Gary Muntean

WOOSTER, Ohio – In a game with third-place in the North Coast Athletic Conference on the line, The College of Wooster dug itself an early hole that it was unable to get out of as DePauw University returned an interception for a touchdown, then scored three more during its first four offensive series, and the Tigers left John P. Papp Stadium with a 42-13 North Coast Athletic Conference road win on Saturday afternoon.

With wind chills in the low 30s, Wooster (3-5, 3-4 NCAC) started out into the stiff breeze and was picked off by DePauw's (6-2, 5-3 NCAC) Hamm Hooper, who returned it 27 yards for a score just :36 into the action.

The Fighting Scots were pinned deep their next two possessions, beginning from the 18- and 9-yard lines, and combined for just one first down, thus had to punt away and gave the Tigers favorable field position each time. They took advantage with eight-play, 51-yard and six-play, 58-yard touchdown drives to push the score to 21-0 after just 12:06 had elapsed.

Wooster got out of the first quarter without further damage, but DePauw converted another relatively short field into a touchdown, covering 44 yards in just eight plays, early in the second. Quarterback Matt Hunt took it himself from seven yards out for the score and a 28-0 advantage.

The ensuing possession was the Scots' best of the opening half, with freshman quarterback Gary Muntean, who made his first career start, connecting on 19- and 16-yard passes to Dan Gorzynski and Darrian Owens, respectively, however, they failed to convert a 4th-and-2 and turned it over on downs.

After the Wooster defense made a stand, the Tigers intercepted for a second time, and five plays later, running back Amen Galley crossed the goal line from two yards out for a 35-0 cushion near the end of the half.

The Scots played better throughout the second half, but could not cut into the deficit until the fourth quarter. They moved into the red zone on their first possession of the third, only to miss a field goal.

Early in the fourth, Muntean directed an 11-play, 82-yard touchdown march. The biggest play was a deep pass to Justin Rice down the left sideline for 40 yards, and on 1st-and-goal from the four, Muntean lofted the ball to Owens in the corner of the end zone for his first collegiate touchdown pass.

After Galley's third touchdown rush of the day, Wooster capped the scoring as Sean Hackel ran in from one yard out to cap a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown series.

Statistically, the Scots had more first downs (19-16) and more total offense (353-325), but were done in by a minus-three turnover margin and poor field position.

Muntean was one of two freshmen quarterbacks Wooster tested. He got the majority of the action and finished 18-of-32 passing for 210 yards while contributing another 44 stripes on the ground. Owens was a favorite target, as he wound up with nine receptions for 118 yards.

On the other side, Hunt was an efficient 18-of-25 for 174 passing and Galley went for 71 rushing on 16 attempts.

The Scots will close their 2014 home schedule next Saturday against Kenyon College (1-7, 1-6 NCAC), with kickoff slated for 1 p.m.