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Tigers run away from Big Red in first-place conference showdown
DePauw jumped out to a 17-0 first-half lead on the way to a 27-10 North Coast Athletic Conference win over visiting Denison, which clinched a share of the Tigers' first NCAC title. The Tigers improved to 7-1 overall and 7-0 in the NCAC with their seventh-straight victory, while the Big Red dropped to 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the conference.
DePauw wasted little time in getting on the board in the showdown of the NCAC leaders, as quarterback Chase Andries rushed for a 10-yard score just 4:54 into the contest to cap an 8-play, 75-yard series.
Joe Sullivan's 35-yard field goal with 3:25 left in the quarter pushed the lead to 10-0.
Early in the second quarter, DePauw's Dylan Hyatt picked off Denison quarterback Drew Dawkins at the Denison 28 on a third-and-long. On the opening play of the ensuing series, Josh Major kept it for a 10-yard gain on a reverse. Andries then connected with Gabe Quigley on two passes totaling nine yards before he found Jaylon Smith for a 13-yard score in the left corner of the end zone to make it 17-0 with 9:05 left in the half.
A DePauw fumble gave Denison the ball on the DePauw 38 and, 10 plays later, Pat Kramer booted a 24-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the half for the Big Red's lone points of the half.
Hyatt intercepted Dawkins on the first play of the second half and returned it to the Denison 8. The drive stalled, but Sullivan connected on a 33-yard field goal.
Denison's only touchdown of the afternoon came on the next drive, as the Big Red covered 84 yards in nine plays with Andrew Blanchard scoring on a 1-yard run to cut the DePauw lead to 20-10 with 9:02 remaining in the third.
The teams exchanged punts the rest of the quarter before Sam Secrest picked off Andries at the DePauw 45 early in the fourth after Clay Denstorff tipped the ball at the line of scrimmage. DePauw's defense held, Kramer's 46-yard field goal try was short and the Tigers took over on their own 29.
Andries carried for two yards on first down and then connected with Trey Shaw over the middle and Shaw outran the Big Red secondary for a 69-yard score, which pushed the lead to 27-10 with 11:19 left.
Denison drove to the DePauw 12 on its next possession, but the Tigers' defense held and the offense ran out the final 6:04 to seal the win.
DePauw outgained Denison, 407-252, and held the NCAC's top rushing attack to just 118 yards on the ground.
Gus Baumgartner topped the 100-yard rushing plateau for the third-straight week after running for a career-high 124 yards on 20 carries. Andries completed 17 of 23 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns, while Quigley hauled in career bests of six catches for 70 yards.
Trey Fabrocini rushed for 47 yards in nine tries, while Dawkins completed 15 of 30 for 134 yards. DJ Johnson led with five catches for 61 yards.
Luke Marsh led the defense with 12 tackles and Evens Cribs followed with eight. The Tigers recorded three sacks against an offense that had allowed just one this season. Brevon Gude totaled two and Joe Zanca added the other.
Ryan Hallinan paced the Big Red with 12 tackles and Jeff Moore added eight. Joey Muncie paced the team with two sacks and Denstorff had one.
DePauw can wrap up the outright NCAC title and the automatic qualification into the NCAA Championship with a win next Saturday against Oberlin. Kickoff from Nick Mourouzis Field at Blackstock Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
NOTES
DePauw has now won its last 11 last games against Division III opponents and its last nine NCAC games, with the last loss coming at Denison on Nov. 2, 2019
The win was the Tigers' ninth straight at Blackstock Stadium, marking the longest streak since DePauw won 25 in a row at home from 1980 to 1985
Brett Dietz's 9-1 start to his DePauw coaching career marks the best record after 10 games since Nick Mourouzis led the 1981 Tigers to a 9-1 mark in his first season
Joe Sullivan has made all 30 of his point-after attempts and is 9-of-11 in field goal tries
The Tigers have kicked at least one field goal in all eight games this year
Dylan Hyatt's five interceptions this season are the most by a Tiger since Brooks Hepp picked off six in 2016
DePauw has intercepted at least one pass in each game this year and entered today's contest ranked third in Division III in turnover margin (+2.0), seventh in interceptions and 10th in turnovers gained
Gus Baumgartner's three consecutive 100-yard rushing games are the first for a DePauw player since Jeremiah Marks did it in 2005
With 277 yards of offense today, Chase Andries passed Jeff Voris (1986-89) and into third place in DePauw history with 5,804
Andries passed Bernie Haskins (1995-97) and moved into sixth on DePauw's career passing yards list with 4,716
DePauw's NCAC title is the first conference championship since 2010 when the Tigers won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference