Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College football team suffered a gut-wrenching 28-26 loss to the visiting DePauw University Tigers to sour the Homecoming celebration at Austin E. Knowlton Athletics Complex.
 
Junior quarterback Zach Taylor orchestrated a 7-play, 80-yard drive with 54 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter, but the Yeomen's potential game-tying two-point conversion was unsuccessful to allow the Tigers to escape town with the win.
 
Taylor finished 18-of-28 passing for 334 yards and four touchdowns. He moved into third on the all-time passing list as he now has 5,324 yards in his career. The Artesia, California, native also jumped Lucas Poggiali (37) for third in career-touchdown passes with 40. Senior Ryan Gleeson was his top target as he caught eight balls for 168 yards and three touchdowns. Jabari Clemons also snagged eight passes for 157 yards and a score.
 
It was a high-scoring first quarter as the score was tied at 14 after the first 15-minute frame. The Yeomen scored on the game's opening drive as Taylor hooked up with Gleeson for a 16-yard scoring strike to cap an 8-play, 75-yard jaunt that took 3:05 off the clock.
 
Following a Tigers' score, the Yeomen responded with another touchdown drive as Taylor found Clemons on a 3^rd-and-7 and the Yeomen senior would escape free for a 23-yard TD.
 
The only points of the second quarter came courtesy of a last-second field goal by the Tigers as they carried a 17-14 lead into the intermission.
 
The second half wouldn't start for another 90 minutes as the game was delayed for weather. Following the restart, the Yeomen would go out in front 20-19 on their first drive as Gleeson broke free for his fourth long-distance touchdown of the year as he blew past the DePauw secondary for a 78-yard TD. Unfortunately, the ensuing extra point was blocked and returned the other way for a defensive 2-point conversion.
 
DePauw would take a 26-20 lead and then open the fourth quarter with its second 2-point play of the game, blocking a punt out of the back of the end zone to make it 28-20.
 
Following a missed field goal by DePauw, Taylor took over with 3:00 minutes to go. He would keep the drive alive with a 3^rd-and-17 completion to Gleeson and would then find Clemons for a 35-yard gain to setup a 1^st-and-goal from the 10-yard line. On the next play, Taylor would find Gleeson on a perfectly thrown fade that he hauled in while tip-toeing the sideline. Unfortunately, Taylor's 2-point pass appeared to slip out of his hand as it sailed high over Gleeson's head.
 
Oberlin finished with 405 yards of total offense compared to 324 for the Tigers. However, Oberlin committed nine penalties that cost 98 yards.
 
The Yeomen defense forced three fumbles and recovered four in the loss. Malachi Clemons, who led the way with 11 tackles, had a fumble recovery as did Khalid McCalla, Jabree Hason and Jack Lesniak.
 
The loss dropped the Yeomen back to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the NCAC. DePauw heads back to Greencastle, Indiana, at 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the NCAC.
 
Oberlin is back in action next Saturday as they host Wooster at 1 p.m.