Scots Playing for Old Red Lantern This Saturday (Football Game Notes)

The College of Wooster football team (1-4, 0-3 North Coast Athletic Conference) remains at home for the second of three straight home games this week. The Fighting Scots take on Denison University (3-2, 3-0 NCAC) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Wooster is coming off a 55-19 loss to Wabash College (3-1, 2-0 NCAC), while Denison beat Wittenberg University (1-2, 0-1 NCAC) 30-20 on October 5.

 

On The Air: MCTV produces Wooster's webcasts for home football games and shows the game on delay on Ch. 22 and Ch. 621. Wayne and Stark County MCTV customers should check local listings for air times. Livestreams of Wooster home football games can be viewed at https://northcoastnetwork.com/wooster. 1045 The River (formerly WQKT) is carrying this week's contest on WKVX 960 AM, FM 102.9 FM, and online at https://localsportsohio.com.

 

Ticket and Tailgate Information: Tickets for Wooster home football games are $6.00 for adults, $5.00 for senior citizens and youth, and free for College of Wooster students, faculty, and staff with your College of Wooster identification card. You can purchase tickets at the ticket booth located at the main entrance of John P. Papp Stadium (cash and credit card), located off E. University St., or the table at the back access driveway (cash only) located off Gasche St. Tailgate policies can be found at https://woosterathletics.com/information/spectator_information.

 

Special Events: Please note the Scot Marching Band will not be performing this Saturday due to fall break.

 

All-Time Series: Denison leads the all-time series 44-40-7, and the Big Red are 16-11-1 since the Old Red Lantern started being presented to the winning team. Wooster logged a 10-game winning streak in the series from 1995-2010, but prior to that, Denison went 10-0-1 from 1984-1994. Denison has a 10-game lead (21-11-1) in the series since the NCAC was formed, and the Big Red have won eight straight. Notable, Wooster's first three varsity intercollegiate games came against Denison, and the Scots shut out the Big Red in all three contests by scores of 48-0 (1889), 50-0 (1889), and 58-0 (1890).

 

Old Red Lantern History: The Old Red Lantern trophy started being awarded to the winner of the game in 1989 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first meeting between Wooster and Denison. The two teams originally traveled to games by rail, so the lantern was chosen to represent the series' pastime.

 

Last Meeting: Wooster delivered big blows to Denison at the start of each half, but two late fumbles ultimately cost the Scots in a 35-31 loss at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium on October 21, 2023. Then-sophomore Jarvis Mims Jr. (Baxley, Ga./Appling County) scored from a yard out on the opening drive. Then-junior linebacker Jon Banal had nine tackles in the game, but it was his pass rushing success that disrupted the Big Red all afternoon. Denison did not lead until Trey Fabrocini's 1-yard touchdown rush at the fourth period's 13:43 mark.

 

Offense Notes: Wooster now has four offensive plays of 50 or more yards this fall after sophomore Jace Austin's (Youngstown, Ohio/Chaney) 70-yard touchdown run on Saturday against Wabash. Austin broke free for a 74-yard touchdown run in the season-opening 56-13 win over Wilmington College. Senior Carter Warstler (New Albany, Ohio/Columbus Academy) logged a 59-yard touchdown reception against Wilmington. Junior wide receiver Jordan Lewis (Akron, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) was the playmaker against DePauw University with a 66-yard touchdown reception.

 

Defense Notes: Wooster continues to rank in the top-25 nationally in interceptions. The Scots now have seven interceptions on the year after Warstler picked off Wabash in the end zone. Wooster has had a close leaderboard for the team high in tackles most years in recent history and that appears to be the case again this year halfway through the season. Junior linebacker Wyatt Harris (Cave Creek, Ariz./Notre Dame Preparatory) leads the team in tackles with 32. He is followed by junior defensive back Louie Lindsay (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area Senior) and sophomore defensive back Wyatt Wilkie (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) who have 29 and 28 tackles, respectively. 

 

Special Teams Notes: Warstler's 602 kickoff return yards are the most nationally and he is seventh in Div. III with 178.6 all-purpose yards per game. Warstler's 29.5 kickoff return average is 20th nationally. Senior Sebestyen Balassy (Medina, Ohio/St. Ignatius) made his first two collegiate field goals against Wabash. Balassy's first make came from 30 yards out in the second quarter.