October 15, 2008

Week 7 Game Notes

RIPON, Wis. - When the Red Hawks travel to Monmouth College on Saturday, it will be the closest thing to a championship game, without actually being in one. Ripon and Monmouth are the lone unbeatens in the Midwest Conference after the Fighting Scots knocked St. Norbert from the undefeated ranks with a 31-22 win over the Green Knights last week. Sitting at 5-0 in the MWC, the team that wins Saturday's contest, will control their own destiny for the remainder of the season.

The Red Hawk defense is coming off their most dominating performance of the season, which saw them record a shutout for the first time in 69 games, spanning seven years, in a 30-0 Homecoming victory over Beloit College. That marks the second game this season that they have not allowed a touchdown. The Red Hawks took the ball away from the Buccaneer offense four times in that contest, giving them 15 takeaways in their last three games. Ripon is currently ranked first in the MWC, allowing opponents to score just 10 points per game. They are also third in total defense, allowing an average of 250.7 yards per game, with 139.7 of those yards coming through the air, which ranks second in the conference.

That defense will receive its toughest test to date on Saturday, when they'll face a Monmouth offense that is tops in the MWC with an average of 430.3 yards of total offense. They also rank second in the conference, scoring 43.8 points per game, while passing for an average of 282.8 yards.

"They're a good offense and they'll present a good challenge for us, but I think our players are focused and ready to go and we're going to show up and play well," said head football coach Ron Ernst.

The biggest reason for Monmouth's success this season has been the play of sophomore quarterback Alex Tanney, who leads the MWC with 25 touchdown passes and is on pace to set the single season conference record. Tanney also leads the MWC with a quarterback rating of 167.9, and has completed a league-best 69.6 percent of his passes. His 1,653 passing yards is second among quarterbacks in the MWC.

"The numbers obviously speak for themselves. He's a very good quarterback that can throw the ball really well and has very good receivers and an offensive line that does a good job protecting him," Ernst said. "Our job will be to make him uncomfortable in the pocket and keep him from getting into a rhythm."

The Ripon offense has taken a while to get in a groove during some games this season, but when they do get in that groove, they have been tough to stop. They are first in the MWC in rushing offense, piling up 243.5 yards on the ground. That has been partly due to the fact that a different player seems to make big plays each week. Against Beloit, that player was senior fullback Jon Larsen, who ran for 117 yards, which was the second most rushing yards of his career, and the third time he has gone over the century mark.

"We've had some seniors that have really stepped up and played well and have taken an outstanding role on our team in what we're trying to accomplish," Ernst said. "Our players have shown a lot of character and heart and have played well all year."

Monmouth will try to stop Ripon's power running game with a defense that ranks first in the MWC in total defense, giving up an average of 213 yards, including a league-best 125.3 passing yards per game. The Fighting Scots are also allowing just 10.7 points per game, which ranks second, behind only the Red Hawks. They have had three games this year, in which they have not allowed a touchdown, including a 69-0 shutout at Grinnell. The Fighting Scots also lead the league in sacks, with 16 on the year.

"They bring a lot of size and speed into the game and they're very aggressive on the defensive side of the ball," Ernst said. "They're a good team and they do some things very well, but I think it's important for us to understand that if we go down there and play our game, then we'll be fine."

Saturday's atmosphere at April Zorn Memorial Stadium in Monmouth could be buzzing like no other game this season. The Red Hawks have won seven consecutive MWC games and have done well on the road as of late, winning their last eight conference road games. The Fighting Scots on the other hand, have been successful at home recently, winning six of their last seven conference home games. They will also be trying to avenge last season's 27-20 loss at Ripon, which was decided in the final minute.

"I think it will be an electric atmosphere on Saturday and there should be a big crowd, especially if the weather cooperates. Both teams have a lot at stake, so it will just be a great Division-III football game," said Ernst.

The Red Hawk players know what's at stake, and have been dreaming of this moment since last season ended. With a win, Ripon will control their own destiny for the remainder of the year, with three games left to play, at home against St. Norbert and Grinnell, before finishing the regular season at Lawrence.

"Our players are about as determined as I've ever seen a team and they're not intimidated by anybody," Ernst said. "They know what's at stake on Saturday and I believe our team will go down to Monmouth and play their guts out."