After putting a 33-9 pounding on the University of Chicago last week, the DePauw University men's football team travels to Sewanee Saturday for a 1:30 p

After putting a 33-9 pounding on the University of Chicago last week, the DePauw University men's football team travels to Sewanee Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.

This looks to be a big game for both teams. While DePauw will be playing its first conference game of the season, the game falls on Sewanee's Homecoming.

"I think it will be a close game," DePauw coach Tim Rogers said. "They're coming off a big victory last week. It's Homecoming for them. I think they're going to play out of their minds."

Sewanee defeated previously undefeated Centre College last Saturday, 31-28, on a late fourth quarter field goal by freshman Andrew Gould. Although Sewanee is only 2-3 on the season, Rogers knows they are going to be riding high from the win last week.

"We'll have to handle the initial wave of energy we'll get starting the football game," he said. "Then we'll have to be consistent throughout the rest of the game."

The Tigers have their fair share of momentum going for them as well. After a tough first week loss to Wesley College, DePauw has won two straight games.

"When we went through that Wesley game, that first half was a learning experience for our entire coaching staff," he said. "I think both offensively and defensively we've gotten a lot better."

The Tigers are currently first in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in offense, averaging 449 yards per game, and second in defense, allowing an average of 297.7 yards per game. DePauw's rushing attack has been explosive this year, leading the SCAC, averaging 257.7 yards per game.

"We're running the football really well which is the plan," Rogers said. "We work hard every week on running the football, and we have an excellent offensive line. When we're clicking running the football everything else is going to work."

In particular, last week's offense had a whopping 316 yards rushing. Sophomore running back Jeremiah Marks ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns, while Dorrious Ford compiled 90 yards and a touchdown in the game. Quarterback Ross Weithoff added another 71 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Rogers was quick to give credit to the offensive line for their good work.

"They are a prideful bunch," he said. "They are committed to us running the football and running it well. They take offense to anybody that gets in the way of that. They're directly related to the way we've been playing so well on offense."

The only blemishes the Tigers had in their offense last week were the three interceptions in the game. Although Rogers took partial responsibility, he still wasn't happy about it.

"We didn't take care of the ball on offense," he said. "I thought two turnovers were attributed to player mistakes. One of them, I'll take full responsibility for."

Sewanee awaits the Tigers with a rejuvenated frame of mind. Quarterback Wesley Satterfield returned from an injury last week, leading his them to a fourth quarter victory. Satterfield had a huge return, rushing for 158 yards on 22 carries and passing for another 149 yards.

"I think Satterfield is an excellent football player," Rogers said. "I don't know when you ever feel comfortable with him in the game. If we were up 40, I'd feel uncomfortable because he's that good of a football player."

Rogers knows Satterfield is crucial to the outcome of the football game.

"Their offense is totally centered around Satterfield," he said. "He will be the huge key of the game. To stop that offense is to make sure you stop him."

With one team playing in its first conference game and the other playing on its Homecoming, this looks to be a tough, high octane football game. Rogers knows they will have to put a solid effort together.

"They're going to be sky-high, he said. "It's their homecoming. They're going to be ready to play football. It's our first conference game. It's going to be an exciting day on Saturday."