Once again, Ohio State Club Football is set to play for the NCFA National Championship.
The Buckeyes will travel to Waynesburg, PA on Dec. 3 to take on the No. 2 ranked Gordon State Highlanders, arguably the toughest test for Ohio State since joining the NCFA in 2012.
The Highlanders enter the game an impressive 8-1, with their lone loss coming to Georgia Military College, one of the best JUCO programs in the nation. Ohio State enters 9-0, having won its last 16 games dating back to last season.
Both teams enter the national championship game coming off of their biggest wins of the season. The Buckeyes smashed George Mason in their semifinal game, 63-6, while the Highlanders dominated Sacred Heart, 55-7. Gordon State has lost just one NCFA game in their brief history, a 21-14 loss to Columbus State on Oct. 9, 2021. The Highlanders joined the NCFA in 2020 and have won the last two South Atlantic Conference titles.
The matchup between the two schools marks Ohio State’s second matchup against the South Atlantic champions in the NCFA Playoffs. The Buckeyes narrowly defeated Columbus State, 17-14, in the 2019 semifinals, scoring the final 17 points of the game to complete the comeback win.
Ohio State boasts the NCFA’s best offense, while the Highlanders are led by the nation’s top defense. The Buckeyes are averaging 53.1 points per game, while Gordon State is holding opponents to 10.3 points per game. The Highlander defense has not allowed more than 20 points in a game all season, while the Buckeye offense has been held under 50 just once, a 40-21 win over Denison University’s JV squad in a game that was played with 10 minute quarters.
For one last game, the Buckeyes are led by quarterback Kellyn Gerenstein, who has accumulated 36 total touchdowns to just one interception this season despite missing 3.5 games in 2022. Gerenstein has accounted for six or more touchdowns in all but one game this season, when he was knocked out the season opener against Toledo after scoring four touchdowns in the first half. He scored eight touchdowns (four passing, four rushing) in the first half alone in the semifinal win against George Mason.
Gerenstein’s top targets, Abdou Keita and Casey Scroggins, rank third and fourth respectively in receiving yards in the NCFA while Scroggins leads the league in touchdown receptions with 14. Keita is tied for second in that category, with nine of his 29 catches this season going for scores.
While Ohio State has dominated through the air this season, the Buckeye offensive line has also impressed, paving the way for arguably the best run offense in the country. Running back Jalen Haley, who led the NCFA in rushing last season, ranks third in the league this year having carried 86 times for 551 yards and six scores. Gerenstein meanwhile, leads the league in rushing with 781 yards on 52 carries and 12 scores.
On the other side of the ball, the Highlanders have posted a whopping 29 sacks this season and an astounding 16 interceptions. Jamarco Hughes and Antoine Johnson Jr. have each collected four picks this season while Isaiah Johnson leads Gordon State with an even 40 tackles this season.
Offensively, the Highlanders are led by quarterback Neal Howard. Howard has thrown for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns this season while also rushing for over 250 yards and an additional three scores. Four different Highlanders have accounted for rushing touchdowns this season and five different players have caught touchdown passes.
Gordon State is coming off of their highest scoring output of the season (55) while the Buckeye defense is coming off their best performance of the year (6). On the season, the Highlanders are averaging 30.3 points per game while the Buckeyes are surrendering 15.3 points per game defensively.
Kickoff between Ohio State and Gordon State is set for 1 p.m. at Waynesburg University’s Wiley Stadium. Cost of attendance is $15 for Adults, $7 for Students, and $5 for children 12 and under. Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted. No presale is available. For those unable to attend, the game will be live-streamed by VSN Sports for $10.
For more information and details surrounding the 2022 NCFA National Championship Game, visit the NCFA’s information hub here.
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