The Hillsdale College football team led for much of the contest and looked poised to knock off #16 Findlay in a home showdown, but a 99-yard fourth quarter drive and a touchdown with 12 seconds to play gave the Oilers a 22-19 win in a heartbreaking result for the Chargers.

In a contest defined by two of the top defenses in the G-MAC, it was special teams play and a furious second quarter that defined much of the game. After both teams went three and out on their opening drives, Hillsdale got on the board first, with Dylan DeDario hitting a 23-yard field goal to give the Chargers the lead with 5:49 to play in the first quarter after an 11-play, 69 yard drive.

The second quarter was an explosion by both squads, who scored 30 of the game's 41 points in the period. Findlay got on the board with a touchdown pass to start the quarter, but made the mistake of kicking the ball to Shea Ruddy on the ensuing kickoff, who returned it 85 yards for his second return touchdown of the season and G-MAC-record seventh of his career to put the Chargers up 10-7. 

After another stop by the Chargers, Hillsdale pieced together another field goal drive, with DeDario hitting from 25 yards to extend the Chargers' lead to 13-7. Now, however, it was Findlay's turn to throw a haymaker on special teams, with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to pull ahead 14-13. On the next kickoff, the Oilers forced a fumble and recovered at the Hillsdale 35, with a short field and a chance to put the Chargers in jeopardy heading into halftime.

The Oilers drove to Hillsdale's one yard line, but the Chargers defense stood tall, repelling the Oilers on four straight plays from inside the two to force a turnover on downs. That gave the Chargers' offense big momentum and Hillsdale sliced down the field, traveling 99 yards in just four minutes. Hillsdale quarterback Eli Boyce found Shea Ruddy on a deep 47 yard completion to set up an eight-yard touchdown pass to tailback Ben Ngishu as the Chargers retook the lead, 19-14, with just 17 seconds to play in the half.

The second half was a defensive slugfest. The Chargers defense stood tall, rejecting four Findlay drives in a row to protect the Chargers' lead, but Hillsdale's offense struggled to put a drive together to run down the clock and give the Chargers some breathing room against a tough Findlay defense. With 8:26 to play in the fourth, punter Ian Woodyard was able to pin Findlay at their own one yard line, but the Oilers responded with a 99 yard drive of their own, taking 8:14 off the clock, to pull ahead for good with 12 seconds to play.

Eli Boyce was 14 of 19 for 179 yards and the touchdown to Ngishu, and added 47 yards on the ground as well. Shea Ruddy surpassed 100 yards receiving for the third straight game with seven catches for 106 yards to add to his kick return touchdown, and Tutt Carrico chipped in six catches for 66 yards as well.

Hillsdale's defense put forth a a great effort, albeit one that came up just short. Luke Penola had a career-high 17 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a sack, Jonah Jensen added 16 tackles and a pass breakup, and Colin Morrow chipped in 10 tackles as well. Drake Badger added 1.5 sacks, Evan Bienick got a sack and Chris VanOpstall added a half-sack as the Chargers got to Findlay's quarterback four times in the game. 

Hillsdale (5-2, 3-2 G-MAC) will have to regroup quickly with another tough game against a G-MAC title-contender at home next weekend as Tiffin comes to town. The Dragons will play the Chargers at 2 p.m.