Gambier, Ohio - DePauw held Kenyon to just 86 yards of offense with 52 coming on a first-quarter pass and the 22nd-ranked Tigers prevailed for a 31-3 North Coast Athletic Conference victory. The Tigers improved to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the NCAC, while the Owls dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-3 in league play.
The Tigers took the opening kickoff and drove 73 yards in just six plays with quarterback
Scott Ballentine scoring on a 15-yard run.
Kenyon's first offensive play went for 52 yards on a pass from Drew Morgan to Joey Tramontana to take the Owls to the DePauw 21. The drive stalled after
Nehemiah Dau sacked Morgan on third down. Tyler Bell's 40-yard field goal made it 7-3 with 9:54 left in the first.
The teams traded interceptions before Ballentine fumbled on a sack by Michael Kerr that Kerr also recovered. Kenyon wasn't able to capitalize as Bell missed on a 36-yard field goal try.
DePauw pushed the lead to 14-3 later in the second as Ballentine and
Carter Foran teamed for a 24-yard score with 3:39 remaining in the half.
Dominic Simpson returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards to the Kenyon 18, but the Tigers'
Toreeq Jimoh-Oyesigi picked off Morgan on third down to end the threat. DePauw then drove as deep as the Kenyon 18, but
Jacob Hein missed on a 41-yard field goal attempt.
Neither team scored in the third, but DePauw totaled 17 in the final stanza.
Jack Kazmierczak came off the bench at quarterback for the Tigers and drove DePauw 55 yards in five plays before tossing a 24-yard scoring pass to
Gray Schmittel with 12:01 left.
A three-and-out by the defense and a 15-yard punt return by Schmittel gave DePauw the ball on the Kenyon 44. The Tigers drove to the Kenyon 3 and
Alex Gibbs connected on a 22-yard field goal to make it 24-3 with 7:20 remaining.
Another three-and-out by the Tigers' defense and DePauw took over again on the Kenyon 44. Five plays later Kazmierczak teamed with
Logan Shoffner for a 12-yard score to push the lead to 31-3 with 2:38 remaining.
Ballentine connected on 15-of-29 passes for 179 yards with one touchdown and one interception while Kazmierczak completed 8-of-11 for 91 yards with two touchdowns. Ballentine and
Carson Johnson each rushed for 43 yards with
Luke Dockery catching eight passes for 88 yards and Foran totaling six receptions for 75 yards.
Morgan completed 13-of-31 passes for 131 yards with two interceptions. Tramontana caught two for 66 yards.
Joey Fico and
Robert Pasinato each had five tackles in the win with
Vince Chappuis finishing with three of DePauw's six sacks.
Simpson, Trey Blazevich and Andrew Cooney each had six tackles for the Owls. Simpson and Kerr had one sack apiece.
DePauw outgained Kenyon, 350-86, including 270-131 through the air. The Tigers also held the Owls to minus-45 rushing yards and held a 26-6 advantage in first downs.
The Tigers host Oberlin on Saturday, Oct. 3, in a 1 p.m. Old Gold Day and Senior Day contest.
