Venue & Game Details
- Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM CDT
- Venue: McPherson Stadium – Paul Family Field, McPherson, Kansas
- Capacity: ~4,000
- Conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC)
Weather Forecast (McPherson, KS)
- Kickoff Temperature: ~28°C (83°F)
- Conditions: Partly cloudy, humid
- Wind: 10–12 km/h from the northeast
- Precipitation: ~15% chance of isolated showers
- Impact: Warm, humid conditions may test depth and conditioning, but no major weather disruptions expected.
Injury Report
- Ottawa Braves:
- QB group healthy; starter threw for 51 points in the win over Sterling (Sept 13).
- WR corps intact, including a top target who had 100+ yards vs. Saint Mary.
- Secondary thin after injuries in the 61–10 loss to Southwestern.
- McPherson Bulldogs:
- QB group healthy; starter has thrown multiple TDs in every game this season.
- RB rotation intact, with one back averaging 95+ yards per game.
- DL slightly banged up after the physical win at Evangel, but starters expected to play.
(Note: NAIA programs release limited injury info; updates closer to kickoff may adjust this.)
Key Player Matchups
- Ottawa QB vs. McPherson Secondary
- Ottawa has leaned on its passing game, scoring 35+ in two wins.
- McPherson’s secondary has been opportunistic, forcing turnovers in 3 of 4 games.
- McPherson QB vs. Ottawa Defensive Front
- McPherson QB has been efficient, leading an offense averaging 38 ppg.
- Ottawa’s defense has allowed 61 points to Southwestern and 27 to Kansas Wesleyan.
- Special Teams Edge
- McPherson kicker has been reliable from mid-range.
- Ottawa has struggled in punt coverage, giving up long returns.
Recent Team Form
- Ottawa Braves (2–2, 0–0 KCAC)
- L 10–27 @ Kansas Wesleyan (Aug 30)
- W 35–27 vs. Saint Mary (Sept 6)
- W 51–20 @ Sterling (Sept 13)
- L 10–61 vs. Southwestern (Sept 20)
- Strengths: Explosive passing game, capable of quick scoring runs.
- Weaknesses: Defensive inconsistency, turnover margin (-3).
- McPherson Bulldogs (4–0, 3–0 KCAC)
- W 52–7 vs. Avila (Aug 30)
- W 33–7 @ Bethel (Sept 6)
- W 49–7 vs. Tabor (Sept 13)
- W 17–10 @ Evangel (Sept 20)
- Strengths: Balanced offense, elite defense (just 7.8 ppg allowed).
- Weaknesses: Offense slowed in the grind-it-out win at Evangel.
Conference vs. Conference
- Both teams are KCAC rivals.
- McPherson is undefeated and looking to stay atop the standings.
- Ottawa is trying to rebound after a blowout loss to Southwestern and avoid falling below .500.
Series History
- All-time series: Ottawa leads historically.
- Last 5 meetings: Ottawa has won 3 of 5.
- 2024 season: Ottawa defeated McPherson 28–14 in Ottawa.
- Trend: Ottawa has had the upper hand historically, but McPherson is the hotter team entering 2025.
Betting Trends
- Ottawa:
- 2–2 ATS in 2025
- 1–4 ATS in last 5 KCAC road games
- 3 of last 4 games have gone Over
- McPherson:
- 4–0 ATS in 2025
- 4–1 ATS in last 5 vs. Ottawa
- 3 of last 4 games have gone Under
Historical Betting Results
- 2024: Ottawa +3.5 covered in a 28–14 win (Under cashed).
- 2023: McPherson -6.5 covered in a 31–20 win (Over cashed).
- 2022: Ottawa +7.5 upset McPherson 27–24 (Over cashed).
Game Odds
Ottawa Braves 56
McPherson Bulldogs – 13.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
