Coming off of a 52-0 win over Michigan State in the Great Lakes Conference title game, Ohio State enters the NCFA Playoffs ranked No. 2 in the country and set for a matchup against No. 3 Sacred Heart.
It will be the first ever matchup between the two programs despite both teams having continued success in the NCFA.
Sacred Heart’s club football program joined the NCFA in 2015 and has been a staple in the league ever since. The Pioneers are 47-6 since their inception, including two undefeated seasons and a NCFA National Championship win in 2017 over Fort Lauderdale. This season, the Pioneers are undefeated at 5-0.
The Pioneers earned their spot in the 2023 NCFA Playoffs by defeating George Mason, 14-13, in the North Atlantic Conference title game. Sacred Heart has won four straight games against the Patriots, including the last two which were decided by a combined three points.
Sacred Heart is led by first-year head coach Michael Statuti, who took over for longtime head coach Greg Jones prior to the 2023 season. The Pioneers have outscored opponents 119-47 this season, with 39 of those points coming in two games against George Mason.
On the opposite sideline, the Buckeyes enter the game at 7-1 and boast the second-best offense in the NCFA. Ohio State has outscored opponents 318-46 this season, averaging 45.4 points per contest, putting them behind only No. 1 Central Georgia Tech, which averages 46.5 points per game.
Ohio State is led offensively by quarterback Spencer Moore, who leads the NCFA in passing touchdowns (26) and passing yards (1,769). His top two targets on the season – Abdou Keita and Zach Hayes – are first and second respectively in the NCFA in receiving yards with 512 and 509. They are also tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions with eight apiece.
On the ground, Jack Laing leads Ohio State in rushing yards with 433 on 59 carries. He is coming off of his best game as a Buckeye after carrying 13 times for 140 yards and a score against Michigan State. Fellow sophomore running back JR Burton has also exploded onto the scene this season, carrying 41 times for 306 yards and six touchdowns in just five appearances.
Defensively, the Buckeyes are tops in the country, surrendering just 6.6 points per game. Ohio State has outscored NCFA opponents this season 235-9, including three shutouts. Ohio State outscored NCAA JV opponents 83-37 in three contests, going 2-1 against Ohio Northern, Denison and Wittenberg.
Freshman linebacker Tyler Beckman leads Ohio State in total tackles this season with 55, including 2.5 sacks. Not far behind is junior safety Patrick Parrish with 44 tackles and junior linebacker Christian Allen with 41. The Buckeyes are coming off of arguably their best defensive game of the season, one in which they collected four interceptions against the Spartans. Freshman safety Glorien Gough leads the team with three interceptions after snagging a pair in the win over Michigan State. He has also added 25 tackles on the year. Up front, 11 different Buckeyes have posted at least one sack this season, with senior defensive lineman James Smith leading the way with four.
The semifinal matchup between the Pioneers and Buckeyes is set to kick off at approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18 following the conclusion of the first semifinal game between No. 1 Central Georgia Tech and No. 4 Michigan State. Both semifinal games are set to be held at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio. Tickets are $10 at the gate and cover admission to both semifinal games. For those unable to attend, both games are set to be streamed live on Campus Nation.
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