DePauw Gridders Move to 8-0 for First Time in Program History
DePauw's defense limited visiting Birmingham-Southern to season lows in points and total offense as the Tigers moved to 8-0 for the first time in school history with a 30-23 victory over the Panthers. Birmingham-Southern dropped to 5-3 with the loss.
The Tigers took a 3-0 lead on the game's first series as Eric Malm booted a 34-yard field goal with 10:29 left in the first, but the lead was short-lived as the Panthers' Andrew Shannon picked off Michael Engle on DePauw's next possession and returned it 27 yards for a score with 7:57 remaining in the first.
DePauw closed the gap to 7-5 as the Tigers' Robby Schuler blocked Kyle Sebestyen's punt and Sebestyen pounced on it in the end zone for a safety. On the second play of the ensuing free kick, Engle tossed a 68-yard scoring pass to all-America receiver Alex Koors giving DePauw a 12-7 lead with 2:18 left in the first.
The Panthers closed the gap to 12-10 with 9:21 left in the second when Ryan Laughlin kicked a 25-yard field goal. Jon Ellis' 15-yard run and Malm's career-long 47-yard field goal pushed DePauw's lead to 22-10 at the intermission.
Chase Childers' 2-yard run on the Panthers' first series of the second half closed the gap to 22-16 before the Tigers expanded the lead to 30-16 on Ellis' 2-yard run with 2:57 remaining in the third and Engle's 2-point conversion pass to Brody Schoen.
Walter Arrington's 9-yard run with 4:51 left in the contest closed the margin to 30-23, but the Tigers were able to run out the clock on offense.
DePauw outgained Birmingham-Southern 378-255, and held a 316-76 edge through the air. Ellis rushed for 73 yards on 16 tries and two scores.
Engle completed 26-of-41 for 316 yards with Koors catching eight for 148 yards. Koors has caught at least one touchdown pass in every game this season and has caught at least one pass in all 37 games in which he's played. Brayden Dahlstrom caught six for 42 yards.
Arrington rushed for 141 yards in 18 carries, while Jimmy Stainback and Childers combined to complete 4-of-11 for 76 yards.
Jonathan Lambert paced the DePauw defense with eight tackles, while Ryan Preuss and Kyle Sherer each had seven. The Tigers totaled seven tackles for loss with Preuss and Sherer each finishing with two.
Dustin Massey led the Panthers with 12 tackles, while Shannon added nine. Birmingham-Southern recorded five tackles for loss.
The Tigers wrap up the home portion of the regular season next Saturday when they host Austin at 1 p.m. With a win, DePauw would capture its fourth Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference title and first outright championship. The Panthers travel to Rhodes next Saturday.
