Wittenberg Football Rushes Past Gators in 49-15 Win

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio—#11/#12 Wittenberg football controlled the line of scrimmage against Allegheny on Saturday, as the Tigers moved on to 6-0. Wittenberg obliterated the Gator defense for 49 points, and 524 yards of total offense, all on 56 plays. Averaging nearly 9.5 yards per offensive play, the Tigers ran for 273 yards on the Gator defense, while the Tiger defense held Allegheny to 55 yards rushing. The Tigers 6-0 (5-0) start hits the road, as Wittenberg travels to Indiana for back-to-back NCAC road games against DePauw and Wabash.

HOW IT HAPPENED: The Tigers broke the ice with a 29-yard run by DeShawn Sarley with 9:11 remaining in the first quarter, ending a 73-yard drive with a 7-0 Tiger lead. Liam Duncan continued to be a sure-handed option for the Tigers, shaking off a Gator defender on his way to a 24-yard receiving touchdown, as the Tigers led 14-0 in the first quarter. Wittenberg would head in to the locker-room with a 28-8 halftime lead after Sarley hauled in a screen pass, taking it 46-yards to the house. On a free play in the third-quarter after a Gator jumped offside, Kennedy took a shot down the sideline, as Duncan went up and over an Allegheny defensive-back, taking the pitch-and-catch 62 yards for a touchdown, giving the Tigers a 35-8 lead. Jaheem Washington would go off for the Tigers in the second half, running for touchdowns of 54-yards, and 30-yards, as the Tigers handled the Gators 49-15.

WHO STOOD OUT: The Tiger's defense made it nearly impossible for Allegheny to get anything going on the ground on Saturday, as the Gators rushing attack was held to a microscopic 55-yards. Jonathan Seay, Michael Fiessinger and Terrance Crowe all racked up seven tackles apiece in the lopsided victory.  Keenan Wilson picked off his second pass in as many weeks for the Tigers, as the defensive unit recorded an additional six pass breakups. On offense, Kennedy recorded a completion rate of 80%, logging 233 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. The junior gunslinger has now successfully raised his completion percentage in every game this season, while tossing nine touchdowns passes and two interceptions in his last three games under center. Much of Kennedy's most recent success is a testament to the meteoric rise of Duncan at wide-out, as the Eugene, Oregon native has now hauled in two touchdown catches in his last three games, while going for 277 total receiving yards. On the ground, Sarley and Washington did the most damage on Saturday, both passing the 100-yard threshold. Sarley went for 124 yards on the ground on nine rushes including one touchdown, while Washington unloaded in the second-half with 11 carries, 133 yards and two touchdowns. Sarley also hauled in a screen pass for 46 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN: Wittenberg joins DePauw at 6-0 (5-0) atop the league standings, with the showdown between the undefeated Tigers taking place next weekend in Greencastle, Indiana. Wabash fell victim to a late field-goal at home against the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan, dropping to 5-1 with the 16-13 loss. The Tigers battle DePauw with first place on the line on October 21 at 1:00PM.