Tigers look to stay perfect against BSC

GREENCASTLE -- The DePauw Tigers (7-0) will look to remain perfect on the season Saturday against Birmingham Southern (5-2). The contest will be a battle of high-powered offenses, as both squads are averaging more than 33 points per game.

As a team, DePauw is converting 77 percent of the time in the red-zone, scoring touchdowns on 25 of its 35 possessions inside the 20-yard line.

The Tigers are averaging 33.3 points per game, behind quarterback Michael Engle's strong season. Engle is passing for 300 yards per game and has 23 touchdowns and has a passer rating of 159.3. He's also the team's third leading rusher.

DePauw's one-two punch of Alex Koors and Brayden Dahlstrom lead the team averaging a combined 182 yards per game and have 15 touchdowns between them. Nathan Evans is adding 37 yards a game, with three touchdowns. It was Evans who caught Engle's pass to give the Tigers a 32-31 win over Trinity last weekend.

At Trinity, Koors broke the DePauw and SCAC career reception record. He also broke the SCAC record for receiving yards against Adrain and became DePauw's all-time receiving yardage leader against Sewanee.

Rushers Derrick Karazsia and Jon Ellis have combined for eight touchdowns and 100-yards per game.

On the defensive side, Jonathan Lambert is leading the way with 56 total tackles, including 33 solo stops. Steve Valdiserri has two interceptions for the Tigers, with Kyle Sherer, Ryan Preuss and Adam Hawkins adding one INT each. Preuss and Tyler Doane have two forced fumbles as well.

The Tigers will have to keep their eyes on a duo of quarterbacks and a stout running attack that have powered Birmingham Southern to a 38-point per game average.

Jimmy Stainback and Joe Thigpen are combining for 140 yards per game and have tossed four touchdowns on the season, but it's been Walter Arrington and Shawn Morris who have done the most damage.

Arrington has rushed for 814 yards and nine touchdowns, while Morris has ran for 506 yards and 11 scores. The duo is putting up 189 yards per game.

Engle will have his hands full with a defense that has amassed 12 interceptions on the season. The Tigers will have to contain Jeremy Jones, who was recently named the SCAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Jones has four sacks on the season.

With its win over Trinity last Saturday, DePauw clinched a share of its fourth SCAC title and earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III playoffs.

The game will be carried live on 91.5 WGRE at 1 p.m.