In the playoffs, they hosted the Atlanta Falcons and dominated the game, winning 24-2. The only points that came for the Falcons were on a safety. The Giants then beat the defending Super Bowl champions and this year’s favorites, the Green Bay Packers, 37-20 at Lambeau Field. Finally, they beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in a gritty game that concluded with a Lawrence Tynes field goal in overtime to seal their spot in the Super Bowl.

How did the Patriots get here?
The New England Patriots finished 13-3 in the regular season, the best record in the AFC. Tom Brady passed for 940 yards through the first two games of the season as the Patriots rolled past the Miami Dolphins and the San Diego Chargers before falling to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. After coming off of their bye week, New England lost games two and three to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants in Week 8 and Week 9, respectively. However, the Patriots did not lose again in 2011, rattling off ten straight victories heading into the Super Bowl. Although the Pats struggled down the stretch in the regular season with close wins against the Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins (teams with a combined 13-35 record), they got back in rhythm with a 49-21 blowout of the Bills in the final week of the season. If you thought that was bad, consider the AFC Divisional Round game against the Denver Broncos two weeks later. New England started fast and finished strong in a thoroughly dominating 45-10 victory in which Brady threw for six touchdowns through just over two quarters. Finally, the Patriots downed the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game 23-20 despite Brady’s two-interception night. When Ravens’ kicker Billy Cundiff horribly missed a 32-yard field goal with 15 seconds to go, the Patriots returned to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2007.

I get it; Eli Manning is good. Who else is good on the Giants?
The Giants have one of the most intimidating defensive lines in all of football.

Though Justin Tuck has had a subpar year because of numerous injuries, his leadership and ability to get to the quarterback will present a challenge for Brady and his offensive line. As will Osi Umenyiora, who not only is able to get to the quarterback but also has a knack for forcing fumbles. Most impressive this season for the Giants has been Jason Pierre-Paul. JPP only started playing football at age 16, but his incredible athletic ability has made him into a defensive stalwart for the team. He finished the year with a spectacular 16.5 sacks. Victor Cruz has had one of the most impressive seasons from a wide receiver in Giants history. His 1,536 receiving yards are a single-season franchise-record for Big Blue. Look for him to do his signature salsa touchdown dance in the end zone should he score. Hakeem Nicks, however, is Manning’s go-to-guy and has some of the biggest hands in the NFL. His superior route running has made him into a phenomenal wide receiver. Cornerback Corey Webster is one of the most underrated players in the league at his position. He had a career-high six interceptions this year, but he is most famous for intercepting Brett Favre’s last pass as a Green Bay Packer in the 2008 postseason.

I get it; Tom Brady is good. Who else is good on the Patriots?
The Patriots are loaded with young talent all over the field on both sides of the ball. Wide receiver Wes Welker led the league in receptions for the third time as a Patriot as he racked up 122 catches for 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns. He may be considered small at five feet nine inches, but coming out of the slot, he is quick, shifty and a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. The 2010 draft was kind to Tom Brady: he got two superb receiving tight ends in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Hernandez had a strong season with 79 catches for 910 yards and seven touchdowns, but this was nothing compared to the season Gronkowski put together (which we’ll talk more about shortly). It is easy to overlook running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis because of Brady’s gaudy passing numbers, but defenses do so at their own risk. Green-Ellis was a force in the red zone in 2011 with 11 rushing touchdowns, despite only 667 rushing yards. On defense, middle linebacker Jerod Mayo continues to succeed in making plays all over the field as he tallied 95 tackles and two interceptions in 2011. In the secondary, corners Kyle Arrington and Devin McCourty are already known around the league as ball-hawks. Arrington led the league in interceptions this season with seven, and McCourty led the league last season with seven of his own. Take into account that each of the players mentioned here are 30 or younger, and it is easy to see why the Patriots are contenders every season.

Who is this “Gronk” guy, and what’s the deal with his foot?
Rob Gronkowski is a second-year tight end on the New England Patriots. He had a monster year, catching 90 passes for 1,327 yards and an NFL-record-for-tight-ends 17 touchdowns. Gronk also tied an NFL postseason record with three receiving touchdowns in the divisional round matchup against the Broncos. But in the game against the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago, he severely sprained his ankle. He had to use a walking boot to protect his ankle and only removed it on Tuesday, sparking questions about his availability and effectiveness in the Super Bowl. Even if he does play, he will not be at 100 percent, drastically affecting a Patriots’ offense that relied heavily on Gronkowski throughout the year.

