Week 5 Hillsdale County Football Schedule and Winner Picks; Chargers vs. Findlay preview

HILLSDALE COUNTY — A couple of devastating losses have put the pressure on for teams with playoff hopes on the line tonight across the county.

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Hillsdale (0-4), Litchfield (0-4) and North Adams-Jerome (0-4) face potential playoff elimination if they do not secure wins. For Camden-Frontier (1-3), Reading (1-3) and Jonesville (1-3), a win against their Week 5 opponents would surely boost their playoff chances. Waldron (4-0) and Pittsford (3-1) can continue their journey to lock in playoff spots with wins.

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At the college level, Hillsdale College heads to Findlay after their second half comeback against Ashland fell short 24-21. The 0-3 Chargers face G-MAC leader Findlay in a road rivalry showdown.

Check out the schedule for all local football matchups, times for tonight's high school games and our predictions on who will win. We also check out some other regional college football games to keep an eye on for Saturday, Sept. 28.

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Hillsdale College at Findlay Preview

Hillsdale College heads to Findlay looking to break their 0-3 streak to start the 2024 season. Findlay has blasted through their first three opponents of the season, beating the likes of Truman State, Wayne State and Lake Erie all by double digits.

Findlay stands alone at the top of the G-MAC. Findlay's scoring offense ranks first in the G-MAC, where they also rank first in total offense. They rank first in pass offense with an average of 275.3 yards a game. They also rank first in first downs and third down percentage. Boston College graduate transfer Matthew Rueve leads the G-MAC in completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns. His top target has been returning all-G-MAC receiver Cam Childers.

Despite the slow start to the season, the Chargers have shown to be a second-half-of-the-season team. Their previous four seasons, the Chargers have rallied from their slow start to earn a record of .500 or better.

The Chargers lean on a veteran offensive line led by twin brothers Nick and Ben Affholter. Senior center Nick Affholter and left guard Eli Haidamous are returning all-G-MAC honorees. Right tackle Carter Cushman is a second-year starter.

The top target for Hillsdale College has been sophomore receiver Shea Ruddy, who has already earned two touchdown receptions of 50 or more yards in Hillsdale's first two games in 2024. He leads the G-MAC with 31.1 yards per catch so far.

Linebackers Jacob Vance and Carson Ingram anchor the Charger defensive front seven. Ingram had a 68-yard interception return for a touchdown last week against Ashland.

Winner Picks

11-Player

• Hillsdale (0-4) at Adrian Madison ◀ (3-1) - 7 p.m.
• ▶ Jonesville (1-3) at Addison (2-2) - 7 p.m.
• Stockbridge (0-4) at Reading◀ (1-3) - 7 p.m.

8-Player

• Litchfield (0-4) at Camden-Frontier ◀ (1-3) - 7 p.m.
• ▶ Waldron (4-0) at Burr Oak (3-1) - 7 p.m.
• North Adams-Jerome at Pittsford ◀ (3-1) - 7 p.m.

Saturday College Football

• DII - Hillsdale College (0-3) at Findlay ◀ (3-0) - 2 p.m.
• DIII - Albion (2-1) at Trine ◀ (2-1) - 1 p.m.
• DIII - Olivet (1-2) at Adrian ◀ (3-0) - 3 p.m.
• DII - West Florida (1-1) at Grand Valley State◀ (3-0) - 3 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Week 5 Hillsdale County Football Schedule and Winner Picks; Chargers vs. Findlay preview