Wabash produced 432 yards of total offense in Saturday's North Coast Athletic Conference football game at Wooster, but turnovers and defensive pressure proved costly for the Little Giants in a 24-10 loss.
 
Wabash (3-2, 3-1 NCAC) gained 120 rushing yards compared to 80 for Wooster (3-2, 2-2 NCAC) and owned a 312-222 advantage in passing yards in the game. The Fighting Scots' defense limited Wabash to only one play of more than 27 yards while generating seven sacks and ten tackles for losses while also forcing three interceptions.
 
Wooster took an early 7-0 lead after Little Giant freshman quarterback Liam Thompson was intercepted on the first offensive drive of the game. The Scots moved 31 yards after the turnover and scored on a Troy Baughman one-yard run. Wabash responded with a drive that moved the ball to the Wooster 10 yard line. A sack and a pair of incompletions left the Little Giants with a 25-yard field goal attempt, but the try sailed wide right to keep the Wooster lead at 7-0.
 
The Scots took advantage of the Wabash miscue, marching 80 yards in six plays on a drive that ended with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Mateo Renteria to Cole Hissong to push the first quarter advantage to 14-0.
 
Wabash got its longest play of the game on its first drive of the second period when Thompson connected with Devon Anderson on a 57-yard catch and run for a touchdown. The score was the first of Anderson's career and cut the Wooster lead to 14-7. The Little Giants rallied on defense by forcing Wooster to give up the ball on downs on its next possession. Wabash capped a 13-play, 84-yard drive with a 27-yard field goal from Schuyler Nehrig to cut the lead to four points.
 
The Scots matched the long scoring drive with one of their own just before halftime. Wooster took the ball 65 yards in 11 plays and scored on a Renteria 18-yard pass to Charlie Henegar for a 21-10 lead at the break.
 
The second half of the game was a defensive battle as Wabash limited the Scots to one rushing yard and 92 passing yards over the final 30 minutes. The Little Giants were also stymied by the Wooster defense. Two third-quarter Wabash drives ended on unsuccessful fourth-down conversion tries. The Little Giants finished the game 1-of-5 on fourth down attempts.
 
Thompson was intercepted by Wooster for the second time to start the fourth quarter, ending a drive in the red zone at the Wooster 12 yard line. Wabash saw another drive end on an incomplete pass on fourth down midway through the fourth quarter. The Scots took over and added a 32-yard field goal to move in front 24-10 with 2:17 left in the game.  Wooster grabbed one final interception on the last Wabash drive with the clock winding down to close out the contest.
 
Thompson threw for 312 yards on 24-of-41 passing. Nick Hamman caught nine passes for 99 yards. Cooper Sullivan added five receptions for 73 yards. Anderson hauled in three passes for a total of 84 yards. Isaac Avant and Ike James were held to 113 combined rushing yards and were kept out of the end zone by the Wooster defense. Avant carried 16 times for 67 yards. James finished with 42 yards on 13 rushing attempts.
 
Renteria was 17-of-27 passing for 222 yards and two touchdowns for Wooster. Hissong and Nick Strausbaugh each caught four passes with Hissong leading the Scots with 75 receiving yards. Baughman rushed for 76 yards on 18 carries.
 
Brandon Yeagy paced the Wabash defense with 10 tackles. The Little Giants recorded five tackles for losses totaling 31 yards. Seth Buresh recorded the only sack of the game for Wabash with an 11-yard tackle for loss.
 
The Little Giants return to Hollett Little Giant Stadium on Satuday, October 19 to face conference leader Wittenberg University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.