Scots Slow Start Leads to 42-22 Setback

Jeff Spraggins completed 19-of-38 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns.

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. - It was déjà vu for The College of Wooster football team on Saturday (Nov. 2), as No. 10 Wabash College took advantage of early Wooster mistakes and posted a 42-22 win in North Coast Athletic Conference action.

Now, Wabash (8-0, 6-0 NCAC) is a victory over winless Hiram College next week away from capturing its first NCAC championship since joining the conference in 2000, while the formerly undefeated and 23rd-ranked Scots drop to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the league.

In a nearly identical scenario to last year's game, in which Wabash stormed out to a 21-0 lead in the first 13:03 thanks to four early Scot turnovers en route to a 35-7 win, the Little Giants scored three touchdowns in the first 13:06 - two after Wooster giveaways.

On the Scots' first possession, Jeff Spraggins (Garfield Hts., Ohio / Garfield Hts.) was intercepted by Dustin Deno at the Wooster 32-yard line. Wabash capitalized, converting a long third-down play and then Jake Knott found Ryan Short open for an 11-yard touchdown pass.

After holding the Scots to one first down, the Little Giants got the ball on their side of the field for the only time in the first quarter. Three plays later, Knott found Josh Brounaugh streaking down the sideline for a 59-yard touchdown.

On the ensuing possession, Wabash pinned Wooster inside its 20 with good kickoff coverage, held the Scots to a three-and-out, and then blocked a punt that Tamarco White picked up and jogged in from seven yards out to give the hosts a 21-0 advantage.

The Little Giants carried their momentum into the second quarter, putting together back-to-back 50-yard scoring drives to make it 35-0. First, they went 52 yards in seven plays, culminating in a one-yard touchdown run by Chris Morris. Then, Wabash took the ball 59 yards in eight plays, with Knott finding his third different receiver for a touchdown, this time Matt Pichocki from 13 yards out.

Wooster did get its offense going and took advantage of three Wabash penalties, including a 15-yard facemask, on the next drive, but turned it over. After driving inside the five-yard line, a pitch to tailback Tony Sutton (Akron, Ohio / Archbishop Hoban) was too low, resulting in a fumble that the Little Giants pounced on.

Despite losing Sutton, the nation's leading rusher (192.1 ypg) entering the game, to an injury on the aforementioned play, the Scots put together three scores in the second half.

Wooster, starting a drive on its own 34-yard line after a Wabash fumble on a punt return, marched 66 yards in 11 plays, concluding with a Spraggins' six-yard pass to Dan Steck (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick), marking Steck's first career touchdown.

The Scots got the ball back with good field position, following another Little Giant fumble, and converted it into a 64-yard scoring drive. Spraggins hooked up with Ryan Hartschuh (Akron, Ohio / Revere) from 15 yards out to pull within three scores (35-14).

Wabash put any doubts of a comeback away, taking advantage of good field position again. The Little Giants went 39 yards after a short punt into the wind, concluding with a 20-yard run by Morris to give Wabash's junior tailback a 100-yard day on 20 carries.

Overall, the Little Giants only outgained their visitors 334-302, with Knott accounting for 227 of those. He was 12-of-23 passing the ball for 153 yards and added 74 yards on the ground on 13 carries. Morris finished with 104 yards on 25 attempts.

For the Scots, Spraggins was 19-of-38 for 226 yards, with Steck being his top target, catching six balls for 122 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown to close the scoring with 1:55 left. On the ground, Scott Jones (Uhrichsville, Ohio / Tuscarawas Central Catholic) led the way with 54 yards on 18 carries. Sutton had 42 yards on 18 rushes in the opening half.

Wooster travels to Denison University next Saturday before hosting rival Wittenberg University in the season finale.