DePauw opens SCAC play with 27-14 win at Centre

DANVILLE, Ky. -- Centre scored on its first possession of the second half and took a 14-13 lead, but DePauw responded with 13 straight points over the next three minutes and claimed a 27-14 win over the Colonels in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference opener for both teams on Saturday.

DePauw took a 13-7 lead into the halftime, but Centre drove 62 yards in 11 plays and opened the second half with Tyler Hinkel hauling in a 22-yard scoring pass from Grant Conliffe with 10:06 left in the third. John Starks added the extra point which gave the Colonels the 14-13 advantage.

Following a Centre personal foul on the point-after, the Colonels were forced to kick off from their own 15 which resulted in the Tigers beginning on their own 45. Jon Ellis carried for runs of 11 and 5 yards before quarterback Spud Dick teamed with Alex Koors for a 39-yard scoring play with 9:04 left. Jordan Havercamp's extra point lifted DePauw to a 20-14 lead.

DePauw linebacker Tarren Collins sacked Conliffe for a 10-yard loss to the Colonels' 3 on the first play of Centre's next possession before Grant Wright recovered Conliffe's fumble on the next play at the Centre 2. After a loss of yards and a DePauw penalty, Dick and Koors teamed again for an 11-yard score with 7:15 remaining in the third.

The DePauw defense stopped Centre on downs twice over Centre's final four possessions with Chris Scarver and Stacy Crawford ending the other two drives with interceptions.

After the teams exchanged three punts each to start the game, DePauw's Nick Etzcorn caught a 2-yard score from Dick with 14:23 left in the second which capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive.

Ellis' 3-yard run with 10:34 remaining in the half wrapped up a 4-play, 79-yard drive and included a career-best 64-yard pass play from Dick to Koors.

Centre's lone score came on the next drive as Conliffe connected with Chase Porter for a 20-yard score with 8:15 left in the half.

DePauw appeared to be on the way to one more score in the opening half after Alex Fitch jarred the ball loose from Conliffe on a sack with 39 seconds and recovered at the Centre 44. Dick then completed a 39-yard pass to Koors to the Centre.

On the second down play, Koors seemed to have caught a touchdown strike from Dick but Centre's Alex Ubelhart ripped the ball from Koors' grasp for the interception and touchback.

Koors matched the second-best single-game receiving yardage total by a DePauw receiver with 220 yards on just eight catches. The 220 yards also ranks second in SCAC history and is the most in a game between SCAC opponents.

Ellis, in his second collegiate game, rushed for 123 yards on 24 carries. Dick completed 22 of 37 passes for 313 yards with three touchdowns and just one interception.

Conliffe completed 23 of 41 passes for 201 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Rob Pope caught six passes, while Hinkel had five.

DePauw outgained Centre, 445-233, and limited the Colonels to just 32 rushing yards. The Tigers entered the contest ranked sixth in Division III against the run and now have allowed just 50 ground yards in 54 attempts over the first two contests.

Collins led the Tigers with eight tackles, while Ryan Preuss and Kyle Sherer each added seven. Sean Swallen paced Centre with 14 stops, while Ubelhart added 11 and Brian Sneed finished with 10.

DePauw returns to action on Saturday, September 27, when it hosts Sewanee as part of Family Weekend.