Mlive.com: Hillsdale prepares to host No. 1-ranked Grand Valley State for its homecoming football game

Hillsdale prepares to host No. 1-ranked Grand Valley State for its homecoming football game

By Mike Pryson | Jackson Citizen Patriot

October 09, 2009, 12:02AM
The Hillsdale College football team desperately needs a victory, and this week's opponent just happens to be the nation's No. 1-ranked team in Division II. So much for scheduling a patsy for homecoming. "We're bringing in a heavy," Hillsdale coach Keith Otterbein said of Saturday's homecoming match-up with league-leading Grand Valley State. "It's going to be a big-time environment."

Grand Valley (6-0, 5-0 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) will be making its first trip to Hillsdale's Muddy Waters Stadium since 2005. Meanwhile, Hillsdale (4-2, 3-2) is looking at the game as an opportunity to re-energize its season after a 42-17 road loss to Findlay last week.

"The team we played last week really played well, and we didn't play our best," Otterbein said. "But a lot of times, when you don't play well, it's because the other team doesn't let you." Otterbein said the Chargers may have fallen into a trap at Findlay after beating 15th-ranked Ashland on the road the week before. "We were coming off a big win, plus there was the anticipation of the game with Grand Valley," Otterbein said. "It really turned out to be a sandwich game for us, but I also think people are going to see that Findlay is a pretty good football team, and they're going to win some more big games this year."

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