The Tigers (1-2) will head into their first home game of the season off a 24-14 loss to the Rhodes College Lynx, a team which had been outscored 110-28 in its first two games, both losses.
DePauw will battle the Centre College Colonels (3-0) Saturday at Blackstock Stadium.
But to emerge victorious, the team will need to play defense the way it used to, according to head coach Robbie Long.
DePauw struggled against the Lynx with the passing attack, gaining only 203 yards combined through the air off quarterbacks Ethan Schweir, a senior, and Jackson Kirtley, a sophomore.
"We had our moments where we were moving the ball," Long said. "But either because of a penalty or just a bad play, we set ourselves back on offense."
The Tigers started out the first half against Rhodes in a defensive gridlock, with neither team able to create consistent offensive drives, despite several instances of excellent starting field position. The Tigers were down 0-7 after the first half after an 80-yard touchdown pass from Rhodes senior quarterback Brett Stoots to fullback Dane Wilson. Stoots, the third string quarterback on the Rhodes depth chart, started the game and threw for 342 yards on 29-46 completions, with two touchdowns, despite giving up three consecutive turnovers in the first half.
"We knew what we were getting into going into that game," Long said. "But we didn't expect [Rhodes] would run the ball as much as they did."
Rhodes dominated the second half. Deep in the fourth quarter, they had a 17-0 advantage over the Tigers. Rhodes sealed the game for good in the waning minutes via a 20-yard run from Dane Wilson.
DePauw quarterback Ethan Schweir left the game with an ACL tear midway through the fourth quarter, leaving sophomore Jackson Kirtley as DePauw's new starting quarterback.
"Ethan is out for the season," Long said. "For a guy like Ethan who has been patient and waited for his turn on his senior year, it's unfortunate."
Kirtley and the DePauw offense will have their hands full on Saturday against an undefeated Centre College squad, coming off a 45-0 victory over Austin College.
Centre hasn't scored fewer than 38 points this season, led by quarterback Tyler Osterman who has thrown just one interception on the campaign and is a leading rusher for the Colonels.
"Centre's going to line you up and punch you in the mouth until you stop them," Long said. "[Osterman] is an efficient quarterback, and they have the two best running backs we have seen to this point."
Long led DePauw to a 21-16 victory over Centre last season.
The Tigers will also have to clean up their defense if they want to effectively halt Centre's offensive plans.
"We have to get back to playing defense the way we did the first couple weeks," Long said. "We take pride in stopping the run and forcing the pass, and last week we didn't do that."
DePauw will be looking to get back to .500 in its first home game of the season this weekend. The following week the Tigers will have their second bye week of the campaign, a result of their independent status in transition to the North Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Saturday game will be broadcast live on WGRE 91.5 at 1 p.m.