Wabash Rolls Past Oberlin 42–13 Behind Thompson's First Career Touchdowns
 
OBERLIN, Ohio  — Wabash College used a dominant first half and a balanced passing attack to cruise past Oberlin College 42–13 in a North Coast Athletic Conference football game Saturday afternoon at the Austin E. Knowlton Athletics Complex and Dick Bailey Field.
 
The victory improved the Little Giants to 8–1 overall and 6–1 in NCAC play in their final road game of the regular season, setting up next week's 131st Monon Bell Classic battle against DePauw University.
 
Wabash jumped on top early, capitalizing on two Oberlin turnovers to build a 14–0 first-quarter lead. After linebacker Gavin Ruppert intercepted a pass and returned it to the 10-yard line, quarterback Brand Campbell connected with Kannon Chase for a 10-yard touchdown. Less than three minutes later, another interception — this one by Gage Gulley — set up Campbell's 28-yard scoring strike to Luke Adams to double the lead.
 
Sophomore quarterback Jackson Gilbert took over in the second quarter and continued the aerial assault. He capped a short 59-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Rudolph, then engineered an 11-play, 99-yard march that ended with a 57-yard strike to Eli Thompson — the freshman's first career touchdown. The long play gave Wabash a 28–0 halftime advantage.
 
Thompson added his second touchdown early in the third quarter, hauling in a short pass from Gilbert and racing 50 yards to the end zone for a 35–0 lead. Later in the period, DJ Mendez capped a 58-yard drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown to push the margin to 42–0.
 
Wabash rolled up 422 yards of total offense, including 286 passing yards and 136 rushing. Gilbert completed 8 of 9 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns. Campbell went 4 of 6 for 45 yards and two scores, while Mendez added 60 passing yards and a rushing touchdown.
 
Thompson led the receivers with two catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Rudolph added three receptions for 68 yards and one score, and Adams caught a 28-yard touchdown. On the ground, Javon Garry and Chase Shurn each gained 32 yards to lead the Little Giants' rushing attack.
 
The Wabash defense forced three turnovers and limited Oberlin to just 43 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Luke Purichia, Gabe Bragg, and Carson Foxen each recorded five tackles. Ruppert and Gulley both picked off passes. The defense held Oberlin to 3 of 14 on third-down conversions.
 
Yeomen uarterback Drew Nye completed 24 of 50 passes for 243 yards and one touchdown to lead Oberlin (0–9, 0–7 NCAC). Miguel Garcia caught 12 passes for 117 yards and a score, while JJ Racz added five receptions for 71 yards. Jayden Eaton, Andrew Foley, and James Chikwe led the Yeomen defense with five tackles apiece.
 
Wabash returns home to close out the regular season next Saturday against archrival DePauw University in the 131st Monon Bell Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:07 p.m. at Little Giant Stadium in Crawfordsville.