Delaware, Ohio – The Oberlin College football team rallied from 21 points down to get within one score late in the game, but the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops were able to hold off the Yeomen for a 34-26 win on Saturday afternoon at Selby Stadium.
 
With the game still in the balance, the Yeomen defense stopped the Bishops on 4^th-and-1 for no gain. Oberlin would take over with 90 seconds left and no timeouts from their own 35-yard line. They would elect to take a shot deep downfield on the first play from scrimmage, but Zach Taylor's pass sailed over the head of his intended target and was intercepted by Sterling O'Hara to effectively end the game and Oberlin's comeback bid.
 
The Yeomen offense racked up 400 yards in the setback as Taylor threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-38 passing. The Artesia, California, native also accounted for 38 of the team's 118 rushing yards and added his fourth TD on the ground this season.
 
Junior wide out Ryan Gleeson finished with a career-high 142 yards and a touchdown as he tied a career-best with 11 catches in the setback.
 
The Bishops scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the game as they opened up a 21-3 lead in the first quarter, leaving the Yeomen with a big deficit to overcome.
 
Early in the second quarter, a 3-yard TD run by Taylor capped a 10-play, 49-yard drive to make it 21-10. Unfortunately, the Bishops responded with another scoring drive to take a 28-13 lead into the halftime intermission.
 
On the second play of the second half, Taylor threw his first of two interceptions and the Bishops would take advantage with their fifth touchdown of the game as quarterback Brian Berry connected with Sasoun Tcholakian on a 20-yard scoring strike to increase the lead to 34-13.
 
The Yeomen continued to fight as Taylor marched his team 73 yards on eight plays as the jaunt ended with a 6-yard TD toss to Gleeson. The drive was kept alive by a pass interference call on 4^th-and-3 that setup the Yeomen with a goal-to-go situation. The point after attempt was blocked, leaving the scoring at 34-19.
 
From that point on, both teams' offenses were unable to do much as the Bishops and Yeomen traded the ball back and forth over the next seven drives.
 
Taking over with 6:43 left on the clock, the Yeomen would put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive that took 4:04 off the clock. A 10-yard rush by Taylor on 4^th-and-6 put the ball near midfield. A couple of key first-down catches by senior Corey Fussinger continued to move the sticks and moments later on 3^rd-and-goal from the 5-yard line, Taylor would find Trace McConnell along the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

With just 2:40 left to play, the Yeomen tried an on-side kick, but the Bishops were able to corral it. However, the Yeomen defense got the stop they were looking for to get the ball back, but Taylor's errant throw ended their hopes.
 
The Yeomen made 81 tackles in the loss with, Jubreel Hason, Jabree Hason, Devin Wilkins, Von Wooding, and Bennett Jackson each finishing with eight tackles.
 
The loss marked the sixth straight for the Yeomen as they head back home at 2-6 overall and 1-5 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The Bishops moved to 4-4 and 4-3 in the league.
 
Oberlin concludes its season with a pair of home games over the next two weeks. First up they will battle Hiram College next Saturday at 1 p.m.