Schedule
Ashland (3-6, 3-4 G-MAC) at Hillsdale College (6-3, 4-3 G-MAC) | 12 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 | Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium | Hillsdale, Michigan
 
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Ashland Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Ashland Stats | G-MAC Schedule | G-MAC Standings
 
Last Game
The Chargers had no trouble on the road at Kentucky Wesleyan, roaring out to a 35-0 halftime lead on the way to a 52-21 win that clinched the Chargers' fourth-straight regular season above .500. Hillsdale totaled 460 yards of offense and held the Panthers to just 162, with Ben Ngishu rushing for 92 yards and two scores and Hawk Hasselman, Colin McKernan and Cole Canter each adding a score on the ground. McKernan also completed a touchdown pass to Shea Ruddy and Canter a touchdown pass to Will Simpson. Defensively, Drake Badger tied the G-MAC single game record with four sacks and a forced fumble, and Nolan Strake picked off a pass as well for the Chargers.

 
Scouting the Opposition
The Hillsdale College football team closes out the 2026 home calendar with a rivalry matchup, as the Chargers take on visiting Ashland this Saturday at noon with the Traveling Trophy on the line.

It's been a star-crossed year for the Eagles, as a brutal schedule and injuries have Ashland at just 3-6 overall entering this weekend. Don't be fooled by that record, however, as the Eagles are still a strong team, as evidenced by a narrow 45-42 defeat to undefeated Northwood last weekend.

The injury bug has especially impacted Ashland's offense, forcing freshmen Coy Hamic and Darrell Shumpert into action at quarterback well before planned. Over the last four games, it's been Hamic that's taken charge and the 6-foot-6 pocket passer has gotten more and more comfortable, culminating in a 300 yard, four touchdown performance against Northwood last weekend. Shumpert still sees action as a change of pace.

Hamic has been energized by the emergence of sophomore DJ Harvey as top receiving threat, as Harvey now leads the G-MAC in yards and touchdown catches.  Freshman Andrew McKnight has been a capable second option. The passing attack has been top-heavy for the Eagles this season, with Harvey and McNkight soaking up the vast majority of the targets.

Ashland's rushing attack has been picking up steam as well. Chris Maloney has shaken off a slow start and had a huge game last weekend against the Timberwolves, while Willtrell Hartson and Ty'aris Stevenson are both very capable backs that give the Eagles options in the backfield. Up front, returning All-G-MAC lineman Nico Traczyk headlines a unit that has had its ups and downs this season but has found its footing in recent weeks.

While the offense started the season slow, Ashland's defense has been uniformly excellent as has come to be expected from the Eagles, keeping Ashland in games even when the other side of the ball was sputtering. The Eagles have a proud and veteran-loaded defense led by returning All-G-MAC linebacker Jack Talkington, one of the G-MAC's finest at his position.

He's got a capable running mate at linebacker in Ben Holzopfel, and those two players are the heart and soul of the defense. Ashland has been stout against the run and solid against the pass, getting pressure by committee, with no player with more than three sacks but Talkington and defensive linemen Dameyon Bloomfield, Zane Swackhammer and Ryan Zywiec all making contributions. In the secondary, veterans EJ Teah and Nick Sailers lead a solid unit.

Kicker Nate Russell has been solid for Ashland, going 8 for 11 on field goals with a long of 39, while punter Landon Kuzma averages 43 yards per punt.  DJ Harvey returns kicks for the Eagles, while Delond Moss is Ashland's top kick returner, with Harvey also assisting at times.

Ashland is coached by Doug Geiser, in his 23^rd year with the program and fourth as head coach, with a 31-16 overall record entering this weekend's contests.

 
The Series
The Chargers and Eagles have a heated rivalry dating back to 1970, and in the early 1970s began playing for the Traveling Trophy that's been awarded to the winner of the annual contest between the two teams ever since. This Saturday marks the 50^th meeting between the two squads, with Hillsdale leading the all-time series 26-23. Ashland has closed the gap considerably over the last decade, winning six of the last seven meetings, including three straight and a 26-9 victory in Ohio last year to retain the trophy. Hillsdale's last victory in the series came on Oct. 29, 2022, when the Chargers stunned a sixth-ranked and undefeated Ashland squad 36-20 in Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium.

 
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.
• Saturday is Senior Day, and the final home contest for 27 seniors on the Hillsdale College roster who will be graduating either this winter or spring. This group has combined to help Hillsdale to four straight winning regular seasons over the last four years. The Chargers will honor this group and their families in a pregame ceremony on Saturday.
• The Traveling Trophy game between Hillsdale and Ashland grew out of a shared tie between the two schools in the form of Hillsdale College graduate Donald R. Mossey. A World War II veteran from Elkhart, Indiana, Mossey graduated from Hillsdale College in 1951 after starring as a guard on the Charger football team. Mossey went on to become an incredibly successful entrepreneur in several fields, and played an important role on both the Seminary Board at Ashland University, where he served for nearly 40 years, and on Hillsdale College's Board of Trustees from 1966 until his passing in 2010. The Traveling Trophy between the two schools was originally dedicated in his honor, and the tradition persists to this day.
• Hillsdale head coach Nate Shreffler is in 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 defensive end Drake Badger tied the single-game G-MAC record for sacks with an epic performance at Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday, recording four sacks and a forced fumble in the 52-21 win over the Panthers. Badger earned G-MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, his second of the season, for his performance. 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 fifth in Hillsdale College history for career sacks (29) and career tackles for loss (42). He leads not only the G-MAC but the nation as the only player in NCAA DII so far this season to reach double-digit sacks.
• Luke Penola became a starter at linebacker for the Chargers as a sophomore this past season, but that was just a prelude for a breakout campaign this season. Penola is leading the Chargers in tackles with 72, ranking in the top 10 in the G-MAC, and is a key piece for one of the top scoring defenses in the country. His 17-tackle performance against Findlay on Oct. 17 helped him earn G-MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.
• Senior Shea Ruddy continues to be a multi-faceted weapon for the Chargers. He recorded three-straight 100 yard receiving games from Oct. 3 to Oct 16 and currently ranks second in the G-MAC with 609 yards receiving. He also ranks third in the nation in kickoff return average, with 34.8, and is one of just six players in all of NCAA DII this season to record multiple kickoff return touchdowns. 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.
• Ruddy received one of the biggest honors of his career on Oct. 19. That day, the senior was named as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, one of the most prestigious honors a college football player can receive. Unofficially considered the "Academic Heisman", the Campbell Trophy is awarded to the top student-athlete among college football players in the nation, and past winners include Peyton Manning and Justin Herbert. Ruddy is just the second Hillsdale player to be named a finalist for the award, after quarterback Mark Nicolet in 2007. This honor adds to several in Ruddy's career, including two All-American and Academic All-American honors, and being named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works team earlier this season.
• Hillsdale's defense has been one of the most dominant units in the country through nine games, giving up just 15.7 points per game so far, and holding the top three teams in the G-MAC, Northwood, Findlay and Tiffin, to more than 10 points below their season average. The Chargers rank 11th in all of NCAA DII in fewest points allowed, and they've done it without forcing a slew of turnovers, with just eight 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.
• Drake Badger isn't the only talented pass rusher Hillsdale has as the Chargers have been putting consistent pressure on the quarterback this season with 30 sacks, second-most in the G-MAC and fifth in the country per game. Badger leads with his 10 sacks but he's followed closely by Jayden Njoroge with 5.5, Luke Penola has 4 and Evan Bienick has 3.5.
• 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 2025 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.