Schedule
Walsh (4-1, 2-1 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (4-1, 2-1 G-MAC) | 2 p.m. ET Saturday, Oct. 10 | Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium | Hillsdale, Michigan
 
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Walsh Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Walsh Stats | G-MAC Schedule | G-MAC Standings
 
Last Game
Another excellent defensive performance helped the Chargers take a 29-9 victory on the road at Lake Erie on Saturday. The Chargers recorded two safeties in the first half, the first two-safety game in the program's recorded history, and held the Storm to just 227 yards in the win. Two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Eli Boyce and a strong game from Shea Ruddy, who finished with 127 receiving yards and added a rushing score of his own, helped Hillsdale pull away. Drake Badger was named the G-MAC Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Chargers in the win with nine tackles, three for loss and two sacks, while Evan Bienick chipped in eight tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery as well.

 
Scouting the Opposition
Hillsdale kicks off a critical three-week homestand with a huge game against G-MAC contender Walsh on Homecoming this Saturday.

Despite a shocking upset loss on the road at Thomas More last weekend, the Cavaliers are off to one of the best starts in program history, and very much in the title mix halfway through the season at 4-1.

Walsh's offense hasn't put up huge numbers this year, but has been a steady presence throughout the campaign, keeping the Cavaliers in ballgames with consistent play and making plays when needed. The star for Walsh at the skill positions is talented tailback Jake Gill, a returning All-G-MAC player who ranks among the conference leaders in rushing yards and touchdowns.

Quarterback Hayden Wickard is a new starter for Walsh but in his fourth season with the program and has a strong command of the offense, with five passing touchdowns already. He's also an athlete who can pick up first downs with his legs as well, with 208 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.

Ohio State grad transfer Shawn Lodge and returning starter Brady Gooding are the top receiving threats. Walsh makes good use of the tight end in the passing game, with William Butler ranking second on the team in receptions, and Gill is also a pass-catching threat that must be accounted for out of the backfield.

Walsh has two returning starters on the line, headlined by center Riley Defibaugh at a critical positon. Colin Simon also returns for a unit that's been effective both pass and run blocking so far this season.

Walsh's defense has also played an important role in the team's early success. The Cavaliers have put heat on the quarterback this season, with returning All-G-MAC rush linebacker Chris Jones leading the way.

Like many defenses in the G-MAC this season, a strong group of linebackers has been the standout unit for the Cavaliers. Eddie Nichols and Luke Dobbins are 1-2 on the team in tackles and lead Walsh in tackles for loss with 4.5 apiece. Up front, David Hawersaat is a disruptive player on the line, along with Alvonte Ivory, who's been stout against the run.

The secondary is led by cornerback Terrell Grier, who paces the G-MAC in pass breakups with six, and veteran safety Ryan Page, who has six passes defensed as well.

Andrew Caranna was the kicker for Walsh's first three games, but Brock Huggins has done the job the last two weeks. Both players have been solid, combining to go 5 of 7 on field goals so far with both misses getting blocked. Mat Harper averages 32.8 yards per punt, with Wickard also capable of punting. Braeden Springer is one of the G-MAC's top return men and handles those duties along with Ty Miller.

Coaching Walsh is veteran John Fankhauser, in his ninth season leading the team and 28^th with the program. Fankhauser has the Cavaliers on an upward trajectory, with growing win totals in each of the last two seasons and the program's first appearance in the AFCA national rankings this season.

 
The Series
Hillsdale is 9-1 all time against Walsh, but as the Cavaliers have improved recently, the series has become more of a battle. After seven straight Chargers wins to open the series, Walsh took a 36-35 overtime victory over Hillsdale in 2024 during the Chargers' homecoming to get on the board. Hillsdale got revenge in North Canton last year in a 23-20 thriller in the most recent meeting between the two teams.

