Pella, Iowa - DePauw jumped out to a 13-0 first-quarter lead in its season-opening game at Central, but the Dutch scored four unanswered touchdowns for a 28-13 halftime lead on the way to a 45-19 win over the Tigers. Central moved to 2-0 with the win, while the Tigers are 0-1.

Noah Jones reached paydirt on a 2-yard run just 6:59 into the season to cap a 7-play, 50-yard drive. A failed extra-point left the Tigers with a 6-0 lead. A Central fumble on a punt on its next series gave the Tigers the ball at the Dutch 39. DePauw needed just six plays before Jones again scored from the 2. Jack Brush's point-after lifted the Tigers' advantage to 13-0.

After gaining just 38 yards in its first three possessions, Central scored on all four of its remaining drives of the half and held a 299-134 total offense edge at the intermission. A key moment of the half came after the Dutch took a 14-13 lead and forced the Tigers into a three-and-out on the next series. Central's Hunter Robinson returned Ty Johnson's punt 39 yards to the DePauw 21 and two plays later the hosts extended their lead on Blaine Hawkins' 1-yard run.

DePauw regrouped and put together a 10-play, 75-yard series to open the second half that included 5-of-6 passing from Chase Andries including the final 10 yards to Will Harris. The extra-point attempt was blocked and DePauw trailed 28-19.

The Dutch responded with a 75-yard drive of their own capped by Hawkins' 33-yard scoring pass to Hunter Robinson to make it 35-19 with 7:48 left in the third. 

Jon Alberts tacked on a 38-yard field goal later in the third and Cameron Bannister wrapped up the scoring with a 12-yard run late in the fourth.

Central outgained DePauw 519-255 including 199-64 on the ground and held a 26-19 edge in first downs. 

Jones paced DePauw with 44 rushing yards, while Andries completed 18 of 29 passes for 183 yards with one TD and no interceptions. Harris hauled in eight catches for 60 yards.

Jason Hopp led Central with 55 rushing yards with Bannister adding 54 and Hawkins 50. Hawkins completed 23 of 34 passes for 320 yards with three scores and one interception. Tanner Schminke had seven catches for 119 yards.

Nathan Seifert led the DePauw defense with 12 tackles, while Connor Perkins followed with 11 stops and Josh Pottebaum 10. Brody Gude had the team's lone sack and Josh Coons intercepted a pass for the Tigers.

Connor Lewin and Drew Smith each had eight tackles for Central with four different Dutch players totaling one sack each.

DePauw travels to Kenyon on Saturday, September 21, for a Noon kickoff in the North Coast Athletic Conference opener.