Why do the TV guys keep talking about the “last Super Bowl” these two played in?
In Super Bowl XLII the Giants defeated the heavily favored and previously-undefeated New England Patriots 17-14 in what was arguably the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. Many considered the game, which featured three lead changes in the fourth quarter, the best Super Bowl ever. The game also showcased one of the most miraculous plays in NFL history. Eli Manning was on the verge of being sacked, but somehow he evaded Patriots defenders and threw downfield to David Tyree, who made a spectacular catch. As the highlight of the spectacular game, Tyree leaped in the air and caught the ball and placed it on his helmet while fending off Rodney Harrison.

What is that MHK emblem on the Patriots jerseys mean?
Myra Hiatt Kraft is the late wife of Patriots owner Robert Kraft. She died from cancer in July, five days before the end of the NFL lockout, and the Patriots dedicated their season to her. Myra Kraft was a pillar for the NFL’s model franchise of the 2000s, and “win one more for Myra” has become the rallying cry around New England heading into the Super Bowl. After rushing for a touchdown against the Ravens in the AFC Championship game, Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis pointed to the symbol on his jersey as a sign of respect to the late Myra Kraft. Some Patriots fans believe that she was able to force Billy Cundiff’s chip shot wide in the waning seconds of the game.

This year’s game is taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Why is that significant?
Just as the old Yankee Stadium was known as “The House that (Babe) Ruth Built,” Lucas Oil Stadium is essentially “The House that Peyton Manning Built.” At 31 years old, Eli has the chance to win his second Super Bowl, one more than Peyton, 35, whose career is in doubt after neck surgery forced him to miss the 2011 season. Eli has long lingered in his older brother’s shadow, but Super Bowl XLV presents him a chance to distinguish himself from Peyton, who will be remembered as one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation alongside Tom Brady.

Dan Kurzner | Sports Correspondent in Europe
Giants 30, Patriots 27
There is a fire lit under Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the Patriots. They want to avenge their Super Bowl XLII loss and their loss to the Giants 13 weeks ago. This is horrifying. That being said, the Giants defense has been outstanding, especially against teams that they are seeing for the second time this season (see Packers, 49ers). Because of injuries, Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is the nickel cornerback. How will Edelman deal with Victor Cruz, the third-leading receiver in the NFL, in the slot? Most importantly, Eli Manning has asserted himself as the most clutch fourth-quarter QB in the league. I believe this game will be close and high scoring. In those games, the hot, clutch QB makes the difference.

Alex Leichenger | Sports Editor
Giants 31, Patriots 24
After the Giants spoiled their dreams of an undefeated season in 2008, the Patriots are seeking revenge. Unfortunately, this New England team doesn’t have the same talent as that loaded squad from four years ago, especially on defense. The hodgepodge unit performed admirably against the Ravens and Patriots, but Eli Manning and the Giants’ deep-ball threats of Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz will take the challenge to an insurmountable level. With tight end extraordinaire Rob Gronkowski hobbled (and possibly sidelined) by a high ankle sprain, the Pats lack the offensive firepower to keep up with the G-Men. However, I won’t be surprised if Tom Brady makes me look like an idiot for writing that.

Sahil Patel | Senior Sports Editor
Patriots 31, Giants 28
Yes, I’m the loon of the staff, but hear me out. I know that the Giants are the hot team right now; I know they won the regular season matchup; I know that the Patriots haven’t played well in the playoffs since 2004, but think about this: the last team to beat Bill Belichick’s Patriots three games in a row was the Indianapolis Colts from 2005-2006, when Peyton Manning led the Colts to his lone Super Bowl victory. Opposing teams just don’t win three straight. Say what you want about New England’s defense this season, but just know that Bill Belichick will have them ready to play. I look at the Giants linebackers and secondary, and I see gigantic matchup problems with New England’s offense; Tom Brady simply has too many weapons. Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez, Danny Woodhead, etc. On defense, I know the Patriots have not been good, but Eli Manning has a reputation throughout his career for being turnover-prone. Which secondary was second in the league in interceptions? The New England Patriots. Look for a high-scoring, hard-fought game coming down to the wire. In that scenario, I pick Brady and Belichick every. single. time.

