Big Plays Propel Tiger Football To 48-27 Win Over Wooster

WOOSTER, OH - Wittenberg Football got back on track at the College of Wooster, using big plays to jump on top of the Scots en route to a 48-27 victory.

The win moved the Tigers to 5-4 on the season, including a record of 4-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), good for sole possession of fourth place. The game was originally scheduled to be the season finale, but the Tigers had to reschedule their game at Hiram from Sept. 21 due to campus security issues. So, Wittenberg will now put the finishing touches on the 2024 campaign with a road trip to Hiram for a game against the winless Terriers at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23.

Wooster's season concludes with records of 3-7 overall and 2-6 in the NCAC. The Scots finished in seventh place.

Wittenberg scored on its third play from scrimmage as Eric Rasheed (Fletcher, NC / Hendersonville) hauled in a pass from quarterback Jayden Miller (Amelia, OH / Williamsburg) and raced 76 yards to paydirt. After Wooster responded with a 65-yard scoring strike, Wittenberg put 10 points on the board with a field goal and a 19-yard touchdown run by Christian Manville (Westerville, OH / New Albany).

After another Wooster touchdown, the Tigers stretched the lead to 34-14 by halftime on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Miller to Earl Pope (Miami, FL / Carol City), a short TD run from Manville, and a Lucas Swierk (Morrow, OH / Little Miami) field goal as time expired. The last score was set up by an interception by Christopher Hurd (Jupiter, FL / Dwyer).

In the second half, both teams scored two touchdowns. For Wittenberg, Manville found the end zone on an 18-yard pass from Miller and Kade Ray (Sun City Central, FL / Jule F. Sumner) rounded out the scoring with a 32-yard scoring strike from Miller.

Miller had his best game statistically since taking over as the starting quarterback, throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns in the game, with Rasheed leading the receiving corps with 158 yards on five receptions. Ray added six catches for 95 yards, and Manville had his biggest rushing game of his first season in the Red & White, piling up 154 yards on 22 carries.

Defensively, Tyre Smith (Sarasota, FL / Riverview) and Cameron Snurr (Springboro, OH / Springboro) did their usual exemplary work with 10 and eight tackles, respectively. Smith also forced a Wooster fumble. Luke Jackson (DeGraff, OH / Indian Lake) added five tackles and two pass break-ups, and Tyler VanMeter (New Albany, OH / New Albany) chipped in with four tackles, a fumble recovery, and a quarterback hurry.