Seventeen years.
That’s how long it has been since the Baker football team has taken the field to play one of its biggest rivals.
The football team will try to extend Baker’s 10-game win streak and all-time series lead of 43-31-2 against Ottawa University at 6 p.m. Saturday at People’s Bank Field in Ottawa in the Fourth Annual Victory Sports Network First Down Classic.
“I know that there have been seniors, me included, that have wanted to play them since we’ve got here,” senior Austin DeGraeve said.
Although the rivals haven’t played each other at the varsity level in 17 years, they have faced each other at the junior varsity level and practiced against each other during summer seven-on-seven drills.
“They’ve been calling each other by their first names,” head football coach Mike Grossner said. “We’re ready to play each other when it means something.”
OU had one of its best seasons in school history last year going 11-1, with its only defeat coming in a 64-26 loss to Lindenwood University in the NAIA Championship Series.
OU begins the season ranked No. 9 in the NAIA Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll, while Baker is ranked No. 24 after finishing 7-3 last season.
Baker lost its first two games last season before winning seven of its last eight and ending the season on a five-game winning streak. The team has also had to rebuild after losing 21 seniors from last year’s squad.
After losing to two top 25 opponents, Missouri Valley College and MidAmerica Nazarene University, to open the season last year, Grossner has realized the necessity of being ready to play tough competition right away.
“We understand the importance of being in shape early,” Grossner said. “No. 9 in the nation early followed by No. 10 in week two and No. 6 in week three won’t be easy, but in order to move up high in the rankings, we have to beat highly ranked teams.”
The Wildcats have been through early morning fun runs, hot afternoon practices, late evening practices and film study to prepare for the OU game, and have been conditioning for the season as a whole.
“As far as defensive stuff, the younger guys have been running about 40-50 of Ottawa’s plays against us,” senior Matt Brock said.
While OU’s offense averaged 44 points per game last year, Grossner is equally concerned about OU’s defense.
“We have to minimize mistakes and control the football to keep their offense off the field,” Grossner said.
“Looking at them on paper though, their defense is their strength. They return nine starters on defense and should be sound defensively.”
