Game Notes vs. University of Chicago

RIPON, Wis. - The University of Chicago travels to Ripon this weekend for the 14th all-time meeting between the two teams, but the first since 1987, which was four years before current Ripon Head Coach Ron Ernst was hired to lead the program. Ripon (2-5, 1-2 MWC), which leads the all-time series 7-6, needs a win in order to move into a third-place tie with Chicago (4-3, 2-1 MWC) in the MWC North Division standings, with one conference game remaining after this week.

"It's kind of exciting to play a team we haven't played recently," Ernst said. "We have film on them, but we've never seen their players up close, so we don't have a real strong sense of what their tendencies are in certain situations."

One tendency Chicago does have, like Ripon, is to run the ball. The Maroons rank fifth in the MWC in rushing (180.3 ypg), while boasting one of the league's top running backs in Chandler Carroll. Carroll ranks second in the MWC in both rushing yards (690) and rushing touchdowns (12). He is also tied for second in the conference with four 100-yard performances, including a high of 142 yards in one game, and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

"They have an excellent running game and Carroll is a hard runner, so we're going to have to get a lot of helmets on him to get him on the ground," Ernst said. "If a running back is getting the amount of yards that he's getting this season, that means the guys up front are doing a pretty good job blocking for him."

To counter that running game, Ripon will employ a defense that ranks second in the MWC in stopping the run, allowing 98.4 rushing yards per game. That would rank fifth in program history, and is less than seven yards per game shy of the school record of 91.8, which was set in Ripon's 1966 MWC Championship season.

The Red Hawks also ranks fourth in total defense (311.1 ypg) and is tied for fifth in sacks (15). Sophomore Lane Barnes leads the team with four sacks, which ranks sixth in the MWC, but it is a pair of Senior defensive ends that are on the verge of history. With 16.5 career sacks, including three this season, Brandon Bartel ranks third in program history, just 0.5 sacks shy of the program record, which is held by Charles Foreman (1995-98) and Matt Snyder (1992). Vince Stensrud has a pair of sacks this season, giving him 11 for his career, which is tied for ninth in program history.

"Defensively, we have played pretty well as a whole, but we need to get back on track after our performance last week, and I'm confident that we'll do that," said Ernst.

During last week's 47-31 loss at Macalester, it was Ripon's Special Teams which excelled. In addition to a 43-yard field goal by Kyle Jobke, the Red Hawks saw Cameron Mignone return a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. That helped Mignone earn MWC Special Teams Performer of the Week honors, as he averaged 36.8 yards on four returns.

"We work very hard on special teams, so it was gratifying to see it pay off," Ernst said. "There's still room for improvement, but we'll continue to grow as a team."

Offensively, like Chicago, the Red Hawks will continue to pound the rock. Ripon enters the weekend ranking second in the MWC in rushing offense with 235.9 yards per game. They are led by freshman quarterback Julian Patton, who ranks fifth in the conference with 86.6 rushing yards per game, to go along with nine touchdowns on the ground, which is third in the MWC.

"We need to take care of what we do well on offense and eliminate mistakes and turnovers, which will kill drives every single time," Ernst said. "If we don't make mistakes, we have the ability to move the ball well and do some good things."

Saturday's game will begin at 1 p.m. at Ingalls Field in Ripon. It will mark the final home game for the 11 players that will be recognized prior to the game on Ripon's annual Senior Day. Those players include Brandon Barnes, Hunter Gruenwald, Cody Chase, Tyler Robida, Vince Stensrud, Parker Groves, Richard Theus, Brandon Bartel, Justin Cox, Harry Hillman, and Brock Schneider.

"It's always good to get a victory in the final home game, so it's important to the Seniors that they play well and have success in front of their home fans one last time," said Ernst.