Tiffin University (6-3, 5-2 G-MAC) hits the road for the final stretch of its season, traveling to Northwood (7-2, 5-2) in a big conference showdown.

Tiffin has played virtually even with Northwood over its history, posting an 8-8 record. The scoring margin is also nearly identical, with Northwood holding a 393-386 point lead. Recently, however, it has been all Tiffin as the Dragons are 8-1 over the last 9 matchups. TU has won eight in a row including a 31-23 win last year. They have averaged 33 ppg in that stretch.

LAST TIME OUT

Tiffin University had a strong third quarter against Kentucky Wesleyan, scoring 14 points to eventually win 24-12 on Senior Day. The Dragons registered a total of 7 sacks in the game along with two interceptions. Ronald Blackman led the offense with 138 rushing yards on just 10 carries while Tyrese Banks-Dorn also had 46 yards rushing.

NORTHWOOD NOTES

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ethan Hamby leads the offense and has completed 145 of 227 passes for 1,735 yards with 19 touchdowns. Hamby averages 192.8 yards per game passing, the second most in the G-MAC.  

Devin Brown has 126 carries for 614 yards with three touchdowns. Hamby has rushed 91 times for 172 yards and also has three rushing touchdowns. Trent Hill has 48 carries for 198 yards with two touchdowns.  

Case Boos is the top receiver and has 40 catches for 573 yards with four touchdowns. Lake Boos has 19 catches for 181 yards and six touchdowns. Mitch Rivard has 19 catches for 326 yards with four touchdowns. Sam Dersa has 15 catches for 213 yards and one touchdown. Jake Townsend has caught 11 for 111 yards with one touchdown.  

Carter Minix has returned 12 kickoffs for 331 yards and has one touchdown. Minix has also returned 16 punts for 284 yards and has a punt return touchdown as well.  

Defensively, Cole Simpson leads the team in solo tackles (39), total tackles (65), and has 1.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one pass break up, and five interceptions, which is the most on the team and top number in the G-MAC. Lorenzo Alfred has 50 tackles, 2 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one interception. 

Aviere Thomas has 43 tackles, two pass break ups, and one forced fumble. Michael Woods Jr. And Isaiah McGarry both have four pass break ups to lead the team. Joe Lathers has 41 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Jalin Pitchford leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and has 31 tackles.  

Placekicker Drew Cady is a perfect 34 for 34 on extra points and has converted 11 of 16 field goal attempts. Cady has also punted 21 times for 797 yards and has pinned 13 inside the 20.  

Northwood has the second highest scoring offense in the conference and has the second-best defense. The Timberwolves average 30.8 points per game offensively and only allow 14.8 points per game defensively, but did allow Findlay to score 31 last week, the most points NU has allowed in a game to date.  

TIFFIN NOTES

Quarterback Alex Johnson is leading the G-MAC in passing yards per game, averaging 269 and his 23 passing touchdowns are also the most in the conference. Overall, Johnson is 191 for 282 with 2,421 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. The 2,421 passing yards are also the 10th most in all of NCAA Division II.  

Running back Ronald Blackman is the reigning G-MAC Football Offensive Athlete of the Week and leads the team and G-MAC in rushing, averaging 86.1 yards per game. Blackman has 117 carries for 689 yards with four touchdowns. Tyrese Banks-Dorn has 55 carries for 283 yards with four touchdowns. Nick Johnson has 23 carries for 120 yards. Daniel Weems has 28 carries for 71 yards and Isaac Bunts has 18 carries for 54 yards.  

Ethan Holbrook leads the team in catches (34), receiving yards (488), and receiving touchdowns (10). Emari White has 28 catches for 450 yards with three touchdowns, and Blackman has 28 catches for 310 yards with two touchdowns. Other pass catchers include Will Linkhart (25-255-1), Banks-Dorn (17-148), Jaedyn McKinstry (13-221-2), Joey Zalewski (22-242-3), Javier Wills (6-144-1), and Josiah Raber (7-104).   

Defensively, Jacob Tueimeh leads the team in solo tackles (41) and total tackles (72) and has forced three fumbles. Malik Baker has 42 tackles, two interceptions, eight pass break ups, and one forced fumble. Isaiah Funches-Foster has 44 tackles and two interceptions. Khris Walton has 42 tackles and leads the team in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (9). Ethan Evers has two interceptions, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one pass break up, and 41 tackles. Aidan Fischer has 29 tackles. Danny Mason has 25 tackles and three pass break ups. 

Dennis Crawford leads the team with 9 pass break ups and has 24 tackles. Uzonna Nzekwe has 3 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. Kevin Hornbeak has 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Radical Rothermel and Jokell Brown both have 3.5 tackles for loss. Nzekwe, Walton, and Gio Albanese each have three QB hurries.  

Placekicker Ben Rudolph is 35 for 36 on PATs and 9 of 13 on field goals. Punter Joseph Weiers averages 42.3 yards per punt. He's punted 36 times for 1,521 yards and has pinned 16 inside the 20-yard with eight punts of over 50 yards.   

The Dragons have the highest scoring offense in the conference, averaging 31.9 points per game. The defense is fifth in the conference, allowing 18 points per game.