Springfield, Ohio – The Oberlin College football team trailed by only a touchdown after the first quarter but couldn't do much to stop the Wittenberg offensive as they trailed 35-7 before adding two late touchdowns in a road loss on Saturday night.
 
An interception by the Tigers on the Yeomen's first drive set them up for a two-play, eight-yard drive that resulted in a four-yard touchdown run to give the home team an early 7-0 lead.
 
Oberlin would answer right back with a nine-play, 76-yard drive to knot the game up at 7-7. On a key fourth and two from the Wittenberg 41-yard line, Von Wooding ripped off a 22-yard run to the opponent's 19-yard line. A defensive pass interference penalty on the following play moved the ball to the four-yard line where Chris Allen Jr. threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Brian Colarusso to cap off the drive.
 
This time the Tigers answered as they marched right down the field on an 11-play, 64-yard drive in 05:15 to retake the lead with 2:29 left in the opening quarter. Wittenberg methodically made its way into the Oberlin red zone before a crucial Yeomen offside penalty on a third down incompletion from the one gave the Tigers another opportunity, which they ran in for the score on the next play.
 
The Yeomen responded yet again with a lengthy 13-play, 65-yard drive of their own, due in part to 11 and 14 yard completions to Colarusso and Bear Broyles. Faced with another fourth and two, this time from the Wittenberg four-yard line, the field goal unit came out for a chip shot but the Tigers blocked the 22-yard attempt, leaving Oberlin walking away with no points.
 
After the teams traded punts, the Tigers used a good drive start at the Yeomen 36-yard line and ran the ball 27-yards of the way down to the Oberlin three before Wittenberg threw a short three-yard touchdown pass to take the 21-7 lead with 1:36 remaining until halftime.
 
Oberlin punted on their next possession and stopped Wittenberg before the half as the Yeomen headed to the locker room trailing by two touchdowns.
 
Both teams turned the ball over on downs after they were unable to convert long fourth downs on their opening series before the Tigers scored quickly on their next possession as a 56-yard touchdown pass capped a quick three-play, 70-yard drive.
 
After the Yeomen were unable to take advantage of a Tigers fumble in their own territory, Wittenberg again put together a double-digit 11-play drive as they traveled 66-yards in 04:38, culminating in a 11-yard touchdown pass halfway through the fourth quarter. The Tigers were able to convert on three third downs on the drive including a third and nine on the touchdown pass.
 
To their credit, the Yeomen continued to battle and answered right back with a seven-play, 73-yard drive to make it 35-14 Tigers with 2:49 remaining in the game. The two big plays on the drive came through the air as a 23-yard completion to Colarusso moved the ball to the Tigers 35-yard line. An offensive holding penalty made it third and 18 from the Wittenberg 43 before Allen Jr. found Tim Martin on a 32-yard gain down to the 11. After a defensive pass interference penalty, Wooding punched it in from five-yards out for his first-career rushing touchdown to pull within two scores at 35-14.
 
Brandon Davies added a 13-yard receiving touchdown from Cristian Jackson, Davies first of the year and Jackson's first career, with 32 seconds remaining in the game as Wittenberg recovered the onside kick and took to the victory formation to close out the 35-21 win.
 
Allen finished 13-25 for 155 yards and a touchdown pass while Wooding led the ground attack with 41 yards (6.8 average) and a touchdown. Colarusso and Davies had nearly identical receiving numbers as they each caught five balls and a touchdown for 58 and 54 yards respectively.
 
The Yeomen offense was efficient on third downs as they converted on nine of 18 chances but were only one of three on fourth downs.
 
Defensively, Wooding took care of his primary position at linebacker as he registered 14 tackles, two for loss, while Malachi Clemons had the next most with seven.
 
Oberlin will face another Tigers team next Saturday when it heads to DePauw at 1:00 p.m.