Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College football team closed out the 2017 season with a 63-37 victory over the visiting Allegheny College Gators on Saturday afternoon at the Austin E. Knowlton Athletics Complex.
The Yeomen racked up 651 yards of offense, which is the second most in a game in school history, trailing only Oberlin's 690-yard effort against Allegheny in 2015. On the season, Oberlin totaled 3,703 yards, which is third most in program history.
Sophomore quarterback Zach Taylor spearheaded the Yeomen offense, throwing for a career-high 434 yards, and six touchdowns which ties a single-game school record. Taylor added 116 yards and a touchdown on the ground to finish with a school-record 550 yards of total offense. The Artesia, California, native finished the season with 2,189 yards passing, which is the third most in school history. His 2,525 total yards of offense is a school record as he passed Yeomen great Greg Mangan's 2,394 yards that he earned in 2006.
For the second time in his career, Robby Reinheimer went over 200 yards receiving against the Gators as he snagged eight balls for 216 yards and a score. Classmate Ryan Gleeson had a career-day, finishing with 165 yards and four touchdown catches.
The first quarter couldn't have gone any better for the Yeomen as they scored a touchdown on all four of their possessions. However, it was the Oberlin defense that set tone early as Justin Godfrey ripped the ball out of Alex Victor's hands on the first play of the game to setup the Yeomen offense.
Oberlin wasted no time in capitalizing as Taylor found Gleeson for 34 yards and the next play Chuck Williams rushed up the middle for a 2-yard TD plunge.
On it's a second drive, a 50-yard run by Taylor gave the Yeomen another goal-to-go situation and this time it was senior Khalil Rivers who slithered his way into the end zone from a yard out.
The Gators would fumble the ensuing kickoff to setup the Yeomen with another short porch. Three plays later, Taylor found Gleeson in the back corner of the end zone to make it 21-0.
The final Yeomen drive of the quarter was their longest as they went 66 yards on eight plays in 3:53. On 3rd-and-10 Gleeson was open across the middle for a 13-yard scoring strike to cap a 28-point first quarter for the Yeomen.
The teams would trade scoring drives early in the second quarter. Following Allegheny's first touchdown, it didn't take the Yeomen long to respond as they went 62 yards on six plays in just 2:17. The drive would end with a back-shoulder TD catch by Reinheimer to make it 35-7.
Two touchdown drives by the Gators cut the Yeomen cushion down to 35-19, but Oberlin struck back in a big way. On the first play from scrimmage, Taylor found Gleeson on a deep post pattern and he went the rest of the way for a 71-yard touchdown.
The final 2:41 of the first half was eventful as the Gators added another TD to make it 42-25. Oberlin took over with 67 seconds left in the half and 64-yard connection to Reinheimer put them in Gators' territory. Oberlin eventually lined up for a field goal try with nine second to go, but a false start penalty – which included a 10-second runoff – concluded the half.
The Yeomen scoring barrage continued on the opening drive of the third quarter as they marched 75 yards on six plays. Taylor called his own number from 14 yards out to balloon Oberlin's margin to 24 points.
However, the Gators kept coming at the Yeomen as they scored two touchdowns to cut the deficit down to 12, 49-37, with 8:49 left in the fourth quarter.
Sensing a bit of urgency, the Oberlin offense went back to work covering 90 yards on just five plays. A 38-yard run by Melvin Briggs was followed by a 37-yard catch by Reinheimer. Two plays later, Taylor hit Gleeson in the end zone for the fourth time – this time from 16-yards away.
Following a strip-sack of Allegheny quarterback Logan Lee by Kenny Williams, the Yeomen would add one more score as Taylor found senior tight end Chris Mueller in the back end of the end zone. The point after attempt gave Oberlin 63 points, which ties for fifth most all-time in a game.
The Oberlin defense forced five Allegheny fumbles in the win and recovered two of them to go along with two interceptions for four takeaways in the game.
Senior Bennett Jackson made 10 tackles to end his career second all-time in school history at 294.
It was a sloppy game on both sides as the two teams combined for 32 penalties for 339 yards.
Oberlin ends the season at 4-6 overall and 3-6 in the NCAC. It marks the best record for the Yeomen since they ended 2012 at 4-6.
Yeomen Outlast Gators in a Senior Day Shootout
/seasons/2017/boxscores/20171111_yd97.xml
2017
Allegheny
37
Oberlin
63
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny (3-7) | 0 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 37 |
| Oberlin (4-6) | 28 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 63 |
Nov 11, 2017