Trevor Casson | Sports Reporter
Giants 27, Patriots 21
Why? Well for one I am a huge Giants fan, so I would never go against my team. The Giants already beat the Patriots 24-20 earlier this season at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts without Hakeem Nicks and Ahmad Bradshaw. The Giants are also catching fire at the right time. Eli Manning is an elite quarterback and has a stellar array of options from Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham to Jake Ballard. Though the Pats haven’t lost since Week 9 against the Giants, they will have trouble getting past the ferocious defensive line of New York. The likes of Matt Light and Nate Solder will have trouble blocking Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Chris Canty and Dave Tollefson. The secondary of the Giants has also impressed over the last couple of weeks, so look for a few turnovers to be forced. Nonetheless, it is going to be a tough game. If the Patriots are to win this game, they have to get the ball to wide receiver Wes Welker, who has caused the Giants trouble in the past. If the Giants are able to contain him, look for head coach Tom Coughlin to be doused by a Gatorade shower again.

Kurt Rohrbeck | Senior Sports Editor
Giants 26, Patriots 21
Three reasons for this pick. One: the Giants’ defense has caught fire lately, and their front four, when performing like they are now, can slow down anyone. They even impeded Tom Brady—we saw it happen four years ago—and Jason Pierre-Paul may be even better than any of the guys who were on the Giants then. Two: Eli has quietly been tremendous all season long, and I’m not at all confident in the New England secondary’s ability to contain Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and him. If the Giants can keep the Pats even remotely honest with the run game, it’ll be trouble. And three: I’m an Eagles fan; I really don’t want a Giants win, and as you can guess based on that description of me, exactly nothing I want to happen this NFL season has happened. So basically, there’s no other way for it to end.

The University of Chicago will also move its football program to the SAA. Both teams will have the same rights and privileges as all other football playing schools in the conference.

“Washington University is honored to affiliate its football program, effective with the 2015 season, with the newly formed Southern Athletic Association,” Director of Athletics John Schael said in an interview with bearsports.wustl.edu. “We have a history with several SAA member institutions dating back to 1962 when the Bears were a member of the former College Athletic Conference. It will be nice to re-connect.”

The SAA will include Berry College in Ga., Birmingham Southern College in Ala., Centre College of Kent., Hendrix College of Ark., Millsaps College in Miss., Oglethorpe University in Ga. and Rhodes College and Sewanee: University of the South in Tenn.

Due to the size of the SAA, it could, pending approval from the NCAA, have “automatic-qualifer” status, meaning that the conference champion will automatically receive a bid to the NCAA Division III football playoffs.

Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University will move their football programs to the President Athletic Conference. All four schools will continue to face one another in the football regular season and will remain as members of the University Athletic Association in all intercollegiate sports programs.

Nathaniel Margolies | Student Life

The Bears celebrate winning the Founder’s Cup trophy after defeating the University of Chicago on Saturday, November 12.

“This [win] feels amazing,” senior wide receiver Easton Knott said. “It’s just one of those things that hasn’t really sunk in yet. We just wanted to have a lot of fun, and I think it showed in the game. We played our butts off and got that cup back. It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.”

The Bears fought well against tough teams all season long, from Carnegie Mellon University to Wabash College, but the team knew that the season would not be complete without a win against its biggest rival on senior day. Rebounding from a tough loss last weekend against Case Western Reserve University, Wash. U. played its sharpest game of the year, ending the season on a high note with a 6-4 winning record.

“It’s great to have the cup back,” senior linebacker Nick Hillard said. “It belongs in only one place: St. Louis.”

The Founder’s Cup commemorates the first football game played between two University Athletic Association schools. The Bears lead the Founder’s Cup series 18-7, with a 19-11 record against Chicago all-time.

In all four quarters of Saturday’s matchup, the Red and Green offense clicked on all cylinders both through the air and on the ground, while the defense did their best to keep Chicago out of the end zone, limiting the Maroons to only three red zone possessions, resulting in just a touchdown. The Bears committed no turnovers and capitalized on six scoring drives.

“The big thing was that we took the ball into the end zone a couple of times,” head coach Larry Kindbom said. “They had some really good receivers, and I think we did a good job of keeping them from being the highlight of the game. Our guys did a great job of responding to the challenge.”

