MEADVILLE, Pa. - In a battle of prolific offenses, visiting Denison showcased its propensity for the big play in defeating Allegheny 62-26 in a North Coast Athletic Conference matchup at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.

The host Gators (1-2, 0-2 NCAC) gained 472 yards of total offense, their highest single-game output since 2011, but the visiting Big Red rode the hot hand of quarterback Canaan Gebele to roll up 746 yards, including 479 through the air. Five of Denison's touchdowns covered 30 or more yards, with Gebele and Malik Webster connecting on touchdown strikes of 60 and 72 yards, both in the second quarter.

Gator junior quarterback Logan Lee also turned in a prolific showing in defeat, completing 24 of 37 passes for a career-high 317 yards and two touchdowns, marking the first 300-yard passing game for a Gator signal caller since Oct. 15, 2011, when Jordan Fowler threw for 311. 

Junior Tristan Rhoades hauled in both of Lee's touchdown passes, the first two TD grabs of the converted safety's career, while he notched career-highs with eight receptions and 139 yards.  Fellow third-year Tyler Balla also scored a pair of touchdowns, and reached the century mark on the ground for the first time this season, amassing 108 yards on 20 carries.  

Denison found the scoreboard first in the opening quarter, using a pair of big plays to cap off a four-play, 70-yard scoring drive, as Cody Farley's 33-yard run set up Charlie Mueller's 35-yard touchdown pass from Gebele to make it 7-0. 

The Gators answered with a long scoring march, kept alive early by a 45-yard connection from Lee to Alex Victor on third-and-12 that set up first down inside Denison's 30.  Following an eight-yard pass to Rhoades and an 11-yard run by Balla, the Gaors had first-and-goal, and tied the score on Balla's first score of the day on a plunge from less than one yard out with 6:11 left in the quarter.

Denison wasted little time in regaining the lead, needing just three plays to cover 73 yards and go in front 14-7 on a 30-yard run from Alex Minton with 4:42 remaining.  

On the Big Red's opening possession of the second quarter, the Gator tandem of Jahnaaman Boone and Marcus Davenport came up with a stop on a Gebele on fourth-and-one to take over on downs on the Allegheny 22.  Four completions from Lee and a trio of runs by Balla brought the ball inside the Denison 30, but a fumble on the Gators' fourth down attempt gave the ball back to the Big Red on their own 29 yardline.  Just one play later, Denison made it a two-score game when Gebele and Webster hooked up for a 72-yard touchdown with 10:15 left in the half.

The Gators used another long drive to cut into the deficit. An eight-yard completion from Lee to Yhostin Diaz on third down kept the drive alive, before Lee found Rhoades for 34 yards to move the ball to the Denison 25.  A pair of runs from Balla, capped off with a burst up the middle from 12 yards out, would then pull Allegheny to within 21-13 with just over six minutes left until the break.

Denison would pull away, scoring touchdowns on its final two possessions of the second quarter, including a 60-yard pass from Gebele to Webster, and a 13-yard run from Farley, to take a 34-13 lead at the break.

The Big Red picked up right where they left off to begin the third quarter, piecing together a nine-play, 75-yard drive to take a 41-13 lead on a four-yard touchdown run from Josh Shackleford.

Allegheny's first possession of the second half was also productive.  Completions from Lee to Brandon Sellers and Austin French set up first down near midfield, before Lee found Rhoades for 22 yards to bring it to the Denison 20. A pair of runs from Jake Wilson set up first and goal, before Lee hit Rhoades for a four-yard scoring strike to make it 41-20 at the midway point of the third quarter.

The teams would trade scoreless possessions, before Gebele took a quarterback keeper 80 yards to make it a 48-20 lead with 1:49 left in the quarter.  The Gators wasted little time to counter, as their first play of the ensuing drive resulted in a 65-yard touchdown pass from Lee to Rhoades to cut the deficit to three touchdowns in the closing minute of the third quarter.

The Gators would get no closer, however, while the Big Red scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away.

Lee completed passes to 10 different receivers on the afternoon, with French picking up season-highs with six receptions and 60 yards, and Jared Shaw three for 36.  

Three different Denison receivers topped the 100-yard mark, as David Weimar made eight catches for 120 yards, Charlie Mueller seven for 133, and Webster four for 157.  Gebele completed 22 of 30 passes for 402 yards, while Farley gained a game-high 113 rushing yards on five tries.

Jonah Tanner led Allegheny's defense with eight tackles, including one for a three-yard loss, while Chase Balla and Craye Nehler made six tackles apiece.

The Gators will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 23, traveling to Delaware, Ohio to face NCAC foe Ohio Wesleyan beginning at 1 p.m.