GREENCASTLE, Ind. — The Centre College football team ran its record to 4-0 Saturday, forcing four DePauw turnovers and getting a balanced offensive attack for a 24-10 road win.
“It was a very physical game. I thought the kids played well. Offensively, we did what we had to do. Our defense played real well,”¿Centre coach Andy Frye said. “It’s always nice to win on the road, and it’s hard to win when you’re playing a team like DePauw.”
Les Bolden highlighted the defense for the Colonels, returning a fumble 20 yards for a score in the fourth quarter. It was one of three fumble recoveries on the day for Centre (3-1), which did not allow a touchdown until 41 seconds remained in the game.
Tyler Osterman was 15 of 25 passing for 192 yards with a touchdown, and ran for 41 yards and another score for the Colonels, who outgained DePauw 329-284.
It was scoreless after the first quarter, but the Centre defense helped set up the first score.
Jared Ferguson recovered a fumble at the DePauw
7-yard line, and Osterman ran it in from 5 yards out two plays later as the Colonels led 7-0 with 11:45 left in the first half.
After forcing a DePauw punt with 2:39 to go, Centre drove down to the DePauw 13 to set up a 30-yard field goal from Jordan Gay as time expired to make it a 10-0 halftime lead.
“We had scoring opportunities we just never put together in the first half,”¿Frye said. “We were up 10-0, but once we get down inside the 5 we need to score, and they held us on our first drive. And we also came away with nothing later inside the 5 when we threw an interception.”
Centre’s offense struck quickly to open the second half. Michael Del Prince had a 38-yard kickoff return to the Tigers’ 38. On the first play, Osterman hit Rob Melillo for the touchdown and a 17-0 lead.
DePauw (1-3) finally got on the board with a field goal midway through the third quarter, and the Tigers had the ball early in the fourth. After Gay pinned them at their own 4-yard line, the Tigers drove out to the 18. But quarterback Jackson Kirtley fumbled and Bolden picked up the loose ball and went in for the score and a 24-3 lead.
“I thought we did a great job managing the game,”¿Frye said. “Rob had a nice opening second-half touchdown catch. I thought Jordan punted well, I think he got two inside the 10. And that was big and kind of kept them down. Defensively up front, we played hard.”
Centre is off the next two weeks before opening conference play Oct. 15 at Birmingham Southern.
“We need these next two weeks to get healed up. It was a physical game, and I know we’re bumped and bruised up,”¿Frye said. “When we get into conference play in two weeks, we’ll have needed those off weeks.”
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