Baldwin ? The Baldwin and Ottawa High football squads have common characteristics. But at 7 tonight at Liston Stadium, one of the denominators definitely will change.

“Fewest mistakes,” Bulldog coach Mike Berg said. “That’s the easiest thing to point to.”

And that’s the main reason each squad is 3-1 instead of undefeated.

Each team’s lone setback this season came against Louisburg. Last week, the Bulldogs fell, 13-12, at Louisburg despite a furious fourth-quarter comeback. A failed two-point conversion decided the game.

Ottawa rolled Prairie View last week, 34-6, but Cyclone coach Pat Boeh said his team’s 21-12 setback to Louisburg two weeks ago still stung.

“We have a common opponent in Louisburg, so I guess you could say they’re the measuring stick for both programs,” Boeh said. “They had a great gameplan against us that created a lot of breakdowns.”

Boeh said he saw a lot of Louisburg in Baldwin.

“We’ve got a lot of respect for Baldwin,” he said. “Mike Berg has them playing at an enormous intensity level right now.”

Berg is just as impressed with the Cyclones.

“I think their kids that have had to step into some new spots have played great,” Berg said. “They’re very well coached and play extremely hard. Just take a look at the Louisburg game and it’s easy to tell Ottawa gave them a game all the way through.”

Both teams have had big holes to fill.

Ottawa lost four skill position players who accounted for nearly 4,000 yards of offense to graduation. Then two weeks ago, Caleb Blakesley — a Kansas University signee ranked the state’s best prospect — tore cartilage in his right knee and will miss the rest of the season.

“Our situation with all injuries is that we just have to move on,” said Boeh, who has emphasized running backs Vashon Perryman and Aaron Douglas in the Cyclones’ offensive attack.

The 5-foot-6, 160-pound Perryman has rushed for 315 yards and four touchdowns, and Douglas has scored six times and gained 280 yards.

“Our young guys are gaining confidence, but the first couple of weeks is a tough transition,” Boeh said.

Baldwin has had to deal with replacing skill position standouts — specifically Micah Mason, who rushed for 2,011 yards and scored 27 touchdowns last season.

Quarterback Jeremy Wright has been the go-to Bulldog, rushing for 336 yards and two touchdowns and throwing for 354 yards and four scores.

“It’ll be their skill kids trying to stop our skill kids, the war up front between the lines, and special teams,” Berg said. “The two teams are so even, any one factor can decide this one.”