Last weekend saw plenty of exciting action across the college football landscape. Here is a recap of some games that might have flownunder your radar.
The Denison University Big Red dominated the visiting Quakers of Earlham College, jumping to a 21-0 first quarter lead and never looking back, notching a 51-28 win.
Brandon Sklenar, in his first career start at quarterback for Denison, completed 16 of 22 passes for 196 yards and tossed a pair of touchdowns. Sklenar completed a 49-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DuShawn Brown on the Big Red’s second offensive play.
On the ensuing drive, Denison linebacker Joel Elliott intercepted Quakers’ quarterback Matt Couch on Earlham’s second play from scrimmage. It was the first of four Big Red interceptions on the day and set up a 20-yard Sklenar touchdown run.
Denison (1-0) plays Hiram College (1-0) in Granville this week. Earlham (0-1) plays at home in Richmond, Ind., against Kenyon College (1-0).
In Delaware, Ohio, Mason Espinosa threw for 322 yards and a touchdown to lead the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan University to a 37-20 win over the visiting Beavers of Bluffton University.
Running back Scott Jenkins led the Bishops’ ground game with 93 yards and a touchdown as Ohio Wesleyan racked up 190 total rushing yards. Linebacker Josh Runda led the Bishops’ defense, tallying 13 total tackles as part of an OWU defense that kept Bluffton to 281 offensive yards.
Ohio Wesleyan (1-0) next plays Sept. 21 at Kenyon College (1-0) in Gambier, Ohio, while Bluffton (0-1) this week plays at home in Bluffton, Ohio, against Baldwin-Wallace University (0-0).
In Sewanee, Tenn., Sewanee: The University of the South edged past the visiting Tigers of DePauw University, 10-7.
In this defensive struggle, the Sewanee Tigers netted 275 yards of total offense to DePauw’s 254 yards. After fumbling on their own 49-yard line late in the fourth quarter, Sewanee defensive back Quentin Jones intercepted DePauw quarterback Justin Murray to stop a late drive.
DePauw (0-1) plays Wittenberg University (0-1) on Sept. 21 in Greencastle, Ind., while Sewanee (1-0) travels to Salem, Ore., to take on Willamette University (1-0).
Willamette last week scored touchdowns on its first two kickoff returns in a 64-34 win over Hardin-Simmons University (0-1). That included a 94-yard return from running back Terrell Malley on the opening kickoff.
Wittenberg lost 49-24 last week to Butler University, a member of the Pioneer Football League of the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Lindy’s 2013 College Football Preview and The Sporting News both included Wittenberg in the top 10 of their NCAA Division III preseason polls.
In Berry College’s inaugural football game, the Vikings fell 37-0 to the visiting Scots of Maryville College (1-0). Berry (0-1) hosts the LaGrange College JV squad on Sunday while Maryville (1-0) travels to Emory, Va., for a Saturday showdown with Emory & Henry College (1-0).
Note: Stats and game recaps were compiled from information provided by the aforementioned universities’ athletic departments.
