Dave Mogilnicki caught a pair of first half touchdown passes from Mason Espinosa and a 34-yard field goal from Miles MacKenzie in the second quarter would be the difference as Ohio Wesleyan held off Denison, 17-14, on Saturday night in Delaware, Ohio.

The Big Red started slow but picked things up in the second quarter when junior quarterback Max Paulus found Lucas Graham from 9-yards out, capping off a 10-play, 79-yard drive that lasted 5:22.  The key play on the drive was a 41-yard run by Sam Fioroni on first down from the Denison 32-yardline.

The ensuing OWU drive would result in the MacKenzie field goal, putting the Bishops in front 17-7 heading into the locker room.

Denison would open the third quarter with a glacial drive that lasted 13 plays while chewing up nearly nine minutes.  After advancing to the Ohio Wesleyan 24-yardline, a false start would push the Big Red back five yards facing them with a fourth-and-nine from their opponent's 29-yardline.  Paulus' pass over the middle would fall incomplete and the Big Red would come away empty.

The DU defense would respond on the next drive when senior linebacker Adam Frudden picked off Espinosa on third down, giving the ball back to the offense on the Bishop 43-yardline.  Paulus opened with a first down to his favorite target on the night, Braden Layer, but three straight no-gain's and a sack on fourth down would give OWU some momentum heading into the fourth quarter.

DU would have three drives stalled in the fourth quarter before Paulus and company took over on their own 27-yardline with just 2:22 remaining.  Paulus would connect with Layer on completions of 30 yards and 34 yards to get DU to the OWU 9-yardline.  That's where Paulus would hook up with Graham once again, this time by eluding three would-be tacklers before finding the senior in the right corner of the end zone.

With the score 17-14 in favor of Ohio Wesleyan with only 1:14 left, Denison attempted an onside kick which was recovered by the Bishops' Kevin Herman.  The rest was left to Espinosa who took a knee to run out the clock and give OWU the victory.

Fioroni led all rushers with 97 yards off 17 carries.  Paulus was 21-for-41 for 215 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.  Layer notched his first career 100-yard receiving game by hauling in seven catches for 103 yards.  Graham caught five passes for 47 yards to go along with his pair of touchdown receptions.

Espinosa was 14-for-28 for 193 yards.  He also threw two touchdown passes and had two interceptions.  Mogilnicki paced OWU with six catches for 107 yards and two TD's.  Herman led the team with 27 yards rushing off 12 carries.

Defensively, DaVaughn DuBose posted 10 tackles and one forced fumble to pace OWU.  Chris Wilson tallied nine tackles and James Huddleston had eight stops, four tackles for a loss and two sacks.  Denison was led in tackles by Alex Sycher and Frudden who each had seven stops apiece.  Frudden and Eric Conrad accounted for Denison's pair of interceptions.

Denison will look to rebound next Saturday (Sept. 10) when they travel to Richmond, Ind. for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff against the Earlham College Quakers.

NOTE: The game was delayed for 32 minutes in the first quarter due to lightning in the area.