Junior Ja'Ontay O'Bryant's third interception of the game set up The College of Wooster football team in prime position for a game-winning score in Saturday's 26-19 win at Kenyon College. Wooster wasted no time taking its shot for the lead, as sophomore Damon Hooks delivered a game-winning touchdown pass to first-year receiver Logan Hupp in the back corner of the end zone with 20 seconds remaining in the North Coast Athletic Conference opener.

O'Bryant, just the fifth player in program history with at least three interceptions in a game, was positioned perfectly when Kenyon (1-1, 0-1 NCAC) quarterback Drew Morgan rolled left in an effort to find an open target, only to severely underthrow the intended receiver. O'Bryant went down at Kenyon's 29-yard line to give the offense as much time as possible, but it needed just a single play to dial up the Hooks-to-Hupp winner.

Morgan's downfield heave as time expired went into the waiting hands of junior Anthony Sines, who matched O'Bryant with a three-pick day. Wooster's (1-1, 1-0 NCAC) six interceptions tied the program's single-game record from 1974, which coincidentally came at Kenyon.

Wooster's defense had the right plays dialed up down the stretch to keep Saturday's conference lid-lifter tied at 19. A well-timed third-down blitz forced a hurried Morgan pass that was fired off before his intended target was looking for it. On the next drive, three straight pass breakups from sophomore Grady Harban, junior Cam Crago, and junior Damion Cunningham sent Kenyon to the sidelines for punter Alex Jurch. Earlier in the game, Crago blocked a Jurch punt for his third block on the young season.

Wooster turned O'Bryant's three interceptions into 17 of its 26 points. The first came inside the final two minutes of the first half, and Wooster moved up to Kenyon's 18 when Michael Kerr was flagged for roughing junior quarterback Michael Boyle. That led to sophomore Nolan Hendricks knocking through a 32-yard field goal that upped Wooster's lead to 6-3 with 52 ticks left on the second quarter clock.

O'Bryant's second interception was returned to Kenyon's 8-yard line in the fourth quarter. First-year Mason Delmarle rushed in from eight yards out with 8:47 remaining in the contest. Hendricks tied the game at 19 with the extra point.

Kenyon took the 10-6 lead into halftime. Morgan connected with Hunter Fike on a 33-yard touchdown strike with three seconds remaining. The Owls' upped the lead to 19-12 in the third quarter on a 19-yard touchdown pass to Max Heis.

The first two of Wooster's seven takeaways came in the first quarter. Senior Brock Sivon stripped the ball from Kenyon's Dominic Santoiemma on the Owls' first offensive play of the game. On the next drive, Crago came unblocked from the right side of the defensive front, leading to a strip of Morgan in the backfield. Senior Donovon Jackson recovered the fumble before the ball rolled out on the Owls' sideline.

Wooster's seven takeaways came two shy of the single-game program record of nine from the Scots' game at Oberlin College in 1989. O'Bryant and Sines trail W Association Hall of Famer Seth Mastrine for the most interceptions in a game, as he picked off Allegheny College four times in 1999. Of note, Wooster's eight interceptions through two games are two fewer than the team had all of last season.

Hooks completed 4-of-13 passes for 57 yards after taking over for Boyle in the second half. He added a 9-yard touchdown run. First-year Zeek Seraphin went for a team-leading 35 receiving yards. Sophomore Manny Zelaya rushed for a team-high 45 yards on 20 carries, while Delmarle added 24 yards on five carries.

Junior Charlie Scoggin led all players with seven tackles. Sines made four solo stops to go with his three interceptions and fumble recovery. Crago tallied three tackles for loss in addition to his blocked punt.

Morgan completed 16-of-43 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns. He threw all six of the Owls' interceptions. Heis turned five receptions into 117 yards and a touchdown. Santoiemma rushed for a team-leading 38 yards on 10 carries.

Jackson Belyn and Matthew Ehrenreich had six tackles apiece for Kenyon and combined for three tackles for loss. Dominic Simpson had a defensive two-point conversion on a blocked extra point try and an interception to go with his average of 36 yards per kickoff return.

Kenyon had 369 yards of offense, while Wooster had 191. The teams combined to go 12-for-35 on third down.

Next, Wooster hosts Denison University (1-1, 1-0 NCAC) at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 19. The game is part of the College's Homecoming and Family Weekend.