 Senior Nate Boulais led the Wabash defensive effort until he was injured just before halftime. |
The Little Giant defense held the nation's leading rusher to just 42 yards and Wabash won its 15th consecutive game in a 42-22 home field victory over the College of Wooster. The 15 wins matches the school's longest winning streak.
The 10th ranked Wabash football team improved to 8-0 on the season and 6-0 in North Coast Athletic Conference play, securing at least a tie for the league championship with one game to play.
Wabash plays at Hiram next week. A win would give the Little Giants their first outright NCAC championship in any sport and would propel them into the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Hype for Tony Sutton, Wooster's excellent running back, and Jake Knott, Wabash's all-time leading passer, dominated pre-game conversations.
Sutton was held to just 42 yards on 18 carries—almost 150 yards below his season average—and did not play in the second half.
Knott passed for just 153 yards, but threw three early touchdown passes to help Wabash jump out in front 35-0 in the first half. Knott rushed for 74 yards and even recovered an onside kick late in the game.
The Wabash defense blocked two punts, one of which was recovered for a touchdown by Tamarco White, and intercepted two passes. One interception came on the game's second play and set up an 11-yard Knott to Ryan Short touchdown pass.
Wabash running back Chris Morris led all ground gainers with 104 yards and two touchdowns. Morris now has 1,069 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns on the season, and became only the 10th player in Wabash history to gain over 2,000 career yards.
Matt Piechocki and Josh Bronaugh each caught touchdown passes for the Little Giants.
Rookie Aaron Selby led all tacklers with 13 stops, including a sack, while Dustin Deno made two interceptions. Linebacker Nick Fanelli had 11 tackles and tackle Blair Hammer had nine hits.
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