The scoreboard should be busy during Saturday's Homecoming football for Wabash College against the visiting Hiram College Terriers.
 
The two teams are among the Division III leaders in scoring heading into Saturday's North Coast Athletic Conference contest. Wabash (2-0, 1-0 NCAC) ranks eighth in the nation with an average of 48.5 points per game in its two victories. Hiram is coming off a 55-28 loss to DePauw last weekend after opening the season with a 63-41 win over Earlham. The Terriers rank 15^th in DIII at 45.5 points a game.
 
In addition to the score, the clock may be the other key indicator in Saturday's game. Hiram has put up big scoring numbers quickly through the first two games, averaging just over 32 minutes of possession time per contest. Wabash has dominated the time of possession in its first two outings. The Little Giants lead the nation in TOP, averaging nearly 39 minutes of ball control a game. The offensive possessions have allowed the defense time to rest and prepare, helping the Little Giants enter Saturday's game with an average of 16.5 points-per-game allowed.
 
The Little Giants will face a talented opposing quarterback in junior Randy Tucker. Tucker took over late last season for the Terriers, leading the team to wins over Allegheny and Oberlin. He's off to an electrifying start in 2017, throwing for nine touchdowns and rushing for another two scores. He earned NCAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after an eight-touchdown performance against Earlham where he threw for six TDs and 369 yards.
 
CJ Maner, Miguel Hernandez, and Torin Mayhew pace the Hiram receivers. Maner leads the group with nine receptions for 141 yards and one touchdown. Hernandez has hauled in seven passes for 127 yards and two scores. Mayhew has made six receptions and leads the team with 148 receiving yards.
 
The duo of Isaiah Jones and Danny Robinson join Tucker as rushing threats for the Terirers. Jones leads the squad with a 60-yards per-game average and two TDs. Robinson earned 2016 First Team All-NCAC honors and is tied for the most rushing attempts for Hiram this season, joining Tucker with 26 tries in two games. Robinson is averaging 49 yards a game, but has not found the end zone yet this season. Tucker, in addition to his two rushing TDs versus Earlham, averages 31.5 yards per game on the ground.
 
Hiram freshman linebacker Sirahn Fields leads the team on the defensive side of the football with 18 tackles. Horace Johnson has made 4-1/2 tackles for losses to lead the team in that category and shares the team lead in sacks with two with Winston Web.
 
"We've got our work cut out for us this week," Wabash head coach Don Morel said. "We saw an athletic quarterback when we faced Albion at the start of the season. We're going to see it again this weekend in Tucker. He's surrounded by with more explosive players compared to Albion. It's going to be a scary afternoon for us on defense. It really does get us ready for the rest of the schedule. Every year we play Hiram it's a more physical game than either team expects. I think they respect our football program. I know we certainly respect theirs. The two teams go at it year in and year out. We had a really good battle last year at Hiram."
 
The Wabash defense shined last Saturday against Kenyon, limiting the Lords to 32 rushing yards and keeping them scoreless through 56 minutes of the game for the eventual 62-7 victory. Freshman Ahmaud Hill joined Ryan Walters and Jacob Helmer as the Little Giants' leading tacklers in the game with six apiece. Isaiah Campbell and Seth Buresh each recorded their first collegiate career sacks. Wabash converted three Kenyon turnovers into 20 points.
 
Sophomore Weston Murphy threw for 201 yards and one score, completing 15-of-20 pass attempts. Austin Nightingale attempted only two passes, completing both for touchdowns while also rushing for 65 yards. The Little Giants combined for 316 rushing yards and six touchdowns, paced by senior Bobby Blum with eight carries for 70 yards and two scores.
 
Oliver Page topped the receiving list with six catches for 116 yards and one touchdown. Dylan Buresh and Nathan Melchi both found the end zone on pass receptions in the Wabash victory.
 
Kickoff for Saturday's Homecoming contest against Hiram is set for 2 p.m. at Byron P. Hollett Little Giant Stadium. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.ticketor.com/wabash for $7 for adults, $4 for students ages 5 to 18, and children under the age of 5 admitted free of charge. Tickets purchased the day of the game are $8 for adults and $5 for students ages 5 to 18.
 
The game will be broadcast online at https://www.wabash.edu/live beginning at 12:40 p.m. with the Coach Morel Pregame Show. Jim Amidon '87 and Steve Hoffman '85 will announce the game with Josh Mundell '21 as the sideline reporter. Audio from the broadcast can be heard on WNDY 91.3 FM.