 
Other Notes

• Hillsdale College athletics will once again stream on FloCollege for the 2026-27 season as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference continues with a media rights deal with FloSports. All 11 Hillsdale College football contests in 2026 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.
• Hillsdale head coach Nate Shreffler is entering his third 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 winning records in Shreffler's first two seasons in charge, and he was the first Hillsdale coach to finish above .500 in his debut season since Hillsdale Hall of Famer Dick Lowry in 1980.
• Senior Shea Ruddy moved into first place among G-MAC receivers after a strong game against Lake Erie, leading the conference with 318 receiving yards through five games. To start the season, Ruddy set a record on a 96-yard kick return for a touchdown against McKendree, breaking the G-MAC record for career return yards set by current Indianapolis Colt Ashton Dulin. An electric player in the return game, Ruddy led all of college football in 2025 with 960 kickoff return yards and three kick return touchdowns while becoming the only NCAA DII player in the nation to finish with a rushing, passing, receiving and kickoff return touchdown in 2025.
• Already a two-time All-American and Academic All-American, Ruddy added two prestigious honors in the last two weeks by being selected to the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, and as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. Just 22 college football players from across the country make the Good Works team, which honors outstanding efforts in community service among student-athletes. Ruddy was recognized for his work with the emergency room and surgery at Hillsdale Hospital, as well as serving as the chair of Hillsdale's Be The Match bone marrow donor registry drive, and several other charitable efforts. Ruddy is the first Hillsdale player to be recognized as a part of the team since Phil Davignon in 2008, and Hillsdale's fourth Campbell Trophy Semifinalist in four seasons.
• Hillsdale's defense had a special day against Lake Erie on Oct. 3, recording two safeties in a single game for the first time in recorded program history. The Chargers D has been an elite unit in 2026, giving up just 10 points per game in five contests so far, and holding one of the G-MAC's top offenses, Northwood, to just seven points in a meeting on Sept. 19. The Chargers lead the G-MAC and rank third in all of NCAA DII in fewest points allowed, and they've done it without forcing a slew of turnovers, with just six total takeaways on the season. Hillsdale is playing well on all three levels, with a variety of players who've stepped up and made major impacts at every spot.
• With two sacks, including one in the end zone for a safety, and three tackles for loss, senior defensive end Drake Badger was a force for the Chargers in a road win over Lake Erie last weekend. Badger earned G-MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance, which included a team-high nine tackles. Over four seasons with the Chargers, Badger has established himself as one of the best pass rushers in program history. Last season, he became the first Hillsdale player to record double-digit sacks in a season since 2009, and he ranks seventh in Hillsdale College history for both career sacks (23) and career tackles for loss (35.5). He'll look to add to those totals against the Cavaliers this week.
• Badger isn't the only talented pass rusher Hillsdale has as the Chargers have been putting consistent pressure on the quarterback this season with 18 sacks, second-most in the G-MAC and tied for fourth-most in the country per game. Badger has four sacks but he's second to Jayden Njoroge who leads the Chargers so far with 4.5, while Luke Penola, Alex Lee and Evan Bienick each have two apiece.
• Ruddy isn't the only standout receiver the Chargers have, as junior Tutt Carrico is proving to be a prolific player in his own right. After an impressive sophomore campaign that had him rank among the G-MAC leaders in receiving yards and touchdowns, Carrico exploded for three touchdowns and 111 yards receiving against Wayne State on Sept. 12. It's Hillsdale's first three receiving touchdown performance in a single game since current Detroit Lion Isaac TeSlaa caught three TD passes against Walsh in 2022. Carrico was named the G-MAC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Warriors.
• Fifth year 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 three seasons. Vance was named to the All-Super Region 1 team in 2024 and earned first team All-G-MAC honors each of the last two seasons. He was the Chargers' Team MVP in 2025 as well as a team captain, 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.
• Fifth-year senior Ryan Niksa had a stellar 2025 campaign, finishing second in NCAA DII and leading the G-MAC with 16 pass breakups to play a major role for the Chargers defense. A starter at cornerback for Hillsdale, Niksa will look to lead a veteran secondary unit that also includes decorated fifth-year safety Colin Morrow and is aiming for major improvement in 2026.
• Hillsdale has selected four captains for the 2026 campaign: Jacob Vance, who will serve as a captain for the second straight season, along with Ruddy, fifth-year offensive lineman Jesse Mendoza and junior linebacker Luke Penola.
• The Charger football program continued to shine academically this past season, with eight players earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, including returners Ruddy, Penola, Carrico and senior safety Jonah Jensen. In addition to making the All-District team, Ruddy went a step further, becoming the first football player in Hillsdale College history to be named a CSC Academic All-American two years in a row. In addition, 53 Hillsdale football players received Academic All-G-MAC honors for posting a 3.3 or better cumulative GPA through the spring 2024 semester, and the Chargers led NCAA DII with 17 graduating players earning a spot on the NFF Hampshire Honor Society for their achievements in the classroom.