The No. 18/23 University of Redlands football team heads to Eagle Rock on Saturday to take on the Tigers of Occidental College for the last game of the regular season with kickoff slated for 1:05 p.m.
Following a 45-10 victory over Whittier College last Saturday, Redlands football now holds a 5-1 record in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action and an 8-1 overall mark. Following the Senior Night victory, the Bulldogs rose once again on the D3football.com rankings and the American Football Coaches Association top-25 polls to No. 18 and No. 23, respectively. Redlands ranks third in the NCAA Division III West Regional Rankings.
The Maroon and Gray defense held the Poets scoreless in three quarters last week. In addition, Redlands limited Whittier to just 151 yards of total offense, including a mere, 12 yards on the ground. Overall, the Bulldogs rank eighth in the country in rushing defense. Senior defensive lineman Elias Hackney (Santa Monica, CA), junior linebacker Noah Widgins (San Jacinto, CA), and junior defensive lineman Brandon Serrano (Chino, CA) tallied eight, seven, and five tackles, respectively. Hackney also added two sacks for a combined 12-yard loss, as Widgins recorded three sacks for a huge 20-yard loss. The team now owns 30 sacks on the season, the most since 2009.
Redlands' defense ranks first nationally with a plus-21 turnover margin. The team has 29 turnovers gained in only eight games with 18 coming off of interceptions and 21 from fumbles recovered. Senior defensive back Vincent Vanhorne (Henderson, NV) added to the numbers by snagging a pick in the last game.
Furthermore, a ton of credit is due to the offensive line, which allows quarterbacks, junior Nathan Martinez (Redlands, CA) and senior Eric Kump (Huntington Beach, CA), plenty of time to throw or create space for the run.
"The offensive line is a physical bunch and they play really hard," commented Head Coach Mike Maynard.
The final, regular-season test sits at Occidental on Saturday, as the Bulldogs' hopes for Maynard's first nine-win season are within reach.
However, the Tigers pose a threat on offense, ranking second in the SCIAC by averaging 274 passing yards per game. Vanhorne and senior defensive back Jeff Hector (Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA) hope to counter that with stellar coverage in the secondary. Hector sits tied-for-second in the country with seven interceptions and takes the top spot with three interceptions returned for a touchdown.
The Bulldogs remain focused on what is in front of them to close out the conference campaign on a strong finish. Redlands works to put together another complete game while utilizing its depth through the final whistle.
This week's captains include Hackney, Serrano, senior wide receiver David Molina (Laguna Hills, CA), junior offensive lineman Anthony Vargas (Grand Terrace, CA), and senior linebacker Emari McClellan (Pasadena, CA).