Paul Goedeke | Student Life

Junior wide receiver Drew Sexton moves down the field on Saturday, November 12. The Bears defeated the University of Chicago to win the Founder’s cup trophy.

Although Wash. U.’s defense gave up 13 points in the first half, they shut the Maroons out throughout the third quarter and forced two timely interceptions and two sacks that prevented Chicago from scoring. Hillard made his presence felt as his 10 tackles helped stop Chicago on several drives.

Burkett scorched the field in the second half with accurate passing, throwing two touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Austin Morman and senior tight end Brennan Fox. The offensive line helped Castellucio run the ball well, as he racked up 139 yards.

“Burkett is just getting better and better every game,” Kindbom said. “He’s been working his way through. It was good to see the way things happened. Obviously, the receivers did a really good job of getting open and changing speeds on routes. It was a great performance.”

For the seniors, winning their last game on Francis Field against Chicago was a sweet ending for their careers as Wash. U. football players.

“Hopefully we’ve left a legacy of hard work and determination,” Knott said. “I think that’s the biggest thing we look at is that we came out every day and we worked our butts off. I think it showed in the end.”

For Kindbom, he’s proud of the passion that his team has brought to the field for every game, play and practice. He hopes to see this spirit carry over to the next season.

“Even though we were not always at our best, we always played passionately,” Kindbom said. “When you’re passionate about something, it’s going to have an effect, and our team certainly showed it.”

Paul Goedeke | Student Life

Sophomore defensive lineman Seth Wight (left) and senior linebacker Corey Terman (right) prepare to tackle Case Western’s Dan Calabrese on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Bears were defeated 16-6.

The last time these two teams met, the Bears came out sharp, beating the Spartans 14-13. The story was different on Saturday, as turnovers and missed scoring opportunities proved to be costly. The Bears’ offense could not find the end zone afterward while the defense could not stop the Spartans from settling for field goals, resulting in a 16-6 loss.

“Our kids played hard, and they are a pretty [good] football team,” head coach Larry Kindbom said. “You can’t make mistakes against [Case Western] and we did. If you make mistakes, you’re going to lose. Pretty simple.”

Wash. U. came out strong in the first half, as junior quarterback Dan Burkett and junior running back Chris Castelluccio led the offense down the field to long drives. Both the running and passing game seemed to work well on the first three drives. On the second drive, Wash. U.’s offense drove the ball to Case Western’s 15-yard line, giving the Bears a chance to score first. However, junior kicker Eric Chalifour missed the 32-yard field goal as the ball sailed wide left. Chalifour’s uncharacteristic inaccuracy continued to plague him throughout the game. He missed the extra point after senior wide receiver Easton Knott’s 55-yard touchdown catch and a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter.

“I was really surprised,” Knott said. “Eric is an incredibly consistent kicker, and it seems like he never misses a kick. Everyone always has a bad day, but our loss isn’t his fault. If our offense is forced to settle for field goals, we need to [do] our job better.”

The Bears’ defense played sharply throughout the first half, forcing the Spartans to punt the ball on their first three drives. After Case kicked a field goal on its fourth drive, the team’s offense gained confidence and rhythm in the passing and running games, which lead to long drives into the red zone and gave Wash. U.’s defense a hard time. The Spartans converted three of their four scoring attempts while the Bears went zero for two.

In the second half, Case made some adjustments on defense to counter the Bears’ offensive strategy, forcing Wash. U. to punt on most of its drives and picking off Burkett on a drive that looked hopeful in the third quarter.

Kindbom put in junior quarterback Adam Banks in the fourth quarter, hoping he would bring some spark to the offense.

“We needed touchdowns in order to have a shot at winning,” Kindbom said, “So I thought maybe Adam Banks could help us. He did a fairly good job, but we came up short.”

Despite the loss, the Bears are still looking forward to their last game of the season, on Saturday at home against one of their biggest rivals, the University of Chicago. If Wash. U. wins, it will take possession of the Founders Cup, commemorating the first University Athletic Association game between the two schools.

“That game will be the last day to put on our pads for the team as seniors,” Knott said. “It’s senior day, so we’re motivated to go [out] as winners. They stole it from us last year and we want it back.”

Courtesy of Chris LaBarge

Brothers Chris and Trevor LaBarge have united on the Wash. U. football team this year. Trevor transferred from Case Western after making all-UAA last season.

