Patrick Johnson

The College of Wooster will begin its 2014 North Coast Athletic Conference season at an amped-up Oberlin College (1-1, 1-0 NCAC) this Saturday night, Sept. 20, as the Yeomen play their first game at the 3,000-seat Austin E. Knowlton Athletics Complex. It will mark the school's first home night football game, and it is also Homecoming weekend at Oberlin. Wooster is looking to improve on its season-opening setback to perennial power Washington & Jefferson College, while Oberlin, under first-year head coach Jay Anderson, hopes to keep the momentum going from a 47-28 league win at Kenyon College last week. The Fighting Scots and Yeomen will kickoff at 7 p.m. EDT.

On the Air: Wooster's football games are broadcast each week by commercial radio station WKVX 960 AM and are streamed live on wkvx.com.

Also, Oberlin will be providing a live video stream of the game at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/oberlin/.

All-Time Series: Wooster has played Oberlin more often than any other opponent, but the series is very one-sided with the Scots owning a 66-22-2 advantage. Since 1986, Wooster has emerged victorious in 23 of 24, including a 16-game win streak (1986-2002). On Oct. 11, 2003, the Yeomen upset a then-No. 13 ranked Wooster team 14-7.

Conference Openers: Since becoming one of the charter members of the NCAC in 1984, Wooster is an even 15-15 in conference openers. The Scots had a six-game winning streak in such games from 2000-05 and have won 12 of the last 18 overall.

Season Opener: On Sept. 6, Wooster opened up an early lead on Washington & Jefferson and was within a touchdown of the perennial NCAA Div. III postseason participants at halftime (24-17), but the Presidents held the upper hand during the first few possessions of the second half and pulled away to a 51-17 decision in the teams' season opener at a rainy Cameron Stadium in Washington, Pa.

Despite the eventual setback for the Scots, guided by second-year coach Frank Colaprete, it was still a significant improvement to last year's match-up when Washington & Jefferson opened up a 42-14 halftime lead en route to a 37-point triumph.

Wooster accounted for the opening 10 points. Following two stops by the defense, the Scots hit for a big play as Richard Barnes (Painesville, Ohio / Harvey) found Darrian Owens (Wooster, Ohio / Wooster) down the middle of the field for a 61-yard touchdown strike and 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

A third defensive stop, this one a three-and-out, allowed Wooster to take over near midfield, and on its next offensive snap Barnes and Owens hooked up for a 40-yard gain to get inside the red zone. The Scots eventually had to settle for a 20-yard field goal by freshman Trevor Bowden (Eatonton, Ga. / Gatewood Schools).

It remained 10-0 until Washington & Jefferson marched to a 10-play, 79-yard touchdown drive on its fifth possession, which ended early in the second quarter.

Wooster answered right back, covering 77 yards in seven plays, capped by a Barnes-to-Owens touchdown connection from 29 yards away to make it 17-7 with 10:52 before half.

From there, the momentum shifted dramatically and quickly to the hosts as they gained the lead just 3:55 later. The Presidents went 65 yards in five offensive plays for a touchdown, then, after a Scot interception, had to go just 15 yards for another and a 21-17 advantage.

The Scots' defense bounced back with a Mitchell Czerniak (Newton Falls, Ohio / Newton Falls) interception and by holding Washington & Jefferson to a field goal right before the half that made it a 24-17 game.

Coming out of halftime, the Presidents took control, forcing Wooster into two three-and-outs, while putting together nine-play, 51-yard and six-play, 60-yard touchdown drives.

The loss overshadowed a standout game for the Scots' Owens, who tallied 152 receiving yards on just five catches. Sean Hackel (Victor, N.Y. / Victor) hit the 100-yard rushing mark with 108 coming on 27 carries, while Barnes completed 8-of-20 passes for 183 yards.

Defense Reshuffled: The defensive coaching staff made a few positional changes during the bye week, as freshman defensive tackle Aaron Roberson (Southfield, Mich. / Detroit Country Day) and freshman safety Patrick Johnson (Homewood, Ill. / Homewood-Flossmor) are scheduled to get their first career start against Oberlin. Also, sophomore Tyson Vogel (Ashland, Ohio / Ashland) has moved from safety to strong safety and senior Shawn Bowman (Mineral City, Ohio / Tuscarawas Valley) shifts from strong safety to a starting cornerback spot.