ASHLAND — If ever there was a trap game, this is it.

Ashland University, fresh off an emotional 34-31 walk-off win over Division II heavyweight Grand Valley State and ahead of Sunday’s playoff announcement, hosts Saginaw Valley State in the regular season finale Saturday at Jack Miller Stadium.

With a win, the Eagles (9-1, 8-0) can wrap up an outright Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship.

Longtime coach Lee Owens warned against overlooking the Cardinals (5-5, 3-5).

“Everybody’s talking about last week and talking about the playoffs,” Owens said, “and forgetting the fact that we have to play on Saturday.”

To be fair, it would be hard for the Eagles not to revel — at least briefly — in last week’s 34-31 victory. AU, which moved up three spots to No. 10 in this week’s American Football Coaches Association Division II poll, squandered a 24-7 third-quarter lead only to have fifth-year senior kicker Aidan Simenc boot the game-winning 29 yard field goal as time expired.

“As a kicker, you always dream about that moment,” Simenc said. “I had to step up and make that kick and I’m just happy it turned out the way it did.”

Fifth-year senior quarterback Travis Tarnowski threw for 248 yards and a touchdown, while running back Andrew Vaughn rushed for 161 yards and a career-high three TDs on 23 carries as Ashland won its 21st straight regular season home game. Tarnowski has thrown for 2,344 yards and 23 touchdowns, while Vaughn, a product of nearby Black River High School, has run for 1,086 yards and 13 TDs.

The Cardinal are led by sophomore quarterback Ryan Conklin, who has thrown for 2088 yards and 14 touchdowns. Running back Tommy Scott Jr. is 67 yards shy of 1,000 for the season.

“It’s a big challenge. They don’t look like a 5-5 team on tape,” Owens said. “This is the most important game of the year. Not last week, not (next) week. This is the most important game of the year.”

Coverage of Ashland University Eagles athletics is produced in partnership with OhioHealth, the official sports medicine provider for Ashland University.