Last week Tiffin University (5-3, 4-3 GLIAC) used a red hot 4th quarter to turn the tables on Michigan Tech for a 24-17 victory.
This week the Dragons had the tables turned on them, as Findlay scored 20 second-half points and left Frost Kalnow Stadium with a narrow 27-23 come-from-behind victory.
Findlay started quickly, taking advantage of a drive-saving TU penalty on a Findlay punt to drive 78 yards down the field and score to make it 7-0 just 3:27 into the game.
TU's defense regrouped, however, and the offense slowly went to work. Tiffin tied the score at 11:58 of the 2nd quarter when JaQuan Hardy capped an 85 yard drive with a 3 yard run. A missed PAT by Owen Courtright, though, kept Findlay in front 7-6.
After missing a 41 yard field goal in the first quarter, Courtright gave TU the lead at halftime with a 21 yard boot as time ran out. TU led at the break 9-7.
The Dragons looked in position to take control of the game when they came out in the 3rd quarter. Jerry Brown hauled in a 16 yard pass from Antonio Pipkin to give TU a 16-7 lead at the 10:22 mark.
Midway through the quarter, though, a TU fumble was recovered by the Oilers on the TU 18 yard line, giving the Oilers a huge opportunity to swing the momentum. The Oilers did not waste the chance, scoring in 2 plays to narrow the gap to 16-14.
Findlay then got back-to-back field goals of 36 and 32 yards to retake the lead 20-16.
The Dragons then looked to mount their own comeback, as Pipkin marshalled the offense and drove 65 yards before Charles Holland made a sensational catch along the side of the end zone in traffic on a 10 yard TD strike that put TU back on top 23-20 with 4:20 to play.
Now it was the Oilers' turn. Findlay ate up the clock in driving 84 yards in 8 plays, culminating in an equally impressive TD catch on a 5 yard pass by Dylan Blunk from Rhys Gervais that gave UF a 27-23 lead with just 54 seconds left.
Still, TU was not finished. The Dragons got the ball on their own 17 yard line and started to drive, reaching the Findlay 20 yard line with 7 seconds left. After an incomplete pass to Holland, TU had one shot left to reach the end zone, but Pipkin's final pass was intercepted by Randy Anderson in the end zone to end the game.
Overall TU outgained Findlay 427-388, including 369-176 in the air. But the Oilers enjoyed a huge 212-58 edge in rushing. TU had 26 first downs to Findlay's s18. While neither team was effective on third downs, the Oilers did go 5-for-5 in the red zone, while TU was 4 for 6. Findlay also had 4 sacks and 2 interceptions along with a fumble recovery.
Pipkin had a huge day, completing 32 of 52 passes for 364 yards and 2 TDs. Holland was the prime beneficiary with 222 yards receiving on 17 catches. The 222 yards was the third highest single game mark in TU history, while the 17 catches was one reception shy of the single game record.
Carrington Contee had a massive day defensively, making 14 tackles including 10 solo stops. DJ Steward had 9 tackles, while Jalen Randolph and Austin Jasper had 5 each. Victor Cave also had a sack and 2 tackles for loss.