Alma, Mich.- In its second road game of the 2025 season, the Denison football team fell to the rushing-focused Alma College 53-27. The Big Red and Scots both move to 1-1 for the season, as they head into their conference play.

In the first half of play, the Scots got off to a quick start, going up 7-0, off eight plays and a 61-yard drive, that was capped by an 18-yard pass from Alma's Carter St. John to Zach Poff.

Denison would respond on their first offensive drive of the game, as sophomore quarterback Tyler Green and junior running back Blayton Reid marched the Big Red up the field to set up a passing touchdown to Logan Yater to make it 7-6. Offensive momentum, however, swung in favor of Alma after the Scots blocked the extra point and scored two points of their own to make it 9-6.

Up by three with just over seven minutes left in the first quarter, Alma picked up its offensive pace, wasting no time to extend its lead, following an 80-yard touchdown run by the Scots' running back Eddie Williams, extending their lead by ten.

With ten minutes left in the second quarter, Alma methodically drove the ball to its endzone to put the Scots up 19-6. The Big Red would answer, as Green found Grayson Kerscher for his second touchdown pass to cap off a ten-play, 75-yard drive to cut the deficit by six, trailing 19-13.

Momentum shifted in favor of Denison, as junior linebacker Chase Daniel forced a fumble that junior linebacker Nick Pellicciotta picked up to set the Big Red up on the Alma 35-yard line. Green would waste no time finding his third target of the day for a touchdown. On the first play after the recovered fumble, Green located senior tight end Alex Stackhouse, who scored on a 35-yard pass to take a one-point lead with six minutes left in the first half, 20-19.

Not backing down, the Scots answered the Big Red's 14-point run with two touchdowns of their own to regain a 32-20 lead at the half. The Big Red ended the first half with 200 total yards of offense.

The second half would not go in favor of the Big Red, as Green threw his first interception of the day, and it would be returned for a touchdown from Alma's Brock Beaudrie to give the Scots a 39-20 lead to start the second half.

The Denison offense would stall on their next drive, having to punt to Alma's 35-yard line, and the Scots would capitalize on their possession with another Carter St. John to Zach Poff touchdown pass to give Alma a commanding 45-20 lead. The Scots' 26 unanswered points since the Big Red took the one-point lead late in the 2nd quarter would ultimately seal the day's victory.

Both teams would exchange touchdowns in the fourth quarter, as Green would connect with Rob Lucey for his fourth touchdown pass of the day to make the final score 53-27 in favor of Alma. 

Green would finish his day going 35/54, 352 yards, and four touchdowns. Kerscher led the group in receiving, hauling in ten catches for 115 yards and a score. Reid finished the day on the ground with 19 carries for 48 yards. 

On the defense, Pellicciotta led the team in tackles with eight, and Daniel would cause the only turnover of the day. Senior defensive lineman Casper Rublowsky and junior defensive lineman Drew Duffy each recorded a tackle for loss, and junior cornerback Colton Morrow recorded five tackles in the loss.

Up Next

The Big Red travel to Crawfordsville, Ind., to compete against the Little Giants of Wabash College in their first North Coast Athletic Conference matchup of the season. Denison and Wabash will take to the field at 2 p.m.