Sponsored by Reineke Family Dealerships
Tiffin University (2-0) put together a consistent offensive and defensive attack, wearing down Gannon 42-7 in their home opener at Frost Kalnow Stadium.
The Dragons scored 14 points in each of the first three quarters, while allowing only one sustained scoring drive by the Golden Knights.
Tiffin got on the board with its opening drive, as Marcus Davis rushed for 16 yards and hauled in a pass for another 24 yards. He capped it off with a three-yard TD run at the 10:55 mark to put TU up 7-0.
Gannon tried to respond, driving down to the Tiffin 32 yard line before Jermaine Wimpye picked off a Gannon pass on fourth down and returned it 48 yards to set up TU's next score.
Nick Watson went 3 for 5 passing while also rushing 18 yards for another first down before Davis crashed into the end zone from 8 yards out to make it 14-0, Tiffin.
After Gannon got on the board with a quick 5 play, 60 yard drive in 1:56, the Dragons broke the game open with two scores just before halftime.
With 3:28 left in the half, TU started a drive at midfield. Anthony Lowe rushed 16 yards to pick up a critical first down before Davis scored his third touchdown on a 13 yard run to make it 21-7.
After the Dragons forced a punt with just 27 seconds left, Watson took over on his own 40 yard line and went to work. He rushed for 17 yards, then completed a pass to Devon Lynch for 5 more yards. Then on the final play of the half, he scrambled left, evading tacklers and toe-dancing down the sideline for a 38 yard dash that put TU up 28-7 heading to the locker room.
The Dragons' defense stopped Gannon's opening drive of the third quarter, holding on fourth down at the Tiffin 37 yard line when TU put together another quick strike. Watson hit Daytrin Guyton Jr. on a short pass play that Guyton turned into an electric 57 yard sprint through traffic before being brought down on the Gannon 6 yard line. Davis soon banged in for his fourth TD of the day from 3 yards out.
TU's final score came in quick strike fashion, taking just 48 seconds after TU's defense held Gannon to a 3-and-out. Watson hit Lowe for two receptions for 32 yards, and Devin Nelson rushed for 32 yards into the end zone to make it 42-7.
Tiffin's reserves played for most of the final quarter, controlling the clock for 13:21 of the final 15 minutes to put the game away.
Overall TU outgained Gannon 473-220, averaging 7.1 yards per play. They held GU to 115 yards on the ground (2.8 yards per rush), while averaging 5.1 yards per rush offensively for 210 yards.
Davis finished with 59 yards rushing and 4 TDs, while Watson had 55 yards to go along with 233 passing yards. He completed 14 of 23 passes.
Lowe had 6 catches for 107 yards, while Guyton had 1 catch for 57 yards.
Defensively Barry Brown and Latrell Robinson had 7 tackles each, while Chrystian Watkins had 6 tackles with a tackle for loss. Charlie Cleveland had 5 tackles with a sack and a tackle for loss, while Marshawn Mankins, Landon Hall, Jacob Mertus, Devon Nzepuome, Brandon Burks, and Hunter Waits had 4 stops apiece.