Springfield, Ohio - DePauw trailed by 14 points midway through the fourth quarter of its North Coast Athletic Conference game at Wittenberg, but scored twice in a 4:53 span to force overtime before scoring in the extra session for a 41-35 victory. The visiting Tigers, ranked 23rd in the latest coaches' poll, improved to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the NCAC, while the hosts dropped to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in NCAC play.
After the Tigers battled back to force the overtime, the hosts were unable to pick up a first down on their overtime possession, while DePauw handed the ball off to Caden Whitehead six times with the final two yards sealing the victory.
Wttenberg grabbed the early momentum after needing just four plays to cover 91 yards with Max Milton teaming with Tyler May for a 91-yard passing score.
DePauw converted a pair of third-down plays on its first series and drove to the Wittenberg 24, but Darien Williams picked off Nathan McCahill to end the drive. The interception was just the third thrown by McCahill this season. The Tigers' defense forced Wittenberg to punt and, following a Wittenberg penalty, the Tigers took over on their own 25.
Converting all three third-down situations including the final one which resulted in a 35-yard scoring pass from McCahill to Robby Ballentine, the Tigers evened the count at 7-7 with 1:29 left in the opening frame.
Wittenberg responded with a six-play, 75-yard drive that included a 34-yard pass play from Milton to May and culminated with Bryce Anderson's 2-yard run on the second play of the second quarter to make it 14-7.
DePauw was forced to punt on its next series and Wittenberg countered with Brandon Goodwin's 31-yard field goal.to push the lead to 17-7 with 6:09 remaining in the half.
The Tigers came right back as McCahill and Gabe Quigley teamed for a 25-yard score at the 4:52 mark. The score was immediately preceded by McCahill's 43-yard pass to Jaylon Smith.
The DePauw defense forced Wittenberg into a three-and-out, but Jordan Stipe intercepted McCahill and returned it 65 yards for a score that pushed the Wittenberg lead to 24-14.
DePauw came up empty on the first drive of the second half as Whitehead was stopped on fourth-and-two from the Wittenberg 15. Nolan Tully intercepted Milton on Wittenberg's opening series of the half, but the Tigers couldn't convert as Joseph Sullivan missed a 28-yard field goal.
Wittenberg responded with the only points of the third as Goodwin hit a 26-yard field goal try with 56 seconds left in the third to push the hosts' lead to 27-14.
McCahill connected with Ballentine for a 34-yard score early in the fourth to cut the deficit to 27-21, but the hosts came right back with a 66-yard scoring pass from Milton to May with 9:36 left in regulation. A successful two-point conversion made it 35-21.
DePauw quickly responded with a 7-play, 75-yard drive with Quigley scoring on a 3-yard run with 6:34 left. The Tigers' defense forced a three-and-out and, following a Wittenberg punt, DePauw took over on its own 40.
McCahill's 2-yard touchdown run with 1:41 remaining and Sullivan's point-after evened the score. Wittenberg ran out the clock, setting up the overtime.
Whitehead rushed for a career-high 130 yards on a career-best 32 carries as DePauw outgained Wittenberg on the ground, 171-75. Garrett Gross paced the hosts with 48 yards in 13 tries.
McCahill, who completed all nine pass attempts in the fourth quarter, was 21-32 for 337 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Ballentine and Smith each caught five for 109 and 102 yards, respectively. Quigley caught seven for 78 yards.
Milton was 24-of-39 for 345 yards with two touchdowns and one interception with May catching eight for 229 yards and Dean Tate totaling 10 for 81 yards.
Luke Marsh, Jonathan Bruder and Luke Nolan each had seven tackles for the Tigers, while Tyre Smith and Tony Calovini had 10 apiece for Wittenberg.
DePauw hosts Kenyon on Saturday, Oct. 28, at Noon in the final regular season home game of the season. The Tigers can capture at least a share of their third straight NCAC title with a win.
NOTES
- Nathan McCahill's 337 passing yards marked the third time this season he's topped the 300-yard plateau this year
- Robby Ballentine and Josh Major are the first multiple 100-yard receiving duo in a DePauw game since Smith (145) and Josh Major (125) did it against Oberlin on Nov. 6, 2021.
- Since overtime entered NCAA play in 1996, DePauw has now played in seven overtime games and has won its last three to improve to 3-4. The Tigers' last overtime game was in 2008.
- DePauw has held its last six opponents to 75 or fewer rushing yards and seven for the whole season.
- After losing its first seven games at Wittenberg, DePauw has now won its last two.
- The last time a DePauw team trailed by 13 or more points after three quarters and won was on November 2, 1996, when the Tigers trailed Manchester 26-13, but outscored the Spartans 14-0 in the fourth for a 27-26 win.
- The Tigers have won 12 straight regular season games which marks the program's longest such streak since the 1933 and 1934 teams combined to win 14 consecutive contests.