DPU ends season at 7-3 after 27-3 loss in Monon Bell game

DPU's Hamm Hooper makes a stop after a Wabash completion. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

Crawfordsville -- On Saturday the DePauw football team traveled to Wabash for the conclusion of its season and the Monon Bell Classic.

Unfortunately for DePauw, the Tigers were unable to get into the end zone during the contest and lost to Wabash 27-3.

Wabash scored two touchdowns in the first half and the Tigers just could not make enough plays to come away with points late.

DePauw senior Jay D. Robinson (45) makes the play of the day for the Tigers, hauling in the Matt Hunt throw over leaping Wabash linebacker Cody Buresh. Robinson went 74 yards on the play before stumbling at the 5-yard line. The Tigers got their only points of the day four plays later. (Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan)

"Wabash is a very good football team on both sides of the ball," DPU coach Bill Lynch said. "I really thought our defense did a great job hanging in there and not giving up big plays and forcing them to play the next play. We forced them into kicking field goals which I was happy. We knew we weren't going to shut them down all day because they have an explosive offense."

The defense of the Tigers was pressured early but held strong as Wabash pushed into Tiger territory. The Little Giants were held to a field goal.

However after punt by DePauw, Wabash was able to connect on a nine-yard pass reception after a 46-yard completion to Houston Hodges.

"(Wabash) is one of the top defenses in Division III," Lynch said. "They played that way. Their front four is very difficult to play with. They get you into passing situations and then the rush and the blitzes get to you. They're a great football team. We didn't play as well on offense as we have been playing."

On the next possession, Matt Hunt completed a 74-yard pass to Jay D. Robinson but the Tigers were unable to punch it into the end zone and Marko Adams made a 24-yard field goal.

Wabash was able to take control after an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that made the score 17-3.

Wabash kept DePauw from scoring again and the Little Giants nailed another field goal making the score 20-3 at halftime.

As good as the DePauw defense played after halftime, it didn't give up a single point, the Tiger offense was unable to put together a successful drive.

"Really (the DePauw defense) just kept playing hard," Lynch said. "I thought they played well in the first half. (Wabash) scored two touchdowns in the first half, but throughout the game they played hard. We didn't give up many big plays. They gave up the one long pass. Other than that, they forced (Wabash) to earn it and that's what we wanted them to do. We just didn't score enough points to really challenge them. Give their defense credit."

A 48-yard field goal was short and Wabash looked to control the ball and the third quarter.

The only score of the second half came on an attempted punt by DePauw from deep in Tiger territory, which was blocked. The ball was rolling backward on the ground for a few seconds before Wabash recovered it in the end zone for the game's final score of 27-3.

"I'm really proud of them," Lynch said. "I'm really proud of the seniors."

DePAuw will look to continue its upward trend next year, after turning a 4-6 2013 season into a 7-3 2014 season.