Wittenberg Football Sacks Kenyon, 27-7

GAMBIER, OH - The Wittenberg Tigers put together their second straight suffocating defensive performance and got offensive contributions from some new sources in a 27-7 victory over host Kenyon.

The win pushed Wittenberg over the .500 mark for the first time in the 2024 season at 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Kenyon, which has not beaten Wittenberg since 1914, fell to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in the league. The win was the 31st in a row in the series for the Tigers.

Much like the previous week's 17-6 win over Ohio Wesleyan, the main storyline for the Tigers was a tremendous defensive performance. Kenyon managed just one, 33-yard scoring drive in the entire game. The Owls were limited to just 11 first downs, four of which were gained by Wittenberg penalties, and they managed just 4-of-16 on third downs and were unsuccessful on all four fourth down attempts.

Kenyon's total offense was a meager 66 yards on 65 plays, good for an average of one yard per play. The Owls managed 82 yards passing, and running back Julius Thompson finished with 56 yards rushing on 17 carries, but the Tigers piled up a whopping 11 sacks in the contest (Wittenberg's team record is 16 sacks vs. Wooster in 1994). When all 17 tackles for loss were entered, Kenyon's final rushing total was -16 yards (Wittenberg's team record is -50 vs. Denison in 2001).

In support of that dominating defensive play, Wittenberg opened the scoring with a 35-yard scoring run by freshman quarterback Jayden Miller (Amelia, OH / Williamsburg) with 5:32 remaining in the first quarter. On the Tigers' next possession, Omar Holloway (Dayton, OH / Stebbins) added to the Wittenberg advantage with a 19-yard touchdown run.

Midway through the second quarter, Holloway bulled his way into the end zone again from one-yard out to make it 20-0. Wittenberg's final points came on its first possession of the third quarter as Eric Rasheed (Fletcher, NC / Hendersonville) hauled in a touchdown pass from Miller.

Miller's first start under center was a success as he finished with 195 yards passing and 28 yards rushing. Rasheed was his favorite target with three catches for 70 yards, followed by Earl Pope (Miami, FL / Carol City) with three catches for 37 yards. Holloway was a workhorse on the ground, finished with 99 yards on 31 carries.

Defensively, the player of the game was Dalton Allen (Delaware, OH / Hayes). He wreaked havoc on Kenyon's offensive game plan to the tune of seven total tackles, five of which were sacks for a total of 32 yards lost. He was also credited with pass break-up and three quarterback hurries.

The five sacks are a new school record, breaking the mark of four set by former All-American Eddie Vallery.

The defensive standouts were numerous for the Tigers. Also of note: Luke Jackson (DeGraff, OH / Indian Lake) with seven tackles, a pass breakup, and an interception; Tyre Smith (Sarasota, FL / Riverview) with six tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 2.5 tackles for loss; and Nick Wadsworth (Mason, OH / Mason) with six tackles, two sacks, one quarterback hurry, and 2.5 tackles for loss. Seven different players were credited with at least one-half sack and 12 different players picked up at least one-half of a tackle for loss.