Seth Goodwin

Seth Goodwin intercepted his second pass of the day with 4:10 remaining, and four plays later, Robert Flagg ran one in from four yards out for the game-clinching touchdown as The College of Wooster prevailed 14-3 during a defensive battle at Oberlin College Saturday afternoon.

While both schools are North Coast Athletic Conference members, it was a non-league affair.

Hanging on to a 7-3 lead fairly late in the fourth quarter, Wooster (1-2) had Oberlin (1-1) pinned deep in its own end, thanks to a Dana Obery punt that was downed at the one-yard line. The Yeomen did gain one first down, only to see Goodwin make a diving interception at the 18-yard line when their quarterback, facing significant pressure, was attempting to throw the ball away.

One play after the Fighting Scots converted a 3rd-and-6 with a sideline pass from Brett Frongillo to Zack Weidrick, Flagg took a handoff right up the middle for his first touchdown of the season and an 11-point cushion with just 2:09 left on the clock.

On the ensuing possession, Oberlin did drive the length of the field, but fumbled at the one-yard line, and Dan Terhune recovered, marking Wooster's fourth takeaway of the day and 10th of the season already.

The Yeomen had gotten on the board first late in the first quarter, but the Scots' defense held them to a Joe Cook 19-yard field goal after getting to within 1st-and-goal at the three-yard line.

Wooster responded on the very next series, marching 56 yards for a touchdown. The key play of the 13-play drive came on 4th-and-19 from the Oberlin 32, when Richard Barnes found Christian Rogers for a 24-yard pass. It marked the first career reception for Rogers. The Scots also faced a 4th-and-goal, with Barnes keeping it himself for a two-yard touchdown rush.

The two teams then exchanged interceptions, followed by a missed field goal from 20 yards out by the Yeomen that kept the score at 7-3 heading into halftime.

Both defensive units dominated the second half, with Wooster's keeping Oberlin off the scoreboard following a fumbled punt that put the ball at the 28-yard line early in the third quarter, and early in the fourth quarter, a Quinton Howard interception in the end zone turned away another Yeomen possession. The next series Goodwin came up with the pick that may have broken Oberlin's spirit.

Statistically, Barnes led the Scots as both a rusher with 52 yards and from his quarterback position, completing 10-of-22 passes for 95 yards. Flagg added 46 on the ground and Weidrick paced the receiving corps with four catches for 46 yards.

The Yeomen's passing offense was effective at time, with Josh Mandel hitting on 15-of-26 attempts for 174 yards, including 108 to Cory Kidd on his six receptions, but Mandel was done in by three picks and Wooster's tough run defense. The Scots limited the Yeomen to 61 net rushing yards on 28 attempts.

Next Saturday night, the Scots will be back home to face Ohio Wesleyan University (1-2, 0-2 NCAC) at 7:30 p.m.