Chris, a senior defensive back with the Bears, started his collegiate career at Drake University, an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision school, before being redshirted. After his freshman year, he transferred to Washington University. Trevor, on the other hand, began his collegiate career at the University of Colorado, an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision school in the Pac-12 conference, before transferring to Case Western Reserve University, a member of the University Athletic Association. After his sophomore year, he transferred to Wash. U., where he is now a running back.

The two are very different. Chris is outgoing whereas Trevor is more reserved. Though the pair does not look alike, either, at the end of the day they are best friends.

The brothers reminisce about playing one-on-one tackle football in their basement as little kids. “There was a lot of blood at the end of the night,” Trevor said, chuckling.

Courtesy of Denise LaBarge

“At a young age both of us played offensive line, but we never really got big enough to continue playing offensive line. Our dad demands a lot from us; he is really proud of our accomplishments. He comes to all of our games still,” Chris said.

With three athletic sisters, including Chris’ twin, who plays field hockey at Saint Louis University, the LaBarges always had a positive, competitive dynamic.

“It is great to have someone so close to my age to compete with. We always try to one-up each other whether it be grades or football,” Chris said. “At the same time, however, I want him to do really well. When we played last year he had a career game with 21 carries and 117 yards, but Wash. U. still won.”

Despite initially playing at Division I schools, the LaBarge brothers both missed the Midwestern feel of St. Louis. Most of all they missed playing together.

“In my last high school game I was most devastated that it could be the last football game I played with my brother. You don’t really know what you [have] got until it is gone,” Chris said.

“We really didn’t understand the significance of playing together when we were younger,” Trevor added.

After knowing football head coach Larry Kindbom before their arrival on campus, Wash. U. seemed to be the school destined for the brothers’ reunion.

“Coach K. is an icon over here. He is someone I always wanted to play for,” Chris said.

Though Chris transferred and Trevor enrolled in another school, the brothers still stayed in constant contact with each other. Despite Trevor being second team all-UAA fullback at Case Western, he was always focused on coming to Wash. U.

“My biggest accomplishment at Wash. U. was actually getting into the school. I previously got rejected a couple times,” Trevor said. “At the end of the day I always wanted to come here because I was born and raised in St. Louis. St. Louis is home, Wash. U. is home, and home is where the heart is.”

Despite the academic and athletic challenges at Wash. U., the two brothers have continuously pushed themselves to achieve high marks on and off the field.

The LaBarges have a clear friendship that surpasses many brotherly relationships. Before every game the two usually hug each other and give each other handshakes. Their family loves this dynamic and attends every game.

The brothers still get competitive with each other in practice, even though they are now on the same team.

“We go against each other in practice a little bit. Some of the coaches say we go easy on each other. After going against each other we give each other high fives,” Chris said. “Playing together has made our relationship better. Playing with Trevor is a dream come true. At the end of the day there is no one I care about more.”

In a victory over Wooster on Oct. 15, the LaBarges accounted for all of the Bears’ touchdowns, as Chris returned a fumble on a kickoff 11 yards for a score, and Trevor had two one-yard touchdown runs.

“It was pretty cool that we did that, but we just cared more that we won,” Chris said.

Although their family may be worried that the two only have two games left together, Chris is a redshirt and has another year of eligibility. Since he will be enrolled in a Masters in the Business School for Accounting, there is a chance that we will see the pair playing together next year.

After breaking its three-game losing streak against the College of Wooster, the Washington University football team is finally living up to its high expectations. The Bears’ 14-7 win against Carnegie Mellon University gives them a three-game winning streak and a record of 5-3. To the Wash. U. players, this win built a sense of confidence around the locker room that is needed for the few games left in the regular season.

“Right now we feel like we’re in the driver’s seat,” Knott said. “The momentum is on our side, and I know that we can continue to build this success and prove to others how good we truly are.”

Throughout the game, the Bears’ and the Tartans’ offenses found trouble moving the ball because both teams’ defenses came out strong, forcing many short drives with few red zone attempts. Despite giving up 305 yards, the Bears’ defense remained resilient and showed that they had no problem stopping a potent offense.

According to Knott, head coach Larry Kindbom addressed the team after the game. He said that he was extremely proud of the defense keeping the team in the game.

