Schedule
Hillsdale College (2-2, 1-1 G-MAC) at Tiffin (2-2, 1-1 G-MAC) | 4 p.m. ET Saturday, Oct. 4 | Frost-Kalnow Stadium | Tiffin, OH
 
Follow/Watch
Live Stats | Webcast | Tickets
 
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Tiffin Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Tiffin Stats | G-MAC Schedule | G-MAC Standings
 
Last Game
The Chargers dominated Kentucky Wesleyan from start to finish in a 44-0 homecoming romp, pitching Hillsdale's first shutout since 2019 and winning by the largest margin of victory since 2017. Quarterback Colin McKernan completed over 70% of his passes and threw touchdowns to three different receivers, while tailback Ben Ngishu rushed for over 100 yards for the second straight week and added two touchdowns on the ground as well. Neal Likens had a sack and a forced fumble to lead the Hillsdale defense.
 
Scouting the Opposition
Hillsdale hits the road for a G-MAC title eliminator game against arguably the most talented team in the conference on paper, Tiffin, this Saturday.

The Dragons brought nearly every meaningful contributor back from the G-MAC's best all-around offense in 2024, including 2024 G-MAC MVP and star running back Ronald Blackman, and G-MAC Offensive Player of the Year and veteran quarterback Alex Johnson. Both players are not having quite as good a season through four games in 2025 as their epic performances in 2024, but both are still among the league leaders at their positions and among the most dangerous offensive players in the conference.

Blackman also leads the Dragons in receiving yards and is part of a deep and varied passing attack, with seven different players catching at least one touchdown so far. Ethan Holbrook leads with three touchdowns, but Will Linkhart and Emari White have also been major threats, as has returning All-G-MAC tight end Joey Zalewski.

The Dragons' offensive skill players benefit from a veteran offensive line that returns four starters, including 2024 All-G-MAC honorees Mustafa Feika and Gauge Samson. Several of Tiffin's backups on the line have spot starting appearances under their belts, giving the Dragons enviable depth up front.

Tiffin's defense is skilled, as well, built around a nasty defensive line that returns everyone of consequence and is headlined by reigning G-MAC Defensive Lineman of the Year Khris Walton. Kris Artis is another top rush end and four players form one of the G-MAC's best tackle rotations on the interior of the line.

Tiffin also has an elite secondary led by returning first-team All-G-MAC player Jacob Tueimeh. The Dragons have been relatively stingy despite a contest against the No. 1 team in the nation, Ferris State, dragging down their statistical profile, and will be a tough test for the Chargers.

The Dragons return starting kicker Ben Rudolph, who is an impressive 4 of 5 on field goals, though with all four makes from inside the 40, and starting punter Joseph Weiers, who is leading the G-MAC with an impressive 47.5 yards per punt. On returns, Holbrook is one of the most dangerous return men in the conference, with a punt return touchdown already.

The Dragons profile as an elite G-MAC team, but have struggled with focus, and already have an upset conference loss to Ohio Dominican on their resume in 2025, putting them behind the eight-ball in the G-MAC race with all the other contenders still on their schedule. With both teams already carrying an early conference loss, getting this one on Saturday is crucial to having any hope of a G-MAC title at the end of the year.
 
The Series:
The Hillsdale-Tiffin series is one of the best and most competitive active series for either team, with Hillsdale holding a narrow 10-8 edge in 18 contests since 2004 thanks in part to a 20-17 win over the Dragons last fall that ended Tiffin's playoff hopes. Prior to that contest, Tiffin had won four of the last five, including a 35-21 victory in 2023.
 
Other Notes:

