The No. 5-ranked Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats overcame a deficit of 14 points, outlasting the Olivet Nazarene Tigers on Saturday.
The Tigers were the first to score, opening a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Wildcats quickly responded, tying the game at 7-7.
The second quarter saw more momentum in the Tigers’ favor as the Wildcats ended the half down 27-14.
Though down two scores, the Wildcats weren’t out of it yet. A gritty third and fourth quarter saw the Wildcats defense take over with timely stops, holding the Tigers scoreless in the second half.
This defensive effort allowed IWU’s offense to find traction and score in both quarters. Late in the game, a critical interception allowed the Wildcats to hang on for a narrow but rewarding victory.
The game ended in the Wildcat’s favor, 28-27.
Senior Isaiah Courtois acknowledged the slow start to the game.
“Once we settled in, we felt pretty good. They came out with a lot of energy, and we just needed to match that,” Courtois said. “It’s not easy to win a college football game…if you want to win championships, you’re going to have to learn how to win the ugly games, or win when it’s not pretty.”
Junior Eric Entrekin said that the Cats still found ways to be encouraged even in a game like Saturday’s.
“Something encouraging that comes from a game like that is just knowing that we can fight it out to the end, that we can finish the game. Seeing the energy on the sidelines and the fight in our guys was pretty encouraging,” Entrekin said.
Both Courtois and Entrekin spoke to the close-knit feel this IWU football team has. They mentioned the halftime conversation in the locker room as a testament to the commitment the team has to each other’s success.
Courtois said this team’s identity is not in wins and losses, but outside of that.
“We’re playing with a love, rather than out of fear,” Courtois said.
The Wildcats record now stands at 3-1. They are on the road this week as they travel to play No. 19-ranked Marian University in Indianapolis at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday.
