Scots Head to Michigan to Play Olivet (Football Game Notes)

Kickoff Saturday set for 1 p.m.

Louie Lindsay, Wooster Football
Louie Lindsay, Wooster Football
September 9, 2024
The College of Wooster football team (1-0, 0-0 North Coast Athletic Conference) heads up to Michigan for Saturday's 1 p.m. contest at The University of Olivet (0-1, 0-0 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association). Wooster is coming off a 56-13 win over Wilmington College, a game in which the Fighting Scots scored the second-most points in a season opener. Olivet lost 28-21 to the University of Rochester.
 
On The Air: Olivet will carry a livestream of this week's game at https://miaasportsnetwork.com/tuocomets/. 1045 The River (formerly WQKT) is not carrying this week's contest.
 
All-Time Series: Saturday marks the second all-time meeting between Wooster and Olivet. Wooster won last year's inaugural meeting 24-22 on September 9, 2023. Saturday will mark Wooster's first game in Michigan since the 2002 opener. Wooster defeated Hope College 14-9 in that game. Wooster has won six of its last seven games against MIAA schools, with three wins over Kalamazoo College, two wins over Hope, and last year's win over Olivet.
 
Last Meeting: Then-sophomore Tate Journell (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) broke up a game-tying two-point conversion try inside the final minute before then-sophomore Brock Sivon (Perry, Ohio/Perry) covered up an onside kick attempt to clinch the Fighting Scots' 24-22 victory over Olivet. Wooster did already have possession in hand prior to Sivon covering up the onside kick due to an illegal touching by Olivet three yards shy of the 10-yard onside kick requirement. Wooster stayed mistake free in the turnover department and forced four Olivet turnovers.
 
Offense Notes: Wooster averaged 8.2 yards per offensive play in the season opener, and that led to the team having just nine third-down conversion tries all game. Wooster leads the NCAC, converting third downs at a 55.6 percent clip. Junior quarterback Chanden Lee (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) has Wooster ranked in the top-30 nationally in completion percentage at 72.0 (18-of-25). Wooster currently ranks 17th nationally in rushing offense with 264 yards per game. Wooster was one of 49 teams to not allow a sack on opening weekend. Wooster had two offensive touchdowns of 59 yards or more on opening weekend. Wooster scored on each trip to the red zone and is currently tied for first nationally in red zone offense.
 
Defense Notes: Wooster recorded 11 tackles for loss in Saturday's win, which tied for the 11th-most tackles for loss in a Div. III game on opening weekend. Twelve different Scots contributed towards the 11 tackles for loss. Wooster is fourth nationally with four turnovers gained and seventh nationally with three interceptions. Wooster's takeaways were logged by four different players. Junior Louie Lindsay (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area Senior), Journell, and sophomore Wyatt Wilkie (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) recorded Wooster's three interceptions, while sophomore Jace Austin (Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney) fell on a bad snap on a Wilmington punt try in the end zone for a touchdown.
 
Special Teams Notes: Senior Carter Warstler (New Albany, Ohio/Columbus Academy) opened Wooster's season with a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown. It marked Warstler's third career return touchdown and second that came on a kickoff. Warstler's kickoff return touchdown was one of six in Div. III on opening weekend. Warstler is fifth nationally with 235 all-purpose yards and his 47.7 average on kickoff returns is the fourth-best in Div. III.
 
This and That: Senior offensive lineman Jacob Johnston (Adrian, Mich./Adrian) is the lone player on this year's roster from Michigan. Wooster's 56 points on opening weekend were the 10th-most in a Div. III game. Wooster's 56 points trails just the 58 the program scored on Denison University in 1890 for the most points in a season lid-lifter. Wooster is in search of its fourth 2-0 start over the last five years of competition.