Capital football tops rival Otterbein in Battle for the Oar
Saturday, October 31, 2026
CBUSsports Staff
info@cbussports.com
Xavier Rodriguez (44) led Capital with 85 yards rushing in 17 attempts and a touchdown in the Comets’ 35-30 win at Memorial Stadium in Westerville on Saturday. Photo: John Hulkenberg
The Capital and Otterbein football teams renewed their rivalry Saturday in the annual “Battle for the Oar”. This year’s edition was hosted by the Cardinals at Memorial Stadium in Westerville. The game was another back-and-forth affair with the Comets coming out on top 35-30.
Otterbein led at the end of the first quarter 10-0 with a 26-yard field goal from Braylon Balandra, followed by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Duke Corley to Kace Kinnamon. Corley would throw for 236 yards on the day with one score and one interception.
Otterbein’s Kace Kinnamon (1) and his Cardinal teammates celebrate Kinnamon’s first quarter touchdown against rival Capital on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Capital scored the next 28 points to take a big lead early in the fourth quarter. Comets quarterback Tyler Love, a Teays Valley grad and Ohio Dominican transfer, threw three touchdown passes, including two to wide receiver Demoyne Stoney of 25 and 57 yards, and then ran one in from a yard out.
In the last four minutes of the fourth quarter, Otterbein responded with two rushing touchdowns from Matt Griffin. Sandwiched in between those two scores was a 20-yard touchdown run by Capital’s Xavier Rodriguez. When the dust settled after an exciting exchange of offensive blows, the Comets came away with the five-point victory.
Otterbein quarterback Duke Corley (3) rolls out and looks for a receiver during the Cardinals’ game with rival Capital at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Photo: John Hulkenberg
With the victory, Capital went to 5-3 overall, 3-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. It is the first time the Comets have won five games in a season since 2011. Otterbein fell to 2-6, 1-5 in OAC play.
With two games remaining in the regular season, Capital hosts #24-ranked Heidelberg at Bernlohr Stadium in Bexley next Saturday, while the Cardinals travel to New Concord’s Sherman Field to take on Muskingum.