Wabash forced three turnovers and rode two fourth-quarter Liam Thompson touchdown runs to defeat Wittenberg 31-13. The victory moved the Little Giants into a four-way tie for first place in the North Coast Athletic Conference football standings.
 
Wabash (4-2, 4-1 NCAC) trailed in total yardage for the game but used key defensive stops combined with three interceptions to rebound from a road loss at Wooster last weekend. The Little Giants amassed 346 yards of total offense compared to 384 yards for Wittenberg (4-2, 4-1 NCAC). The visiting Tigers ran for eight more yards than Wabash (200-192) and held a 30-yard advantage in passing (184-154).
 
The Little Giants first big break came on the opening drive of the game. Wittenberg took the opening kick and marched 49 yards to the Wabash 26 before the drive stalled to lead to a field goal attempt. Nick Bowman's 43-yard try sailed wide left to keep the game scoreless. Neither team mounted any serious threat in the remainder of the quarter to send the game to the second period tied 0-0.
 
Wabash scored on the first play of the second quarter when Thompson hit Cooper Sullivan on a 13-yard pass to put the Little Giants in front 7-0.  A stop by the defense on the following five-play Wittenberg drive gave the football back to Wabash. The Little Giants moved down to the four-yard line then reached deep into the play book for their second score. Freshman wide receiver Heisman Skeens, a quarterback as a senior at Mississinewa High School, took the handoff from Thompson and started toward the right end of the line. He pulled up and threw a TD pass to Mason Durrett in the back of the end zone to extend the Wabash lead to 14-0.
 
The score sparked the Wabash defense with the Little Giants limiting Wittenberg to five yards on its next drive. Wabash added the final points of the half on a 23-yard Schuyler Nehrig field goal on the next series to take a 17-0 lead to the locker room at halftime.
 
The Tigers came out roaring in the second half. Wittenberg needed only four plays to move 56 yards on its first drive of the second half, scoring on a DeShawn Sarley 14-yard run to cut the Wabash lead to 17-7. The Tigers put together another impressive drive. Wittenberg pushed the ball to the Wabash 35 after a 41-yard pass from quarterback Bobby Froehlich to Tim Woodrum. After a four-yard run on the next play Froehlich threw toward the end zone. Wabash defensive back Kam Ferguson rose above everyone to make his first career interception and end the Tigers' threat.
 
The score remained 17-7 headed into the fourth quarter. Wittenberg got the ball to the one-yard line with four tries to cut the Wabash lead to single digits. The Little Giants stood their ground on the first three rushing attempts by the Tigers until Froehlich connected with Thaddeus Snodgrass for the one-yard score. Wabash defense back Jose Franco raced in on the extra-point attempt and blocked the kick for a 17-13 score in the opening minutes of the final period.
 
Wittenberg moved the ball to midfield on the next drive before Malcolm Lang added another big play for the Wabash defense. Lang threw Froehlich to the ground for a 12-yard sack on third down to force the Tigers to punt. Isaac Avant took the next play from scrimmage and ran 69 yards down the left sideline. Four plays later Thompson scored on a two-yard run to extend the Little Giants' lead to 24-13.
 
The Little Giants struck the final defensive blow on the next play from scrimmage. Froehlich dropped back to pass and threw toward midfield. Ferguson stepped in front and made his second interception of the game and returned the ball to the Wittenberg 35-yard line. Thompson set up the final score of the game with a 29-yard run on third down and eight before rushing it in from a yard out three plays later to provide the 31-13 lead.
 
With time running out for Wittenberg, Froehlich fired a fourth-down pass down field on the ensuing drive. Wabash defensive back Patrick Kelly picked off the throw for his third interception of the season and third of the game for the Little Giants to put the game away for good.
 
Thompson ran for two touchdowns on 13 carries and finished with 55 rushing yards for the game. Avant led the Little Giants with a season-best 146 yards on 25 attempts. Thompson completed 11 of 17 passes for 146 yards with the one TD toss to Sullivan. Avant and Sullivan each had three receptions for Wabash with Avant turning one reception into a 67-yard gain in the second period to set up the Nehrig field goal.
 
Froehlich threw for 184 yards by completing 17-of-31 passes with the three interceptions. Jaheem Washington ran for 163 yards on 26 attempts for Wittenberg.
 
Brandon Yeagy made 12 tackles for the Wabash defense with Lang recording the Little Giants' lone sack of the game.
 
The victory moves Wabash into a tie for first place with a matching 4-1 conference record with Wittenberg, Denison, and Ohio Wesleyan. The Little Giants hold an advantage over all three schools with head-to-head victories after defeating Denison (34-20) and Ohio Wesleyan (31-13) in back-to-back weeks prior to Saturday's win over Wittenberg.
 
Wabash travels to Oberlin College next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Yeomen.