Aaron Roberson

The College of Wooster football team's offense was held in check and Denison University utilized a 28-point third quarter to pull away and retain possession of the "Old Red Lantern" trophy for the third straight year with a 45-7 win on Saturday afternoon at Piper Stadium in Granville, Ohio.

Denison's (3-0, 2-0 North Coast Athletic Conference) pass rush was on point all afternoon as the Big Red recorded a program-record nine sacks in the game. In fact, one of those sacks played a key role in setting up the Big Red's first score of the afternoon – a 35-yard field goal by Conor Dunn with 4:28 left in the first quarter. On that drive, Denison started on Wooster's 46-yard line and drove 28 yards before settling on the field goal.

Wooster (1-3, 1-2 NCAC) answered right back with a 12-play, 75-yard drive on the ensuing possession with a 3-yard Gary Muntean-to-Russell Boston touchdown strike putting the Scots on top 7-3.

Three plays in particular stood out and extend Wooster's scoring drive. First, Denison was flagged for a 10-yard defensive holding penalty, giving Wooster an automatic first down. Then, sitting just outside of field goal range on the Big Red's 35-yard line, Brandon Adams came through with a 3-yard run on a 4th-and-1 play. Finally, a few plays later Muntean connected with Nick Cummings on a 21-yard completion setting up the Scots inside the Big Red's 10-yard line.

That's where the score stood until Canaan Gebele completed a 38-yard touchdown strike to Charlie Mueller, putting Denison on top 10-7 in the process.

Denison really turned the tide in the second half as the Big Red scored on five of their first six possessions after halftime. Gebele had a hand in four of those scores with a 6-yard run, a 28-yard pass to Richard Wehman, a 47-yard keeper, and a 1-yard plunge.

The Big Red's David Carter turned in a 25-yard touchdown run between Gebele's 47- and 1-yard scores that at the time made it a 38-7 game with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter.

Wooster's defensive line had a big day in Denison's backfield as the Scots combined for four sacks, marking the second time in the last three games doing so. In fact, two of Wooster's sacks came on back-to-back plays on the drive following the Scots' touchdown. First, Aaron Roberson dropped Gebele for a 9-yard loss on a first-down play, and then Andru Brantley backed the Big Red up five more yards on the very next play.

Offensively, Muntean completed 19-of-32 throws for 199 yards, and continued to spread the ball around his receivers as nine Scots recorded a reception, with five (Adams, Antonio Bailey, Boston, Cummings, Nate Huwar) each corralling three.

For Denison, Gebele racked up 337 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. In the passing game, the signal-caller completed 16-of-23 passes for 214 stripes. Then on the ground, he added 123 yards on 19 totes.

Defensively, Kea'Shaun Phillips paces the Scots with eight tackles, while Patrick Johnson and Roberson both were credited with seven.

Andrew Baird led Denison with 14 tackles, but the big story defensively was the sacks as Wooster was held to nine net yards rushing.

Next, Wooster returns home to take on Wittenberg University (3-0, 2-0 NCAC) in a 2 p.m. tilt on Saturday, Oct. 1.