ogletree, at his disposal.
The Oilers were able to game plan and slow down a high-flying Rams’ offense in the first round of the playoffs. Kicker Jacob Allton capitalized on three field goals while Chiebuka Chukwuneke and Great Midwest Defensive Back of the Year Aaron Ivory picked off MEC Player of the Year Connor Jessop.
The winner is ticketed to the Super Region One final against either Indiana (PA) or West Chester.