In the first half, the Wash. U. defense started strong as they stopped Carnegie Mellon’s first offensive drive to force a three-and-out. After Carnegie Mellon’s junior running back Patrick Blanks and sophomore quarterback Rob Kalkstein led their team down the field to a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive, the Bears’ defense fought back and tried to stop future runs with key tackles, keeping the Tartans from scoring for the rest of the game.

The defense forced three important turnovers—two fumble recoveries and freshman defensive back Ryan Bednar’s third-quarter interception—bringing the momentum of the game to the Bears.

Offensively, the Bears struggled to keep most of their drives alive in the first half, punting on four of their five possessions. Burkett wasn’t in rhythm with his receivers, but junior running back Chris Castelluccio, who rushed a total of 126 yards in the game, and the offensive linemen led the team with some strong running.

According to Knott, Kindbom acknowledged that the Tartans had a tough defense, but the offense did enough to win.

On the last drive of the second quarter, Burkett finally found his rhythm. He connected with his receivers and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Drew Sexton to tie the game at 7-7. Though Burkett threw an interception on the second drive of the third quarter, he came back on the next drive with poise and threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Knott that would be the deciding score in the game.

“At halftime, we were talking about what routes were open on the field,” Knott said. “I ran a cross route, got open and Burkett just threw a nice pass to me. I think our strategy definitely paid off.”

With their heads held high, Wash. U. hopes to continue its winning streak with a win against Case Western Reserve University at home next Saturday. Though playoff decisions are getting near, the Bears are, for now, trying to focus on their last two games.

According to Knott, Kindbom said that the team’s focus is on Case Western.

Jilian Fenton | Student Life

Junior kicker Eric Chalifour (23) kicks a 24-yard field goal against the College of Wooster on Oct. 15. Chalifour hit the game-winning field goal, a 37-yarder, in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s contest against Oberlin College.

The Bears’ defense denied Oberlin College’s fourth-quarter comeback on their final drive of the game, coming up with a huge pair of stops on third and fourth down to help the Bears come away with a 24-21 victory.

In a game that the Bears led 21-0 after three quarters, the defense never wavered in the final minutes.

“We were still confident,” sophomore defensive back Scott O’Brien said of the defense on Oberlin’s last drive. “We knew what we could do. We knew if we stopped the long pass, we could eliminate most of their offensive production.”

Despite going deep into Wash. U. territory on both of its first two drives, the Oberlin offense tallied no points in the first quarter, thanks to a missed field goal and a fourth-down stop by the Bears. The Yeomen’s third drive ended with no points as well after an interception by O’Brien.

“Our philosophy as a program is to shut down the run, and we pretty much did that,” head coach Larry Kindbom said. “You force teams to be one-dimensional, and we did pretty good with that.”

The Bears’ offense, however, had some troubles of its own in the early going. An interception, a punt and a missed field goal were the end results of Wash. U.’s first three drives on offense.

With 5:12 remaining in the opening half, the Bears struck first as junior quarterback Dan Burkett hit senior wide receiver Easton Knott for a 46-yard touchdown, his sixth of the season. Oberlin threatened to score at the end of the half but came up just short once again. The Bears maintained the 7-0 lead going into halftime.

“That was very big,” Kindbom said of Knott’s score. “It was fun to see him get the ball and be able to make a play, and that’s what he did. Some people had the angle on him, but he just took off.”

After a three-and-out by the offense to begin the second half, the Bears seized the momentum as freshman Ryan Bednar intercepted a pass and took it all the way to the one-yard line. It took the Bears four plays from the one, but a sneak by Burkett made the score 14-0.

The Wash. U. defense went into lockdown mode at that point, forcing the Yeomen into three straight third-quarter three-and-outs. Across four drives in the third quarter, the Bears allowed just four yards.

“Our front seven did a great job,” O’Brien said. “They just couldn’t do anything on the ground. So that helped us out a lot.”

A quick-strike drive brought Wash. U. another touchdown, as the Bears needed only four plays to go 56 yards and make the score 21-0 with six seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The Yeomen, however, made it clear that they weren’t going down without a fight on the first play of the fourth quarter, when they hit a 70-yard touchdown pass to get on the board.

Suddenly it was the Bears who found themselves struggling on offense, with a pair of three-and-out drives of their own. Wash. U. stopped another Oberlin drive on fourth-down, but a seven-play, 82-yard touchdown drive brought the Yeomen within one score with 8:14 remaining.

