Ryan Zipf booted a 29-yard field goal with 8:14 left in the fourth quarter to give Allegheny a one-point lead.  That field goal, combined with some clutch runs by Brian Tamburlin late in the fourth quarter, was enough to lift the Gators to a narrow 17-16 victory over a scrappy Denison Big Red team from Deeds Field-Piper Stadium in Granville, Ohio.

Following the Zipf field goal, the Big Red began their offensive possession on their own 22-yard line and on their second play from scrimmage DU quarterback Max Paulus (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) found Andy Carpenter (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) for a 12-yard gain.  That was compounded by a roughing the passer penalty on the Gators which moved the football into Allegheny territory at the 48-yard line.  On 2nd-and-10 Paulus hit Shawn Eagle (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley) for a 6-yard gain and after a false start penalty on the Big Red, Paulus scrambled nine yards to bring up a pivotal 4th-and-1 situation from the Allegheny 47-yard line with 5:50 left in the contest.  After a DU time out the Big Red were flagged for having too many men on the field, thus bringing up a 4th-and-6 instead of a 4th-and-1.  Faced with the new down the Big Red opted to punt and Matt Ring (Powell, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) followed with a 32-yard punt that pinned the Gators on their own 12-yard line.

This is where the Gators went to work on the ground.  First with freshman tailback Sean Acosta who gained 20 yards off three carries.  The Big Red would force Allegheny into a 3rd-and-3 situation from their own 32-yard line with just over two minutes left on the clock.  That's where veteran Allegheny quarterback T.J. Salopek went over the middle to sure-handed tight end Robert Carlisle for an 18-yard gain and a first down. Two plays later Tamburlin would seal up the victory with a 19-yard rush deep into Denison territory.  The Gators would move the ball to the DU 8-yard line before taking a knee to run out the clock.

Denison got a strong performance from Paulus who finished the game 22-of-28 for 172 yards and one interception.  The defense also rose to the occasion, forcing Salopek into a pair of interceptions for just the second time this season.  Those two Salopek interceptions would help Denison take a 10-0 lead in the first half.  The first pick came early in the first quarter when Salopek was hurried by DU linebacker Eric Conrad (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) into a throw.  While back-peddling, his throw was tipped up into the air by Conrad and the sophomore linebacker would win the fight for the football, tucking it under his right arm before rumbling 55-yards for the game's first touchdown.  It was the first defensive touchdown for the Big Red this season and their first interception for a touchdown since Bill Aukerman's 64-yard return in last season's opener against Kalamazoo.

On their next possession, facing a 4th-and-4, Salopek's pass would be picked off by Cale Garverick (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) at the Denison 23-yard line.  Paulus would guide the Big Red on a 12-play 66-yard drive that would end with a 30-yard field goal by senior Kevin Schneider (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington), giving DU a 10-0 lead.

Later in the second quarter the Gators would rally for a pair of touchdowns to take a 14-13 lead into the locker room.  On Denison's second possession of the second half they were forced to punt after a three-and-out.  Ring's 39-yard punt was muffed by Terry Hartford and recovered by Denison's John Wilson (Gates Mills, Ohio/Hawken School) on the Allegheny 33-yard line.  Six plays later Schneider would convert a season-long 37-yard field goal giving the Big Red the lead back, 16-14.  The field goal was the third of the game for Schneider, who connected on a 22-yard attempt just 45 seconds before halftime.

Denison would cling to that 2-point lead until the 8:14 mark in the fourth quarter when Zipf kicked the eventual game-winner.

Conrad and Scott Baird (Shelby, Ohio/Shelby) led the DU defense with eight tackles apiece.  Conrad had one tackle for a loss and the interception return for a touchdown.  Sophomore Lane Hartfield (Newark, Ohio/Newark Catholic) had six tackles while Nat Kell (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) finished with five tackles and his team-best sixth sack of the season.

Allegheny's defense was led by Doug Williams' eight tackles.  Colin Hartford had four tackles and one interception.  Salopek finished the night 18-for-27 for 201 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.  Carlisle was his favorite target.  The senior tight end caught eight passes for 85 yards.  Tamburlin led Allegheny in rushing with 71 yards off 17 attempts.  Acosta finished with 42 yards off nine carries.

Denison's offense was paced by Eagle who caught eight passes for 55 yards.  Dan Crawford (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) led the team in rushing with 25 yards via 11 carries.

Allegheny improves to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play while the Big Red's record dips to 3-4 and 1-2 in the NCAC.  DU will return to Deeds Field-Piper Stadium next Saturday when they host Wabash at 1 p.m.