WOOSTER, Ohio – Senior quarterback Mateo Renteria escaped pressure twice, then senior tight end Cole Hissong found an opening in front of three defenders in the end zone prior to catching a game-winning 7-yard touchdown pass with :11 remaining, as The College of Wooster football team stunned Wittenberg University 44-43 on Saturday afternoon at John P. Papp Stadium.
Wooster (5-3, 3-3 North Coast Athletic Conference) authored one of the biggest comebacks in college football on Saturday, with the Fighting Scots charging back from a 33-7 deficit over the final 26:45. The go-ahead touchdown, plus a game-sealing interception by senior Chris Savaglio at Wittenberg's (4-4, 4-3 NCAC) 42-yard line with :03 remaining secured Wooster's first win over its archrival since the 2008 season finale.
Drama was lurking at every snap on the decisive drive. Wooster was faced with a fourth-and-3 play from its own 37-yard line, and Renteria moved the chains with an 18-yard completion to senior wide receiver Troy Baughman. Sophomore wideout Andrew Hammer picked up the needed yardage on a third-down snap with a 9-yard pickup, and later, Hissong went for seven stripes on third down. Had either Wittenberg defender secured the sack against Renteria on the go-ahead play, it would have set up a fourth-and-goal situation from about 18 yards out. Wittenberg nearly picked off Wooster's two-point try, and had Christian Sweet secured the pick, he would have had an empty field ahead of him for a defensive two-point score.
Prior to the go-ahead drive, senior defensive back Matt Ulishney knocked down Wittenberg's Garrett Gross a yard shy of the first-down marker, and that enabled Wooster to better manage its remaining two timeouts. First-year defensive back Brock Sivon made arguably the biggest tackle of the day, getting into the backfield, and tripping Gross up for a 1-yard loss on the ensuing third-down play.
The Renterias spearheaded Wooster's 26-point comeback with two touchdowns in a :52 span of the third quarter. First, Mateo Renteria kept the ball and took off to the left for a 2-yard touchdown run. Next, brother, Q Renteria, a first-year defensive end, caught a fumble in midair after the pigskin came free due to hitting Wittenberg quarterback Collin Brown in the helmet as he went back to throw. Renteria returned the fumble 18 yards for the score, and senior Lake Barrett's extra point had the Scots within 33-21 with 6:05 left in the third.
First-year Jarvis Mims Jr. rushed in from 11 yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter, and Barrett's extra point again had the Scots within 12. Next, first-year linebacker Mason Gilton popped the ball loose from Gross' grasp, and senior defensive tackle Quincy Taylor returned it to the Tigers' 29-yard line. The Scots settled for a 33-yard Barrett field goal on that drive, which pulled Wooster within 40-31 at the 12:47 mark.
Wooster answered Wittenberg's fourth-quarter field goal with a 9-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to pull within five. Mims Jr. capped the drive with a 7-yard rush with 5:23 on the clock. Completions of 14 and 18 yards to Hammer and Hissong respectively, were the big yardage gainers on the drive.
A Wittenberg three-and-out followed Mims Jr.'s second touchdown of the day. Banal tackled Brown for just a 1-yard gain on a scramble, then hurried the Tigers' signal-caller into a bad pass on the third-down snap. Wooster also went three-and-out when it got the ball back before senior Matt Pardi flipped the field with a 60-yard punt marking his third time hitting a punt at least 60 yards in a game this year.
The Scots got on the board with a 6-yard Renteria keeper in the second quarter, which at the time had Wooster within 27-7.
Hissong went for 102 yards and the decisive touchdown on nine receptions. Renteria completed 27-of-53 passes for 272 yards and a score. Mims Jr. averaged 5.2 yards per carry, with 78 net yards on 15 totes, two of which ended with touchdowns.
Ulishney's 12 tackles led Wooster, and he had a solo stop for a loss and a breakup on his Saturday line. Senior Langston Williams was next with six tackles, and Savaglio had five and a sack to pair with his interception.
Gross did the heavy lifting in Wittenberg's offense, evidenced by 23 carries, which went for 155 yards and a touchdown. Brown completed 12-of-21 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Cameron Snurr's 12 tackles led the Tigers, and Grant Hollinger had Wittenberg's sack.
Wooster outgained Wittenberg 364-351 and had 26 first downs to the Tigers' 16. The Scots held the Tigers to just three third-down conversions in 10 attempts, while offensively, Wooster went 7-for-18 for the game.
Next, Wooster looks to snap its seven-game skid against Denison University (6-2, 4-2 NCAC), and reclaim the "Old Red Lantern" trophy. Kickoff from John P. Papp Stadium is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 5.