“They made some good plays. Their quarterback was pretty good, and he did a good job of passing. They just kind of opened it up deep, and their wide receivers just made plays,” O’Brien said.

On the Bears ensuing drive, Burkett connected with sophomore Mike McGovern on third down for a 43-yard gain. Despite being forced to settle for a 37-yard field goal from junior Eric Chalifour, Wash. U. had some breathing room that it would ultimately need.

Oberlin turned the pressure up by returning the ensuing kickoff for 59 yards to the Wash. U. 18-yard line, and six plays later another touchdown pass brought the score to 24-21. The Bears recovered the onside kick that followed but couldn’t run out the clock and punted.

Taking over at their own 18-yard line with 1:43 remaining, Oberlin advanced to their own 46 before stalling on their final drive. Junior Will Small picked up a sack on first down, and a pair of incompletions on third and fourth down sealed the win for the Bears.

Despite being outgained 462-300 in yards and beaten in several other statistical categories, some key stops in their own territory made a difference for the Bears. With three games left in the season, they will go into conference play on a two-game winning streak.

“We told our kids two games ago ‘let’s make a run at this thing,’” Kindbom said. “We’re going to try to run the table.”

Wash. U. will be back in action on Saturday at Carnegie Mellon University. Kickoff from Pittsburgh, Pa., will be at 12 p.m. EST.

Jilian Fenton | Student Life

Junior running back Chris Castelluccio runs past College of Wooster on Saturday. Castelluccio had a career high of 103 yards during the Bear’s 24-20 win.

Coming into the game, the Bears desperately needed a win to stop their skid and prove that they could play better than what their 2-3 record idicated. Though the team knew that playing the College of Wooster would be easier than Oct. 8 opponent No. 12 Wabash College, it didn’t want to take any chances as they practiced hard all week for a win.

“I don’t think we really did anything differently in our practices,” head coach Larry Kindbom said. “But I know our guys really worked [their] butts off. I think we came in with a different and stronger mindset that helped us persevere to the end.”

The Bears’ defense started the game well with a crucial stop on 3rd down at their own 24-yard line, which led to a missed Wooster field goal.

Junior quarterback Dan Burkett, who won the full-time starting job this week, and the offense took advantage of the stop and drove down the field with long runs by junior running back Chris Castelluccio and pass completions to senior wide receiver Easton Knott and senior tight end Phill Stoecker. Though the drive ended short of the goal line, junior kicker Eric Chalifour made a 24-yard field goal, giving Wash. U. an early lead that would not be relinquished.

Following the field goal, the Bears’ kickoff unit helped swing the game’s momentum to the Bears as the Fighting Scots’ kick returner fumbled at their own 11-yard line. LaBarge capitalized on their mistake, scoring a touchdown that gave the Bears a 10-0 lead.

“Our special teams just executed really well on that play,” sophomore defensive back Tate Byers said. “I think it really motivated the team as a whole to get this win.”

On Wooster’s second offensive drive, the Bears’ defense forced a fumble from a pass caught by the Fighting Scots’ running back, which was recovered by LaBarge. The Bears’ offense took advantage of the short field and Castelluccio’s runs helped set up junior running back Trevor LaBarge’s one-yard rushing touchdown, giving Wash. U. a 17-0 lead.

Everything seemed to go according to plan until the second quarter, when the Bears’ defense gave up two big touchdown plays, a 60-yard rush and a 54-yard pass.

“We have gone through most of the season without giving up many big plays, but it happens at some point and it just happened [on Saturday],” Kindbom said. “The most important thing is that we shook it off and we came back playing harder.”

The Bears’ offense lost some steam in the second quarter, but they came out in good rhythm in the second half, as Burkett and Castelluccio led the offense down the field for a touchdown that sealed Wash. U.’s lead. Castelluccio rushed for 103 total yards, a career high.

The rest of the game was left to the defense as the Fighting Scots’ offense offered challenges at times; however, the Bears’ defense refused to give in as senior linebackers Nick Hillard and Kyle Larkin broke up two crucial 4th down passes that ended Wooster’s attempts at a comeback.

With just four games left in the season, the Bears hope for another win next Saturday against Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. The team believes that this win can help it move in the right direction.

“We can definitely get on a roll with this win,” Larkin said. “Now that we have the momentum, we just need to execute and get some wins and end on a great note.”