GRANVILLE, Ohio — Three Wabash turnovers and a blocked extra point proved decisive Saturday as Denison rallied from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to hand the Little Giants their first loss of the season, 24-23, in North Coast Athletic Conference action at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium.
Wabash (4-1, 3-1 NCAC) led 23-10 entering the fourth quarter before Denison (4-1, 4-0 NCAC) scored twice in the final period, including the game-winning touchdown with 47 seconds remaining. The Little Giants turned the ball over three times — a second-quarter fumble and two fourth-quarter interceptions — while Denison played turnover-free football. The Big Red scored seven points off the Wabash turnovers. A blocked extra point following a 65-yard touchdown pass from Brand Campbell to Keith Jackson early in the third quarter ultimately provided the difference in the one-point loss.
Wabash finished with 365 yards of offense, gaining 235 through the air and 130 on the ground. Denison produced 336 total yards with a balanced attack, rushing for 149 yards on 42 carries and passing for 187. The Big Red held a 23-19 advantage in first downs and controlled the football for 35:32 compared with 24:28 for Wabash. Denison converted 7 of 13 third downs and finished 4-for-4 on red-zone scoring opportunities. The Wabash defense recorded three sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Denison struck first on Blayton Reid's 14-yard touchdown run to complete a nine-play, 85-yard opening drive. Wabash answered with a 66-yard scoring march. Campbell completed all seven of his first-quarter passes, while Cole Dickerson carried three times for 36 yards on the possession, including an 8-yard touchdown run. Tyler Church converted the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:47 remaining in the opening period.
Dickerson scored again on the Little Giants' first possession of the second quarter. Wabash extended the drive with Dickerson's 5-yard run on third down and benefited from two Denison pass-interference penalties before the junior running back scored from 7 yards out. Church's extra point gave Wabash a 14-7 lead with 12:13 remaining in the half.
Denison answered with Sean Brechbill's 34-yard field goal to cut the Wabash lead to 14-10. The Little Giants appeared poised to respond after Jackson Gilbert completed third-down passes of 22 yards to Luke Adams and 21 yards to Nick Witte, moving Wabash to the Denison 25. The Little Giants ran the ball to the Denison 13 but fumbled, with Rory Ralston forcing the turnover and Nick Pellicciotta recovering for Denison.
The Little Giants carried the 14-10 advantage into halftime after Alex Fisher recorded an 11-yard sack late in the second quarter and Carac Johnson pressured Denison quarterback Brian Rager on the final play of the half.
Wabash needed only 10 seconds to add to its lead after halftime. Campbell connected with Jackson for a 65-yard touchdown on the Little Giants' first offensive play of the third quarter. Cole Davis blocked Church's extra-point attempt, however, leaving Wabash with a 20-10 advantage.
The Little Giants' defense forced a Denison three-and-out on the ensuing possession. Wabash drove to the Big Red 24 before turning the ball over on downs. Denison later reached the Wabash 26, but the Little Giants stopped a fourth-down pass with Tanner Crouch providing pressure on Rager.
Wabash converted that defensive stop into points with an eight-play, 68-yard drive. Campbell connected with Witte for 27 yards, and Dickerson followed with a 22-yard run before Church kicked a 23-yard field goal to extend the Little Giants' advantage to 23-10 with 3:50 remaining in the third quarter.
Denison began its comeback with a drive that started late in the third period and consumed 7:55. William Harris and Solomon Massela combined for a third-down sack, but the Big Red converted a fourth-and-5 with Rager's 24-yard completion to Graham Tonkonogy. Rager finished the 13-play, 79-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, and Brechbill's extra point cut the Wabash lead to 23-17 with 10:48 remaining.
The Little Giants moved into Denison territory on their next possession behind Dickerson runs of 7 and 3 yards and a 24-yard Campbell completion to Adams. A false-start penalty pushed Wabash back before Campbell was intercepted by Cole Harris at the Denison 23 with 7:16 remaining.
Denison converted the turnover into the game-winning score with an 11-play, 77-yard drive that used 6:29. Harris recorded another sack, and Wabash twice stopped the Big Red for losses near the goal line. Camden Singer dropped Reid for a 1-yard loss before Carson Foxen and Gage Gulley combined to stop Kade Koroneos for another 1-yard loss. On third-and-goal from the 3, Rager connected with Luke Reed for the touchdown with 47 seconds remaining. Brechbill's extra point gave Denison its first lead since the opening quarter at 24-23.
Wabash received one final opportunity after a touchback, but a delay-of-game penalty pushed the Little Giants back to their own 20. Following an incomplete pass, Pellicciotta intercepted Campbell at the Wabash 27 with 39 seconds remaining, allowing Denison to run out the clock.
Dickerson led the Wabash offense with 115 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries while adding a 27-yard reception for 142 all-purpose yards. He surpassed 500 rushing yards for the season and increased his season totals to 563 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and 11 total touchdowns. It marked his second consecutive game with at least 115 rushing yards and two rushing scores.
Campbell completed 11 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. Adams caught seven passes for 82 yards, while Jackson's 65-yard scoring reception was his first touchdown catch of the season. Gilbert completed 3 of 4 passes for 47 yards. Wabash finished 14 of 23 passing for 235 yards overall.
Reid paced Denison's ground game with 88 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Rager rushed for 69 yards and a score while completing 15 of 26 passes for 187 yards and the game-winning touchdown without an interception. AJ Winders caught five passes for 73 yards, Graham Tonkonogy added five receptions for 71 yards, and Rob Lucey caught two passes for 34 yards.
Carson Foxen led the Wabash defense with eight tackles. Harris finished with seven tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss, while Singer and Massela each made six tackles. Singer recorded 2.5 tackles for loss, Massela had a half-sack and Fisher added an 11-yard sack as Wabash recorded at least three sacks for the fifth consecutive game.
Wabash travels to University Heights, Ohio, to face John Carroll University on Saturday, Oct. 17, at noon.
