The Tigers prepare for their rematch against Denision University.
CHRISTA SCHROEDEL / THE DEPAUW
Flashback to 2013: the last time the Tigers faced Denison University.
The Tigers jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead. Blew that.
Had a seven point lead at halftime. Blew that as well.
Then proceeded to allow 21 points in the third quarter and were outscored 28-0 in the final 30 minutes of the game.
“We cut down on mistakes,” Denison offensive coordinator Austin Holter said. “We also got a few big plays, and our defense stepped up to help us come away with a win.”
Now it’s time for the Tigers (2-1, 1-1) and Big Red (2-2, 1-2) to face off again, this time, however, one program seems to be on the rise, while the other is experiencing some struggles.
After a seven win season a year ago that included six conference victories, the Big Red already have two North Coast Athletic Conference losses on their record to Hiram College and Wabash College.
On the other side, however, a common theme is beginning to rise for DePauw football in 2014: opponents that faced the Tigers last year are finding them to be a little bit more of a challenge.
DePauw's two wins this season came from teams that defeated them last season; the Tigers even stayed competitive in their loss to Wittenberg University, a team that defeated them 45-0 last season.
“Dennison is a good team on both sides of the ball but we are fully prepared to take them on come two o'clock Saturday afternoon,” junior Amen Galley said.
Denison comes to Greencastle for an Old Gold Weekend matchup that comes at a critical point for both programs. Both schools have NCAC losses already on their record, and another could severely hurt their chances of making a postseason run.
“Every game is important, but we try not to focus that far ahead on what it means for us in the big picture,” Holter said. “For us, it's just about the week at hand. This week, that means putting forth our best effort to try and beat a very tough Depauw team.”
“A win is huge,” DePauw’s sophomore quarterback Matt Hunt said. “They beat us last year. We're at home this year and we feel like we are better, but we still haven't been firing from all cylinders. We aren't going to be 100% on every play, but we need to keep the momentum we have going.”
Sophomore quarterback Matt Hunt proved that the Big Red secondary was vulnerable when he torched them for 217 yards and two touchdowns in only his second collegiate start last season. The problem for the Tigers lies in the stout rush defense Denison has assembled.
In their meeting last year, the Tigers were held to only 80 yards on the ground and coughed up the ball once. Junior Amen Galley, who is expected to start at tailback, rushed the ball only four times for 14 yards.
“We have to do a better job of time of possession,” Hunt said. “The defense has been playing really well and getting off the field and we need to return the favor and have drives and put up points. When we put up points it adds an incentive for the defense to get a stop.”
Keeping the Big Red offense off of the field will be crucial if the Tigers want to stay in the game. In all four of their contests this year, Denison has scored more than 30 points.
They will meet a DePauw defense fresh off of their first shutout in a half decade. Through three games, the Tigers are averaging 10 points allowed per game.
“We know they are very solid across the board,” Holter said about the Tigers. “When you break them down by position, I think they have capable players all across their defense, and we think we are up against a tough challenge.”
In the past few years, however, it's Denison who come away victorious. Since DePauw joined the NCAC, Denison has a pair of wins agains the Tigers by a total of 40 points. The Big Red also holds a 5-2 record in the overall series.
Aside from recent history, this season’s matchup has at least a little more intrigue than in years past.