Newsfeed
Printer-Friendly ModeCards’ eye playoffs after 24-16 win
Three rushing touchdowns lead SVSU past Findlay in GLIAC showdown
November 2, 2009 —
For the first time in three weeks, the Cardinals offense failed to score at least 38 points.
It didn’t matter though, as they defeated Findlay in a pivotal match-up 24-16.
In a game that featured two of the three teams tied for second place heading into Saturday’s games, the Cardinals accomplished what they have in all of their winning efforts this season: a successful rushing attack.
All three of the Cards’ touchdowns were via the ground, as junior quarterback Charles Dowdell had two touchdowns. Junior running back Xavier Walker had the other.
The game was a defensive struggle throughout, as the Cardinals led 3-0 after the first quarter on sophomore kicker Austin Borchard’s 35-yard field goal.
The second quarter played out much like the first quarter did, although Findlay was finally able to score the game’s first touchdown with 17 seconds left in the quarter on a two-yard pass play, giving the Oilers a 7-3 halftime lead.
Compared to the first half, the third quarter was an offensive explosion.
The Cardinals opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 61-yard drive that Dowdell capped off with a three-yard run.
After a 40-yard field goal by Findlay knotted the score at 10, the Cardinals defense forced the Oilers to turn the ball over on downs deep inside their own territory. It was a mistake the Cardinals offense took advantage of, as Walker rushed in from eight yards out to give the Cardinals a 17-10 lead.
Dowdell led the Cardinals on a ten play, 79-yard drive to begin the fourth quarter that he completed himself with a ten yard touchdown run that gave the Cards’ room to breathe.
They turned out to be points they would need, as Findlay scored a touchdown with 2:19 remaining to bring the score to within eight points, as they were unable to convert the two-point conversion. However, that would end the scoring for both teams.
For the game, the Cardinals had 182 rushing yards and 286 total yards.
The Cardinals defense did equally as good a job shutting the Findlay offense down as the Oiler defense did in shutting the Cardinals offense down. Findlay managed only 294 total yards.
Like he has in many games this season, Walker led the Cardinals in rushing with 16 carries for 84 yards. Dowdell was next in line for SVSU with 17 rushes for 65 yards.
Even though the Cardinals kept the ball on the ground for most of the game, Dowdell had an efficient game threw the air, going 12-18 for 104 yards.
The win was the Cards’ fourth in a row, which is the longest streak during a season in head coach Jim Collins short tenure at SVSU.
With the win, the Cardinals improved their record to 8-2 overall, 7-2 in the GLIAC. Hillsdale and SVSU are now tied for second place with identical records, one game behind Grand Valley.
SVSU welcomes Ferris State to town Saturday for a noon kickoff in the regular season finale.