Defense Gets Six Takeaways, Holter Ties Record in 49-7 Wooster Win

The College of Wooster's defense created turnovers on six of Earlham College's first 11 drives and the Austin Holter-led offense took advantage, as the senior quarterback tied a school record with five touchdown passes and he ran for another score en route to a 49-3 North Coast Athletic Conference victory for the Fighting Scots in Richmond, Ind., on Saturday afternoon.

Though Wooster (3-1, 3-0 NCAC) was dominating statistically early on, Earlham (2-2, 0-1 NCAC) stayed close late into the first half. With the score 14-3 and less than three minutes to go in the second quarter, the Scots were punting when the game changed. A roughing-the-kicker penalty on 4th-and-20 gave the offense a second chance and Kyle Murdock immediately ripped off a 32-yard run down to the Quaker four-yard line. Three plays later, Holter hit Luke McCann – their first of three touchdown connections on the day – on a quick one-yard slant and Wooster took a more comfortable 21-3 lead into the break.

The Scots carried that momentum into the second half, as on the first possession, they had three big gains – a 10-yard rush by Murdock, a 26-yard catch-and-run for Mike Redick, and a Robert Flagg 38-yard run – to set up another short Holter-to-McCann touchdown pass. The latter covered two yards, completing a seven-play, 81-yard drive, and suddenly Wooster held a 28-3 cushion.

Both teams then exchanged punts before Matt DeGrand picked off his second pass of the season, giving the Scots possession at the Earlham 33. Five plays later, Wooster scored on another short touchdown pass, this time tight end Cameron Daniels being on the receiving end from five yards away. It was Daniels' second of the afternoon as he caught a three-yard score from Holter just 1:09 into the contest after the Scots had recovered a Quaker fumble on the initial play from scrimmage.

Back to the third quarter, Wooster added another touchdown, when on a 3rd-and-12 play from the Earlham 39, Holter scrambled and threw to the end zone where McCann hauled it in for his third score and a 42-3 lead. The senior wide receiver became the first Scot with three receiving touchdowns in a game since fullback Rob Hooper accomplished the feat against Oberlin College Oct. 12, 2002.

Next, Wooster's defense would not only turn away the Quakers' best offensive drive of the day, but it would score as Taylor Trout intercepted the ball inside the 10-yard line and took it back the distance for a 94-yard touchdown return, marking the sophomore's first career score.

The Scots went on to rest their starters the final 11:43.

Overall, Wooster nearly doubled-up Earlham in total yards with a 462-257 advantage. Most of it was accomplished on the ground for the Scots, as five different running backs combined for 242 of the team's 246 rushing yards, led by Murdock's 76 and Flagg's 75. They each carried it eight times.

While Holter equaled a team record with the five touchdown passes, last achieved by Jeff Spraggins against Kenyon College on Sept. 25, 1999, the NCAC's leader in total offense (289.5 ypg) produced modest numbers. Holter threw for 180 yards while completing 20-of-33 passes and netted just three on the ground, which marked his second-lowest rushing total in three years as the starting quarterback.

In addition to the three touchdown receptions, McCann tallied career highs with eight receptions for 86 yards.

Wooster now turns its attention to a much-anticipated date with Case Western Reserve University, as the Spartans will come to town Oct. 10 for the first-ever night game at John P. Papp Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.