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September 19, 2009, Greencastle, Ind. —  Centre took a 34-3 lead into the fourth before 20th-ranked DePauw scored three times to close the gap to 10, but the Colonels prevailed, 34-24, in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference opener for both schools.

DePauw dropped to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the SCAC, while the Colonels improved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

The Tigers drove to the Colonels' 36 on game's first possession but quarterback Spud Dick, who entered the game with a streak of 160 straight passes without an interception, was picked off by Matt Mazzanti at the Centre 25 and he returned it all the way for a score. Alex Fitch blocked the point-after attempt and Centre held the 6-0 lead with 12:30 left in the first.

Centre made it 14-0 on Jonathan Pinque's 1-yard run with 2:05 remaining in the first. That score was set up by Tyler Osterman's 37-yard pass to Nick Edwards on the previous play. Osterman then ran it in for the two-point conversion.

Ethan Schweir put the Tigers on the board with a 24-yard field goal after Taylor Wagner recovered a Centre fumbled punt return four plays earlier.

The Colonels responded with a 9-play, 73-yard drive culminating with Osterman's 22-yard strike to Jordan Albright which lifted Centre's margin to 21-3 with 5:10 left in the half.

Brian Hodge picked off Dick on the third play of DePauw's next series and Pinque scored from one yard out on fourth-and-goal. The point-after was off the mark and Centre held a 27-3 lead. The Tigers drove to the Centre 27, but Dick was picked off at the Colonels' 17 and Centre ran out the clock.

The teams played a scoreless third, but Centre pushed the lead to 34-3 on Osterman's 43-yard pass to Edwards on the second play of the fourth quarter. The Colonels started the drive at the DePauw 43 after Albright returned a punt 25 yards.

On DePauw's next possession, Dick completed a pair of passes to the Centre 21, but was hit on the second and forced to leave the game. Michael Engle drove the Tigers to the Centre 4, but his fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

DePauw's Matt Johnson then recovered a Centre fumble three plays later and Jon Ellis scored on a 1-yard run to make it 34-10 with 9:36 left.

Ryan Woodard recovered a fumble at the Centre 45 on the Colonels' next series and, on the next play, Engle teamed with Alex Koors for a 45-yard score. The pair then connected for the two-point conversion closing the Centre lead to 34-18 with 6:38 remaining.

Following a Centre punt, Engle completed 8-of-12 passes with the last covering the final 20 yards to Koors to close the gap to 34-24 with 3:25 left. The two-point try failed.

Centre recovered the ensuing onside kick, but couldn't pick up a first down and DePauw took over at its own 39 with 2:28 left. Engle drove the Tigers to the Centre 3, but Brian Sneed intercepted a pass at the goal line and ended the threat.

DePauw outgained Centre, 395-367, after Centre held a 298-149 edge heading into the fourth quarter. Dick completed 19-of-34 for 155 yards, while Engle was 14-of-24 for 196 yards and two scores.

Brayden Dahlstrom caught a career-high 10 passes for 73 yards, while Koors caught six for 146 yards. Bryan Mulligan hauled in five for 49 yards and pushed his career receiving yards to 1,907 which ranks fifth in school history. Mulligan's 168 career receptions is tied for third all-time with JaMarcus Shephard (2001-04). The Tigers totaled just 44 rushing yards in 15 tries with Ellis totaling 21.

Osterman completed 22-of-33 for 286 yards and a pair of scores with Albright catching eight for 56 and Edwards finishing with four for 91 yards. The Colonels totaled just 81 rushing yards in 44 attempts with Pinque leading the way with 58 yards and two scores.

Adam Hawkins led the DePauw defense with 11 tackles, while Thomas Wrona and Johnson each had eight. Sneed led Centre with 11 tackles with Jimmie Warren and Zach Sloan each adding eight.

DePauw travels to Sewanee on Saturday, September 26, for a 1:30 p.m. CDT contest.

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