TIFFIN, Ohio – The Davenport football team got its first taste of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opposition on Saturday at Tiffin University and made the Dragons sweat in a 20-17 loss. The Panthers (1-2) used this game as a barometer for when they enter the conference next season. Davenport held their own in the contest which saw both offenses have answers in the first quarter with a total of 28 points. The rest of the game however belonged to the defenses as just nine points were scored including just a Tiffin field goal in the second half that proved to be the difference.
The score was 14-14 after the first quarter as both teams moved the ball early. Davenport took its opening drive 64 yards into the end zone in six plays as
TC Wells caught a one-yard touchdown pass from
Hunter Krause on third-and-goal. The Dragons answered in nine plays covering 65 yards on their first drive as Antonio Pipkin found Jalen Santoro for a 26-yard strike.
Tiffin forced a punt and started on their own 20-yard line on their next drive. The Dragons covered all 80 yards in 3:04 as Pipkin connected with Jordan Nobles on a 37-yard hookup with 3:28 left in the quarter for a 14-7 lead. DU knotted it up at 14-14 with eight seconds left in the quarter as Krause passed for a 14-yard score to
William Gist on the sixth play of the drive.
The Davenport defense forced a Pipkin fumble with 10:49 left in the second quarter getting the ball at the Tiffin 28. The drive did not gain a first down however as
Patrick Gregory booted a 38-yard field goal with 8:22 left until halftime for a 17-14 lead. The Panthers took over the ball with 4:59 left in the quarter and drove to the Tiffin 41 before gaining just two yards on fourth-and-5. Tiffin used that stop to move inside the 10 of DU but after stalling the drive it was Jared Friszman kicking a 27-yard field goal as the first half expired.
Both teams traded field position in the third quarter before Tiffin started a drive with 4:13 left in the quarter which proved to be the deciding points. The Dragons moved 71 yards in nine plays and Friszman kicked a 26-yard field goal for a 20-17 lead with one second left in the third quarter. Davenport did not muster much of a threat to tie or take the lead after the field goal. Krause threw an interception near midfield with 1:38 to play and then the defense used all three timeouts and forced a punt by Tiffin. Davenport took over with 1:03 to go at their own 20 and after a 14-yard completion to
Nate Batts, Krause threw another interception to seal it.
Davenport gained 313 yards of total offense (166 passing, 147 rushing) while the Dragons gained 443 yards (245 passing, 198 rushing). DU went 3-of-12 on third down while Tiffin was 5-of-16. DU committed just four penalties while Tiffin had 13 for 111 yards. Krause finished 13-of-24 for 166 yards. Pipkin was 18-of-31 for 245 yards and no interceptions.
Mike Ivy led the Panthers with 81 rushing yards on 19 carries. Kyle Brunson rushed for 99 yards on 11 carries for the Dragons.
Brent Showers led the defense with 13 tackles including a tackle for loss.
Nick Trolian had 12 tackles including a sack.
