Saturday's intense matchup between the DePauw football team and the Austin College Kangaroos finished in a 21-17 win for the Tigers. It was a battle in the trenches, marked by which team could make the least amount of penalties and physicality on the line of scrimmage.
The game was the sixth and final road contest for DePauw this season. The defense won the game in the fourth quarter on a goal line stand after a DePauw fumble that put Austin within the DePauw 10-yard line, down only four points.
The Kangaroos could not convert for the touchdown and quarterback Noah Jesko's fourth down try was incomplete, giving the Tigers a close win over their former SCAC rivals.
"We started out slow but made plays down the line," said senior quarterback Will King, who managed a touchdown drive. "Towards the end of the game we were really able to impose our will up front and grind out that clock."
Both teams have endured injuries throughout the year and both showed similar shotgun-oriented rushing and passing sets. Austin and DePauw were fighting throughout the game on the line of scrimmage, often times resulting in physical confrontations, late-hit penalties and aggressive offensive plays.
The physicality was exemplified most when Austin strong safety Sean Sweeny committed a late hit on DePauw receiver Taylor Wagner after a short pass skipped incomplete. The hit took place five seconds after the play ended, resulting in a 15-yard penalty and a DePauw first down. Sweeny would later commit an almost identical late hit, this time exacting his anger on DePauw All-American offensive lineman Lewis Brown. Sweeny was promptly removed from the game by Austin head coach Loren Dawson.
"It's just part of the game. Players were competing," said freshman wide receiver D.J. Steward. "But we didn't make a big deal out of it and kept playing."
Despite Austin having been outscored 73-3 in their previous six games in the first quarter, DePauw was down early 7-0 after the first, and would trail 10-7 at the half before a strong second half.
"On offense we did well but have little things to work on," Steward said. "We should be ready by Wabash."
In light of early deficits, the young Tiger team has gained traction lately, starting with last week's 34-10 win against Ohio Wesleyan University.
"Winning the game the way we did is going to help our guys," said DePauw defensive coordinator Scott Srnka. "You have to learn how to win and DePauw's been winning for a lot of years. Sometimes when those young guys are thrown into it, they don't know how to win."
Despite losing Taylor Wagner and quarterback Drew Seaman to injury, DePauw hung tough throughout, headed by a balanced running attack with Armani Cato, Jeremiah Morgan and Nikko Sansone, enhanced by a solid performance from King.
Seaman will likely be the starter at quarterback again next week after being hit hard during the game. Wagner's status is questionable after spraining his ankle. The Tigers look to hit the .500 mark with a win Saturday against Albion College, before finishing the 2011 season with the Monon Bell Classic at home against Wabash College.