• There will be a new streaming home for Hillsdale College athletics in the 2025 season as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference has agreed to a media rights deal with FloSports. All Hillsdale home and conference contests will stream with FloSports as a part of its FloCollege brand. FloSports is a subscription-based livestreaming service that hosts 40,000 contests and has deals with over 20 conferences in the NCAA. You can find out more information and sign up to watch the Chargers at this link.
• This past summer, there was a major realignment of Super Regions at the NCAA DII level. The Great Midwest Athletic Conference, which has been in Super Region 1 since 2017 along with the MEC, NE-10 and PSAC, will now be a part of Super Region 3, with the GLIAC, GLVC and NSIC. While it's a new alignment, it's a return to familiar potential playoff opponents for the Chargers, who used to be a part of Super Region 3 as a member of the GLIAC prior to 2017, and faced off against GLIAC and NSIC foes in playoff trips in 2010 and 2011.
• Hilllsdale head coach Nate Shreffler is entering his second season as the man in charge, and the veteran coach is no stranger to the sport and to Hillsdale. Shreffler is entering his 27^th season as a coach for the Chargers, including successful stints as the team's offensive line coach (1999-2009) and offensive coordinator (2010-2023). Hillsdale's all-time leading passer, rusher and receiver all played in offenses led by Shreffler, and he was the position coach of Hillsdale's most recent NFL draft pick, Jared Veldheer. A 1993 graduate of Hillsdale College, Shreffler was a three-year starter on the offensive line and an important part of the team's 1992 conference title. The Chargers finished with a 6-5 record in Shreffler's first season in charge, making him the first Hillsdale coach to finish above .500 in his debut season since Hillsdale Hall of Famer Dick Lowry in 1980.
• Saturday's impressive homecoming victory over Kentucky Wesleyan was Hillsdale's first shutout in six years, since a 30-0 victory over Walsh on Sept. 28, 2019, and the Chargers' largest margin of victory against an opponent since a 54-0 victory over Lake Erie on Nov. 11, 2017. The win over the Panthers included two turnovers forced in Hillsdale territory by the Charger defense, and two goal line stands that included stops on fourth down to preserve the shutout. Hillsdale is conceding just 19.3 points per game and will be leaning heavily on its defense to perform over a tough three-game stretch coming up.
• The Chargers return one of the most dynamic players in the country in junior Shea Ruddy, who became the first Hillsdale College player in the NCAA DII era to be named both an All-American and an Academic All-American in the same season. An electric player in the return game, Ruddy set a new G-MAC record by averaging 33.3 yards per return, while ranking second in the nation in kickoff return yardage (732) and fifth in All-Purpose Yards (1,779). Ruddy, who was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 preseason watch list, also led the Chargers in receiving yards and touchdowns, and will be at the top of every opponent's scouting report in 2025.
• True freshman tailback Ben Ngishu seized the starting tailback job for the Chargers with an impressive performance last week against Ashland and followed it up with another impressive performance against Kentucky Wesleyan. A native of Wylie, Texas, just outside of Houston, Ngishu now has back-to-back performances of over 100 yards, and currently ranks third in the G-MAC in rushing yards, second in yards per carry and is tied for the G-MAC lead in rushing touchdowns. Ngishu is on pace to have the best performance by a Chargers freshman tailback since GLIAC Freshman of the Year Joe Reverman in 2015.
• Junior linebacker Jacob Vance is another Charger who made the DIIFootball.com Elite 100 preseason watch list and has been a difference-maker for Hillsdale as the team's leading tackler in each of the last two seasons. Vance was named to the All-Super Region 1 and All-G-MAC teams last season and has a chance to become the first player in program history to be named the team's linebacker of the year in four straight seasons. So far this season, he is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss once again with three.
• Hillsdale's secondary has been active in its first four contests and has been putting up big numbers. STAR Colin Morrow leads the team in tackles with 23 and is second in tackles for loss with 2.5 despite missing last week's game, while corners Ryan Niksa and Gavin Chenevey are both in the top seven in the G-MAC in passes defensed with a total of 11. As teams look to avoid a tough front seven, continued success for Hillsdale's cornerbacks and safeties will be key for the Chargers to accomplish their goals this season.
• Along with Ngishu, Hillsdale's gotten breakout seasons so far from a variety of sophomore receivers. Tight end Andrew Konieczny is building on an All-G-MAC honor as a redshirt freshman in 2024 by leading the team in receiving yards and catches so far, while sophomores Ryan Skura and Tutt Carrico close behind with 148 yards and 125 yards, respectively. The trio have combined to catch six touchdown passes, helping fuel a career year to date from another important sophomore, quarterback Colin McKernan, who's now in his second season as the starter.
• Hillsdale has another major award nominee in senior wide receiver Connor Pratt, who is a contender for a spot on the Allstate Good Works team. Pratt, who started and was one of the team's most productive targets as a junior, has been active in a wide variety of community service projects, including Hillsdale's Victory Day, Guys With Ties, and Be The Match Bone Marrow Registry drive fundraisers, as well as several solo volunteer efforts.
• Hillsdale has selected three captains for the 2025 campaign – Vance, Hunter Sperling and Carter Cushman, a three-year starter at right tackle for Hillsdale. All three captains are veteran players with significant contributions on the field and as leaders of the program.
• The Charger football program continued to shine academically this past season, with six players earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, including returners Sperling and Ruddy. In addition to making the All-District team, Ruddy went a step further, becoming just the ninth football player in Hillsdale College history to be named a CSC Academic All-American as a special teams player. In addition, 40 Hillsdale football players received Academic All-G-MAC honors for posting a 3.3 or better cumulative GPA through the spring 2024 semester.