OLIVET, Mich. - A young Wittenberg Tiger football team made the first of five 2007 road trips outside the state of Ohio a successful one Saturday, rallying for an improbable 17-16 win at Olivet.
The win leveled the Tigers' record at 1-1 after a two-week layoff. Olivet dropped to 0-2, with both non-conference losses coming at home.
The key to the game was a Wittenberg offense that generated 156 yards rushing versus an Olivet offense that was limited to -11. The two teams combined for 93 yards lost rushing - in no small part due to a whopping 11 fumbles in the game.
The difference was the host Comets lost two of their six fumbles, while the Tigers, who improved to 4-0 all-time against Olivet, were able to recover all five of their miscues. Olivet turned the ball over three times in the game, the last one coming on an interception by Wittenberg senior safety Tim Flammer (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) inside the final minute that sealed the victory.
After Olivet opened the game's scoring with a safety off a blocked punt early in the first quarter, Wittenberg got on the board with 2:43 remaining in the opening stanza on a two-yard run by senior fullback Andy Vanover (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe). Both teams found the scoreboard in the second quarter, with Wittenberg's touchdown coming on an eight-yard run by freshman tailback Corey Weber (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) that gave the Tigers a 14-9 halftime lead.
Olivet took the second half kickoff and drove 57 yards to paydirt to take a two-point lead. However, the Comets managed just 30 yards after that as the Tiger defense set the stage for the come-from-behind road win.
Wittenberg's offense, on the other hand, put together three different second-half drives that ended in Olivet territory. The Tigers got the points they needed for victory when senior kicker Mark Porter (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) hit a 29-yard field goal with 5:22 remaining in the game.
Senior tailback Derrick Braziel (Brook Park, Ohio/West Springfield (Va.)) led all rushers in the game with 71 yards, while Weber made the most of his first collegiate opportunity as he gained 50 yards on 14 carries. Sophomore quarterback Aaron Huffman (Newark, Ohio/Newark) was 16-of-26 for 169 yards, with his favorite target again being junior wide receiver Patrick Williams (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield). He finished with four receptions for 79 yards.
Wittenberg outgained Olivet by a 325-208 margin, with the Tiger defense continuing to shine after limiting Capital to 13 points in the opener two weeks ago. Freshman linebacker Brad McKinley (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) and senior linebacker Joe Swanson (Germantown, Ohio/Valley View) led with eight tackles each.