SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Host Wittenberg, ranked 11th in the most recent American Football Coaches Association poll, rolled to a 49-15 win over the Gators at Edwards-Maurer Field.

After a touchdown early in the second quarter brought the Gators to within six points, Wittenberg scored four unanswered touchdowns over the second and third quarter to pull away for the decisive victory.

The Tigers (6-0, 5-0 NCAC) rolled up 521 yards of total offense, including 273 on the ground, to defeat Allegheny (2-4, 1-4 NCAC) for the ninth straight season.

Allegheny totaled 279 yards through the air, as Logan Lee completed 22 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown.  However, the stout Wittenberg defense stifled the Allegheny ground game, as the Gators rushed for a season-low 55 yards.

On the opening drive of the game, Wittenberg held Allegheny on third-and-one to take over at their own 27 yardline.  Aided by a pair of penalties, including a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct call, the Tigers quickly took the lead, closing out a 7-play, 73-yard drive with a 29-yard touchdown run by DuShawn Sarley with just over nine minutes left in the opening quarter.

The Tigers again scored on their second possession of the day, this time on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jake Kennedy to Liam Duncan, to open up a 14-0 lead with five minutes left in the quarter. 

Allegheny ended the opening frame driving, with a 12-yard pass from Lee to Ben Bachik followed by a 12-yard scamper from Alex Victor, to set up first down inside the 50 to close the quarter.  Two plays later, Lee connected with Victor for a 27-yard touchdown pass, and the two-point conversion pass from Jared Shaw to Tristan Rhoades was successful, cutting the deficit to 14-8 with 14:16 left in the half.

After forcing Wittenberg to punt on the ensuing possession, the Gators went back to work, and looked primed to tie the score.  Three Lee completions, highlighted by a 43-yarder to Rhoades, set up first down inside the Wittenberg 20.  The drive would abruptly stall, however, as a second down pass from Lee was intercepted.  The Tigers made the Gators pay for the miscue, as a long run from Sarley set up a one-yard touchdown plunge from Ryan Fallon to put the hosts up 21-8 with 6:20 left in the half.

With a minute left in the half, Wittenberg would add to its lead, as Kennedy and Sarley hooked up for a 46-yard touchdown pass to make the score 28-8, which is how it would stand at the intermission.

The Tigers kept the momentum to open up the third quarter, with Kennedy finding Duncan for a 62-yard touchdown just 75 seconds into the second half.   

After the two teams would trade punts, Allegheny took possession with 11:24 left in the quarter, and matriculated down the field on what looked to be a promising drive.  The Gators picked up five first downs, converting on two third downs and one fourth down, to advance the ball inside the Wittenberg 30 after Lee's 11-yard completion to Victor.  Three plays later, facing fourth-and-six, Lee hit Victor for a short completion, but the sophomore was stopped just short of the first down marker, and Wittenberg took over.

Again, the Tigers used a big play to add to their lead, as Jaheem Washington ran for a 55-yard touchdown to give Wittenberg the commanding 42-8 lead with just over a minute left in the third quarter.

On their second trip of the fourth quarters, the Gators would finally find the scoreboard once again.  Taking over at their own 20 following a Wittenberg punt, Lee completed a 23-yard pass to Austin French, followed by a 27-yard completion to Ben Bachik, to move inside the Wittenberg 25.  A 10-yard pass to Rhoades would set up first and goal at the Wittenberg 3, before French closed out the scoring drive with his first career rushing touchdown, making the score 42-15 with 6:52 left to play.

Wittenberg quickly would answer back, scoring the game's final touchdown on a 30-yard run from Washington with 3:51 left to close the day's scoring.

Bachik was the Gators' leading receiver on the day, making eight catches for 97 yards.  Victor added 71 yards on six receptions, while Dwaine Barber made four catches for 25 yards.  Tyler Balla led the Gators with 39 rushing yards.

Defensively, Chase Balla and Keith Means each made five tackles, while Colten Buzard finished with four, including a sack to push his team-leading total to 6.5 on the season.

Kennedy led the Wittenberg offense, as he completed 16 of 20 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns.  The Tigers produced a pair of 100-yard rushers, as Washington gained 131 yards on 11 tries, and Sarley 124 yards on nine carries.

The Gators will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 21, welcoming NCAC foe Kenyon to Frank B. Fuhrer Field for a 1 p.m. Homecoming bout.