Tigers Win 33-30 in 4OT NCAA Playoff Thriller

In the longest game in Division III Playoff history, the #17 Wittenberg Tigers downed the #15 Saints of Thomas More in four-overtimes, 33-30 on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers senior kicker Will Gingery sent a field goal through the uprights in the fourth overtime to seal the deal for the visiting Tigers.

Tigers Win 33-30 in 4OT NCAA Playoff Thriller
November 19, 2016
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CRESTVIEW HILLS, KENTUCKY- In the longest game in Division III Playoff history, the #17 Wittenberg Tigers downed the #15 Saints of Thomas More in four-overtimes, 33-30 on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers senior kicker Will Gingery sent a field goal through the uprights in the fourth overtime to seal the deal for the visiting Tigers. The four-overtime game marks the longest game played in the history of the NCAA Division III Football Championships, surpassing a three-overtime affair that saw West Georgia top Widener, 31-24, in the 1982 season. The Tigers now travel to #2 Wisconsin-Whitewater to take on the 11-0 squad on the road, as the Warhawks dropped Lakeland earlier on Saturday. 

GAME BREAKDOWN

  • Behind two Jake Kennedy touchdown runs and a Will Gingery field goal, Wittenberg jumped out to a 17-0 lead.  
  • Right before halftime, a turnover on special teams set the Saints up for a quick-strike inside their own 20-yard line, as the Tigers took a 17-7 lead into the locker-room.
  • The Saints controlled the entire third-quarter, scoring at will and, taking a 24-17 lead in to the fourth quarter.
  • After having a quiet afternoon, senior Luke Landis put the moves on the Thomas More secondary, bailing out the Tiger offense on a broken play, as Kennedy found the wide-out in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
  • The Landis touchdown knotted things up at 24 with 1:39 remaining in regulation, as the game was sent into complete chaos after the score.
  • Both teams exchanged field goals on their first possessions of overtime, as Thomas More took over in the second overtime and had a field goal blocked off the edge by Keenan Wilson.
  • As the Tigers celebrated on the sidelines and the offense ran three quick play to set up Gingery for the win, the Tigers found themselves on the other side of the table, as their kick was blocked and a third overtime would be needed to name a winner.
  • The third overtime was more of the same, as Gingery nailed a 33-yarder, followed by a Thomas More 47-yard field goal to send things into a fourth overtime.
  • Thomas More was not able to convert a 40-yard field goal in the fourth overtime, as Gingery rose to the occasion and nailed a 37-yard field goal to send the Tigers into the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.

KEY STATS

  • Kennedy finished with 237 passing yards for the Tigers and one touchdown pass to go along with his 66 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
  • Dustin Holmes and Terrance Crowe both recorded 16 tackles a piece, as Jack Kayser recorded 12 tackles as well as an interception in the victory.
  • As a unit, the Tigers defense managed to hold Thomas More to 71 total passing yards in the contest.