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HOBART, Ind. – Ohio Dominican University will get the opportunity to make one last memorable stand for the 2019 season -- as a team, as a senior class -- in a new special postseason contest introduced at the America’s Crossroads Bowl on Saturday.
The Panthers will take on the 23rd-ranked Truman State Bulldogs in a showdown between top-tier programs from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference clashing against the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
There is more than just bragging rights on the line. Each team is going to bring their ultimate best at Brickyard Stadium to try to bring home the inaugural prized hardware for one of the few Division II football postseason games offered.
At the conclusion of the contest, an MVP trophy for both offensive and defensive sides of the ball will be awarded and a traveling trophy will be provided to the winning commissioner from either respective league.
There are also a number of pre-game activities lined up for both teams, including community service engagement and special recognition for veterans as part of December 7 and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
Ohio Dominican will represent the Great Midwest on Saturday for a 1:07 p.m. CT kickoff and the Panthers sport a 7-2 overall record for the 2019 campaign. After winning the 2017 conference title outright, the Panthers finished second or better in the final conference standings for the third consecutive year.
Ohio Dominican comes into Saturday’s matchup on a five-game win streak.
ODU head coach Kelly Cummings had 20 players on the Great Midwest All-Conference Team headlined by junior punter Logen Neidhardt, named the league’s special teams player of the year for the second time in three seasons.
A swarming defense had six different standouts on the all-conference first team, including tackling machines Camren Moore (9.6 tackles per game led the league) and Dauson Dales, talented linemen Jaylin Garner and Aarin Smoot-Baker and ballhawks Alessio Amato (8 takeaways with 6 INT’s) and Jayden Davis.
Truman State is currently 9-2 overall and ended up 5-2 in the GLVC schedule. The Bulldogs have won four of their last five entering play, with the lone loss coming to nationally-ranked Indianapolis.
Truman has relied heavily on the ground game, both offensively and defensively this fall. The Bulldogs have one of the top 25 rushing attacks in DII, averaging 216.5 yards per game. The team is just outside the top 25 in rushing defense nationally.
Leading the way is senior Jordan Salima, who ranks 36th nationally in rushing yards per game, 93.5 (1,028 total), and 15th in DII with 14 rushing TD’s. Senior QB Jaden Barr has also rushed for over 500 yards and six scores. Barr has completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,884 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Defensively, junior Reed McBroom leads the team with 79 tackles. McBroom also has 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Senior Sam Reeves leads all NCAA divisions with 40 career sacks, including 8.5 this season. Reeves has registered 43 total tackles, including 12 for a loss.
Tickets are available for $12 for adults, $7 for students and seniors, and $5 for veterans, active military members, and first responders. Children under four are free. Tickets can be purchased in groups of 15 or more for a discounted rate. Regular ticket purchases can be made at americascrossroadsbowl.com or on the Facebook page for America's Crossroads Bowl. Group tickets are available by calling Heather Becerra at 319-554-2224.