Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 26, Otterbein 7

Freshman running back Nathan Severs (Galena/Big Walnut) went over from 8 yards out to cap Ohio Wesleyan's opening drive of the season, and the Bishops went on to build a 23-0 lead on the way to a win over Otterbein in the season opener for both teams on Saturday at Selby Stadium.

The Bishops opened the game at their own 35-yard line and quickly moved the chains as Severs picked up 9 and 4 yards on the first 2 plays of the season.  Later, Severs caught passes from fifth-year quarterback Kaden Buza (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) to convert a second-and-17 situation, and fortune smiled upon Ohio Wesleyan when a Buza interception was wiped out by an Otterbein offside penalty, with the Bishops scoring 2 plays later on Severs' 8- yard run.

In the second quarter, sophomore punter Ethan Shipps (Dublin/Scioto) launched a punt out of bounds on the Cardinal 1-yard line, and on the first play from scrimmage, sophomore nose guard Ya'Va Harris (Cincinnati/Purcell Marian) stuffed Otterbein running back John Lard in the end zone for a safety that increased the margin to 9-0.

Later in the period, Buza found sophomore wide receiver C.T. Taylor (Canal Winchester/Pickerington Central) for 13 yards, junior wide receiver Bryan Hines Jr. (Lima/Senior) for 15 more, and junior wide receiver Josh Hurst (Port Clinton) for an additional 14 yards and a first down at the Cardinal 30.  On the next play from scrimmage, a Buza interception was wiped out on an Otterbein pass interference penalty, and the Bishops took advantage as Buza ran for 9 yards before connecting with Hurst for the final 8 yards and a score.

Late in the third quarter, senior strong safety Sammy Stoner (Dublin/Jerome) picked off a Hayden Lehmann pass at midfield, setting up a drive in which junior running back Devon Haley (Granville) gained 29 yards on 3 carries before scoring from 2 yards out.  Shipps' conversion kick made it 23-0 with 2:19 left in the period.

The Cardinals got on the scoreboard with the help of a 40-yard connection from Lehmann to Cass Cole on a fourth-and-3 call from the OWU 49.  Three plays later, Matt Griffin scored from 9 yards out to bring Otterbein within 23-7 with 8:14 left in regulation time.

Ohio Wesleyan answered with a 10-play, 53-yard march that chewed more than 4 minutes off the clock and culminated in a 26-yard field goal by Shipps for the 26-7 final.

Buza completed 20 of 40 throws for 173 yards and a score.  Hurst caught a team-high 8 passes for 78 yards, while Severs had 6 catches for 43 yards.  Severs led Bishop rushers with 69 yards on 18 carries.  Senior linebacker Bryar Ramey (Polk/Mapleton) led the Bishops with 11 stops.

Box Score