Yeomen can make history

I have to apologize first and foremost...it's been a while since we've posted a blog up here. We're in the midsts of a busy stretch of the football season and of course, we all have a vested interest in what's happening at Jacobs Field.

I'm not going to talk much about the Tribe on this post. I'll let Terry Pluto set the stage for Game 5 here.

Last weekend was one of the best sports weekends as a fan that I've had in a while. The Browns won to go to the bye week at 3-3. The Indians split in Boston after a memorable extra inning win in Game 2. Ohio State has climbed back to the number one ranking in college football. And Oberlin College remained undefeated in NCAC play after their come from behind win over Earlham.

What a long, strange trip it has been for the Yeomen. They were left for dead after three rough non-conference losses to Case, Heidelberg, and Washington and Jefferson (whose records are a combined 14-4, by the way). Now, they are very much alive and have a chance to shock the Division III college football world this weekend in Crawfordsville against the Little Giants from Wabash.

Understand what you face when you take on the Little Giants: A team that has won two straight NCAC titles and three of the last five. They have a potent offense and bring probably the best defensive football player in the nation to bear in senior linebacker Adrian Pynenberg. They possess a swagger that comes from knowing that they're still on top of the conference mountain until someone knocks them off. Wabash also happens to play in the most hostile environment in the league at Hollett Little Giant Stadium, where the fans are almost on top of you and frankly....they don't care for the opposition too much.

That being said, there's something out there that makes me think the Yeomen are ready for this challenge. Maybe it's a hunch, maybe it's just wishful thinking. But I like what I see from Jeff Ramsey's squad heading into Saturday. The offensive line has played extremely well over the past four games coinciding with R. V. Carroll's return to form as the conference's best rusher. The move of Chase Palmer to strong safety has resulted in the Utah native playing his three best games as a Yeoman.

These guys are hitting people. Hard.

To beat Wabash is a lot different from beating Earlham, Denison, or Hiram however. Oberlin must protect the football. They can't allow anything close to the nine sacks they gave up a year ago when the two teams met at Savage Stadium. And they must avoid special teams breakdowns which always seem to haunt them in matchups like these.

It's a very, very tall order. But as this college football season has taught us, anything is possible.

ALSO: Just a quick note of condolences to our good friend Brent Harris, the Sports Information Director at Wabash. Brent had a death in the family and will not be at the game on Saturday. They don't come any nicer, or more talented than Brent and we'll miss seeing him at Hollett.