TIFFIN, Ohio – The Tiffin University football team returns to the gridiron following its bye week as the Dragons open Great Midwest Athletic Conference play against Thomas More University on Saturday afternoon at Frost-Kalnow Stadium. The contest also serves as Tiffin's 2026 home opener and Homecoming game, with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m.
The weekend will feature several special events as part of Homecoming festivities, including the recognition of the 2026 Tiffin University Athletic Hall of Fame class prior to kickoff.
The Dragons enter conference play with a 1-1 overall record after opening the season with a narrow 41-38 setback at receiving-votes Carson-Newman before rebounding with a convincing 35-7 road victory over Northern Michigan. Tiffin's defense was dominant in the win over the Wildcats, limiting Northern Michigan to just 176 total yards while forcing three turnovers and holding the hosts scoreless through the opening three quarters.
Thomas More also enters Saturday's matchup with a 1-1 record. The Saints opened the season with a victory over Kentucky State before dropping a road contest to nationally-ranked Indianapolis heading into conference play.
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DEFENSE MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT: Through two games, the Dragons have showcased a balanced and aggressive defensive unit that has consistently created pressure and limited opposing offenses.
Lennox Williams leads Tiffin with 14 tackles, while
Isaiah Funches-Foster and
Popeye Williams have each recorded 11 stops.
Frank Bertram rounds out the team's double-digit tacklers with 10 tackles on the season.
The front seven has been disruptive behind the line of scrimmage. Bertram and
Anthony Shields share the team lead with 2.5 tackles for loss, while
Popeye Williams and
Jaiden Acker have each added two tackles for loss. Tiffin has also generated a consistent pass rush, as
Nick Crawford, Acker, and
Radical Rothermel are tied for the team lead with 1.5 sacks apiece.
The Dragons have made a habit of creating takeaways and game-changing plays early in the season.
Jeremiah Moore owns the team's lone interception, while
Dennis Crawford and Williams have each forced a fumble. In the secondary,
Kyle Johnson leads the squad with two pass breakups as Tiffin continues to limit explosive plays through the air.
Additional contributors to the defensive effort include
Jordan Anderson,
Niko Bohler, and Johnson with nine tackles each, while Rothermel and
Jacob Tueimeh have recorded seven stops apiece.
Gio Albanese has added six tackles, highlighting the depth that has helped fuel a defensive unit allowing just 14.5 points per game through the opening two contests.
BALANCED OFFENSIVE ATTACK: The Dragons enter Saturday's matchup with one of the conference's most productive rushing attacks, led by fifth-year running back
Ronald Blackman. Blackman has totaled a G-MAC-best 248 rushing yards through two games and has found the end zone three times while averaging over 124 yards per contest.
Behind Blackman, Tiffin has received contributions from several ball carriers.
Johntu Reed has rushed 15 times for 70 yards and a touchdown, while
Daniel Weems has added 66 yards and a score on the ground. Quarterback
Cane Mack has also provided a spark with his legs, rushing for 31 yards and two touchdowns.
At quarterback,
Kyle Antoine has efficiently directed the offense, completing 67 percent of his passes for 417 yards and two touchdowns through the opening two games. His ability to complement the rushing attack has helped the Dragons average over 400 yards of total offense per game.
Antoine has spread the ball to a deep group of playmakers in the passing game.
Sayeed Garnett leads the team with 89 receiving yards on six catches, while
Joey Zalewski has hauled in seven receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Trey West has added four catches for 64 yards and a score, while
Jaedyn McKinstry (54 yards),
Jordan Edwards (46 yards), and Blackman (six receptions, 26 yards) have all contributed to a balanced aerial attack that has made Tiffin difficult to defend.
SCOUTING THOMAS MORE: Thomas More University enters Saturday's conference opener searching for its first win of the season after opening the year with losses to Wheeling University and University of Dayton. The Saints dropped a 27-10 decision at Wheeling in their season opener before falling 30-7 on the road against Dayton last weekend.
Freshman quarterback Ben Chesser has paced the Thomas More offense through the opening two contests. Chesser threw for 196 yards against Wheeling and added 140 passing yards and a rushing touchdown versus Dayton. He has also been a factor with his mobility, recording rushing yards in both contests.
The Saints feature a pair of productive targets in the passing game with Numehnne Gwilly and Javion Bostic. Gwilly hauled in three receptions for 74 yards in the opener and added five catches for 40 yards against Dayton while also contributing in the return game. Bostic recorded six receptions for 57 yards against Wheeling and added three catches for 30 yards last week.
On the ground, Kayleb Wagner scored the Saints' first touchdown of the season in the opener, while Martavious Smith provided a spark against Dayton with 40 rushing yards on just three carries, including a long run of 37 yards.
Defensively, the Saints have been led by a group that has consistently found its way to the football. Tofa Luani tallied 12 total tackles against Dayton, while Avery Bodner added eight stops. Tahj Meadows was disruptive in the backfield with three tackles for loss and a sack against the Flyers, while Chase Terrell recorded an interception in the end zone to halt a Dayton scoring threat. Terrell and Kevarris Cohen each came away with interceptions in last week's contest.
