Wabash forced five Denison turnovers Saturday, but needed to hang on in the closing minute of the Little Giants' 22-14 win at Denison.
 
"Our defense really carried us today," Wabash head coach Don Morel said. "We played well on offense for about a quarter and a half, and then we fell apart. Disappointing day on offense, but we didn't turn the football over and the defense and special teams played well to help us earn the win."
 
The Little Giants scored 14 first-half points off a Denison interception and fumble to go with a pair of Andrew Tutsie field goals for a 20-0 halftime lead. The first TD came after Austin Brown, the North Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, intercepted a pass on Denison's first offense play of the game. Six plays into the Little Giants' offensive series Drake Christen kept the read option and ran for a three-yard touchdown for a 7-0 Wabash lead after the Tutsie extra point.
 
The next Denison ended in another turnover on the second play of the drive. Brian Parks hit running back Cody Farley and forced a fumble that Brown stepped in and recovered. The Little Giants scored on an eight-play drive that ended with a Matt Penola one-yard scoring run to take a 14-0 lead seven minutes into the game. Tutsie kicked field goals of 38 and 32 yards in the second quarter to provide a 20-0 advantage at halftime.
 
The Big Red worked their way back into the game with a pair of touchdown passes in the second half. After Wabash limited Denison to 50 passing yards in the first half, Big Red quarterback Canaan Gebele connected with David Weimer in stride for a 67-yard touchdown in the third quarter to trim the advantage to 20-7. Gebele threw a one-yard TD pass to tight end CJ Davis with 1:18 left to play to end a 10-play, 85-yard scoring drive.
 
Denison (7-2, 6-2 NCAC) attempted an onside kick that Koty Hall fell on to maintain possession for Wabash. The Little Giants only generated two yards of offense on the ensuing drive and were forced to punt.
 
Wabash needed a big play and got two, starting with the punt. Alex Marr's 45-yard punt was downed by Artie Equihua at the Denison one yard line. Two plays later Ethan Buresh Canaan Gebele to ground in the end zone for a safety and an eight-point Wabash lead.
 
"That safety was a huge play for us," Morel said. "Somehow we found a way to hang on."
 
Denison recovered the second onside kick attempt and moved the ball to the Wabash 17 with less than a minute remaining. Wabash kept the Big Red out of the end zone on four consecutive incomplete passes to hold on for the win and remain in a tie for first place in the North Coast Athletic Conference with Wittenberg heading into the final week of the regular season.
 
"We are getting everyone back at the right time," Morel said. "Tim Leath and Deryion Sturdivent played the entire game up front on the offensive line for the first time in a while. I'm still disappointed in the offensive performance overall, but we go into the Bell game next Saturday in great shape."
 
Denison outgained the Little Giants (8-1, 7-1 NCAC) 286 to 281 yards overall. Wabash held the Big Red to 15 rushing yards compared to 187 for the Little Giants. Matt Penola led the way with the first 100-yard rushing game of his carry. He carried 32 times for 106 yards and one score. Gebele threw for 257 passing yards, connecting on 18 of 44 attempts with three interceptions. CJ McMann and Delon Pettiford each made interceptions for Wabash in addition to Brown. Connor Ludwig added his third fumble recovery of the season on one of the Little Giants' four sacks in the game. Parks and Buresh each recorded six tackles to pace the Wabash defense.
 
The Little Giants remain tied with Wittenberg (8-1, 7-1 NCAC) for first place in the conference entering the final week of play. Wittenberg travels to Allegheny for its regular season finale. Wabash plays host to DePauw for the 123^rd Monon Bell Classic. Kickoff is at 1:09 p.m. Saturday at Hollett Little Giant Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at www.mononvillage.com. The game will be broadcast on ASX TV beginning at 1 p.m.