No one has to tell coach Gary Goff that Tiffin University has had a rough history against the University of Findlay.
Tiffin has played the Oilers 20 times. The Oilers have won 19 of those matchups.
"We've got to make this game a rivalry, and it's really not a rivalry right now," Goff said. "If you look at the record, it's lopsided."
Findlay comes into today's noon home contest with a bit of momentum. It has won three of its first four games and is coming off a thrilling 43-42 overtime win over Notre Dame.
The Oilers are averaging almost 32 points a game thanks in large part to the play of quarterback Clay Belton (1,119 yards passing, seven touchdowns) and running back Montrae Williams (almost 98 ground yards a game).
That combination has been giving defenses fits.
"The quarterback is playing great, he really is," Goff said. "They got a solid running game, so anytime you got a solid running game, the DBs have to come up and stop the run. They fall asleep in the passing game. So (the Oilers have) been able to hit over top completions, and it's the big plays. You break down their film, you see they run, run, run, here comes the big play. Their receivers run great routes. Offensively, they're a solid unit. They're a good program."
It's something Goff said the Dragons need to emulate.
"It comes down to, we've got to start making those big plays." Goff said. "You look back at last week's game [against Malone], and we had our shots to win it, definitely, but we didn't make a play here and there, and that's the difference in the ballgame."
The Dragons lost to Malone in overtime last week. In the fourth quarter, the Dragons (1-4) lost quarterback James Capello to an injury. Goff said Capello should be "fine" this week.
"The one positive right now for our program is that our kids have shown up to work, working hard with good attitudes," he said. "They know we're a better program. We've just got to keep on doing the right things, and the wins will come. But we've had a great week of practice; we have another good game plan I believe."
