Tartans Remain Unbeaten Defeating DePauw 51-28

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Junior quarterback Rob Kalkstein (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) hooked up with sophomore wide receiver Timothy Swanson (Millburn, N.J.) for an 83-yard touchdown pass play on the first play from scrimmage, as the Carnegie Mellon University football team rolled to a 51-28 win over DePauw on Saturday, September 22. The Tartans improved to 4-0 while the Tigers are now 0-3.

It didn't take long for the Tartans to strike again after taking the 6-0 lead, as Carnegie Mellon needed just seven plays to go 70 yards on its second drive. Kalkstein completed a 30-yard pass to senior running back Patrick Blanks (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) before junior running back Zachary Erra-Hernandez (Las Cruces, N.M./Onate) rumbled nine yards for the first of his three touchdowns on the afternoon to put the Tartans in front, 13-0.

DePauw began the ensuing drive with a 13-yard rush, but the Carnegie Mellon defense refused to allow the Tigers to capitalize on the momentum. Junior Alex Basinski (Amherst, Ohio/Amherst Marion L. Steele) forced a fumble at the end of a 9-yard run by DePauw tailback Amen Galley and Carnegie Mellon's junior safety Jack Butler (Kennesaw, Ga./North Cobb) recovered the loose ball.

After the teams traded possessions, Carnegie Mellon opened the second quarter with a 37-yard run from Erra-Hernandez. Two plays later, the fullback powered into the end zone with a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Tartans a 20-0 lead.

On DePauw's next possession, Butler was once again in the mix.  The junior forced a fumble as the Tigers threatened on the Carnegie Mellon 22-yard line. Senior linebacker Nick Karabin (Ruffs Dale, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) recovered the fumble, which set the Tartans up for their fourth scoring drive of the half. After connecting with Swanson on an 8-yard pass earlier in the drive, Kalkstein once again went deep, this time finding junior wide receiver Tim Kikta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) for a 65-yard touchdown pass play and a 27-0 advantage.

Freshman place kicker Connor Young (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) pushed the Tartans lead to 30-0 on a 41-yard field goal before the visitor's got on the scoreboard.  DePauw's Justin Murray connected with Bobby Coburn for an 8-yard touchdown with 1:10 left on the clock in the first half making the score 30-7.

The Tartans responded to the Tigers score, needing three plays to extend the lead back to 30 (37-7).  Kalkstein hooked up with Swanson for a second score, as the signal caller founded a wide open Swanson on a 40-yard flea flicker with 27 seconds showing in the second quarter.

Carnegie Mellon wasted little time in the second half to put points on the board.  Tartan sophomore Alexander D'Angelo's (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/St. Edward) interception on the Tigers opening drive of the second half setup Erra-Hernandez's third rushing score giving the Tartans a 44-7 lead.

After holding DePauw to a three-and-out, Carnegie Mellon senior Vincent Brown (Duluth, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) blocked a punt into the end zone that Basinski covered up for a Tartan touchdown extending the lead to 51-7 halfway through the third quarter.

DePauw didn't go down without a fight, as Murray threw three touchdown passes to cut the lead to 51-28, but that was as close as the visitor's got. The Tigers freshman signal caller ended the game with 254 yards and four touchdowns on 20-of-40 passing.

The Tartans held the edge in total yards 534-515 while the Carnegie Mellon defense forced four turnovers to the Tigers zero.  For the third straight contest Kalkstein throw for a career-high finishing with 314 yards and three scores while completing 13-of-15 passes.  Two of his scores where over 50 yards marking the fourth straight game he has thrown a touchdown of 50 yards or more.

Swanson led all receivers with a career-high 153 yards and two score while Kikta ended the game with three receptions for 95 yards and a score.  Erra-Hernandez led the Tartan rushing attack with a career-high 116 yards and three scores on 14 carries.

Karabin along with fellow senior linebacker Chris Blomstedt (Groton, Conn./Ledyard) each had 11 tackles in the win.  Karabin also forced and recovered a fumble. D'Angelo ended the game with two interceptions and made three tackles.

The Tartans will travel to Crawfordsville, Ind. Saturday, September 29 to play the seventh-ranked Wabash Little Giants 2:00 p.m.