Oilers look for upset against no. 2 team in nation

UF football takes on undefeated GVSU tomorrow 

By Kevin Scrock
@KRock_6

The Oilers have a chance to get that signature win they have been looking for all season on Saturday. They thought they had it against then no. 13 Ferris State back on Oct. 1 only to lose to the Bulldogs 20-17. Ashland and Wayne State were also ranked at the time they played the Oilers, but the squad just couldn’t find a way to knock off either opponent. This week may be the toughest task of any as the Oilers travel to Allendale to take on the most winning college football team in the nation.

If the Oilers beat the Grand Valley State University Lakers Saturday, they will be the first team all year to do so. However, the Oilers are coming off back-to-back wins and have developed a new offensive threat in running back Chauncey Bridges.

“It’s going to be a lot more challenging for him next week,” said Findlay coach Rob Keys. “If Chauncey can crack 100 yards that would be really beneficial for us.”

In the past two weeks Bridges has put up career-high numbers. Against Hillsdale the Michigan native ran for 193 yards and three touchdowns before running for 174 yards last weekend at Tiffin.

The difference this week will be the battle up front.

“They probably have the best front seven we’ll face,” said Keys. “They are the best team in the league and probably the fastest defense we’ll face.”

Where the Oilers have to win the game is in the turnover battle. In 2011 when they made the same journey to Allendale they scraped out a 26-20 win behind a 6-0 victory in the turnover matchup.

“We cannot lose the turnover battle and win,” said Keys. “We have to do that number one but we also have to be able to play to their speed and we’re ultimately going to need a few breaks.”

The Oilers are big underdogs and they know that. They will need some balls to bounce their way on Saturday if they want to secure the win.

“On paper we’re probably a 25-point underdog,” said Keys. ”Especially since we’re going to their place.”

It will take the game of a lifetime from the Oilers to knock off the undefeated Lakers. They will get a chance at it when the game kicks off on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Allendale, Michigan.