Springfield, Ohio - DePauw outgained 18th-ranked Wittenberg, 427-350, but the visiting Tigers committed seven turnovers that led to 28 points as the hosts took a 34-17 win in the North Coast Athletic Conference opener for both schools. Both teams are now 1-1 overall.
DePauw picked up a couple of first downs on its opening drive, but quarterback Matt Huntfumbled and Wittenberg's Schott Sholar recovered at the DePauw 41. Seven plays later, Sean Gary scored on a 1-yard run to give Wittenberg a 7-0 lead.
On the first play from scrimmage following the kickoff Hunt teamed with D.J. Steward for an 82-yard scoring play that evened the score.
Wittenberg's Evan Grissom booted a 35-yard field goal and Zack Jenkins completed a 25-yard scoring pass to Zach Culvahouse to make it 17-7 with 19 seconds left in the opening stanza. The latter was set up after the hosts recovered a DePauw fumble near midfield.
The second quarter told a different story for DePauw as Hunt connected with Zac Fouche for a 25-yard scoring pass with 9:19 left that capped a four-play, 66-yard series.
DePauw's final scoring drive of the half started on its own 12, but quickly moved into Wittenberg territory after Hunt teamed with Fouche for a 51-yard gain to the Wittenberg 10 on the fourth play. Jason Kirchhoff, who picked up 18 yards on the ground on the previous play, carried twice for eight yards to the 2, but a third down pass fell incomplete. Marko Adams came on to boot a 19-yard field goal that tied the game, 17-17, with 13 seconds left in the half.
Wittenberg pounded out a 12-play drive that covered 63 yards to start the second half and was wrapped up by Grissom's 24-yard field goal.
The teams exchanged a pair of punts each before DePauw started from its own 28 with 4:30 remaining in the third. Hunt went downfield and found Steward for 67-yard gain, but Wittenberg's Victor Banjo forced a fumble that Winston Thomas recovered at the Wittenberg 5 and returned to the Wittenberg 36. A DePauw personal foul on the play moved the ball to the DePauw 49.
Wittenberg needed just six plays with Jenkins teaming with Culvahouse for a 10-yard score with 2:32 remaining in the third to push the margin to 27-17.
DePauw's Adam Folta picked off Jenkins at the DePauw three midway through the fourth but Kirchhoff's fumble on the next play set up Wittenberg's final score of the game that came on Jimmy Dehnke's 1-yard run.
DePauw totaled 427 yards with 131 on the ground with Amen Galley rushing for 61 on 10 carries and Kirchhoff following with 43. Hunt completed 14 of 26 passes for 296 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 24 yards.
Fouche's four catches, the first four of his collegiate career, led the Tigers and he totaled 87 yards. Steward's two grabs totaled a team-high 149 yards.
Dehnke and Gary rushed for 65 and 61 yards, respectively, as Wittenberg totaled 135. Jenkins connected on 19 of 41 passes for 215 yards with two scores and one interception. Tyler Everidge led the hosts with six catches for 55 yards, while Culvahouse totaled 76 receiving yards on his four catches.
DePauw's Will Longthorne and Folta each recorded nine tackles with Garrett Rice totaling seven.Cody Baker was credited with four pass breakups. Josh Bannick paced Wittenberg with 11 tackles and two forced fumbles, while Nick Gibson and Dustin Holmes each had eight.
DePauw returns home on Saturday, September 27, to face Kenyon in a 1 p.m. NCAC contest.