INDIANAPOLIS – An already-memorable season for the nationally-ranked Hillsdale football program continued to add to its growing 2018 legacy with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship secured in Week 10.
The Chargers (9-1, 8-0 G-MAC), ranked 25th, handed undefeated and No. 15 Tiffin its first loss of the season. Hillsdale ran the tables in the conference schedule with an unbeaten record and beat both Tiffin and Ohio Dominican with each team ranked in the AFCA Top 25 at the time.
This time, Hillsdale left no doubt with a dominant second half to etch its place in the conference record books. The Chargers turned a two-point halftime deficit into a lopsided outcome with the final score reading 48-26.
Great Midwest Commissioner Tom Daeger was present at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium to present the trophy to head coach Keith Otterbein, his staff and the players.
It was the most points Tiffin has given up in a game this season and put a dent into the Dragons’ playoff hopes despite going into Week 11 with just the one loss.
A quarterback duel certainly looked like it would unfold as Chance Stewart and Nick Watson were able to showcase their talents in the passing game. Stewart and WR Trey Brock locked up for 156 yards and four touchdowns on 10 completions.
The offensive line protected Stewart so the senior could methodically go to work against a vaunted Tiffin secondary and he capped the scoring with a 1-yard plunge.
Watson, a two-time offensive player of the week pick, accounted for over 400 yards of total offense and he had three touchdown strikes.
With a few turns of events, Hillsdale could very easily be at 10-0 if it wasn’t for a one-point loss against Michigan Tech in overtime.
Three teams in three seasons have ascended to the top of the Great Midwest football standings as a championship teams with Alderson Broaddus being the first, Ohio Dominican doing so in 2017 and Hillsdale climbing up the ladder this fall.
The league’s three-year window of history has produced some exciting championship chases already.
The Chargers are sitting well currently in fifth in the Super Region 1 rankings. HC climbed five spots in the new AFCA Poll up to No. 20 and are primed for a regular-season finale showdown at No. 12 UIndy on Saturday.
It’s still a precarious and unsettled position to be in with teams from the Mountain East, Northeast-10 and Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference, all vying for postseason glory.