SEWANEE, Tenn. – With the Kenyon College offense driving and looking to go up 14-0, a forced fumble was returned 98 yards by Sewanee: University of the South and that propelled them to a 45-20 win on Saturday in both team's season opener.
 
About five minutes into the second quarter, the Lords had second and goal from the six. That's when Tigers' defender Wesley Porter stripped Lords running back Nat Henry of the ball. William Phillips then picked it up and took it all the way back.  
 
That started a 17-0 run for the Tigers. Nearly three minutes later, Sewanee scored again, this time on a 34-yard touchdown reception to Calid Shorter.
 
After the home team tacked on a field goal with 5:07 left pushing the count to 17-7, the Lords appeared to swing momentum back in their favor. A 14-play drive ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ian Bell from Thomas Merkle bringing the score to 17-14.
 
But that momentum didn't hold. On the ensuing kickoff, the Tigers found themselves at their own 24-yard line. Three plays later, Sam Hearn passed to his brother Steven Hearn from 25 yards out to push Sewanee up 24-14.
 
In the third quarter, the Lords got into Sewanee territory a pair of times but two Merkle interceptions – one from Phillips and the other by Porter - ended any scoring opportunity.
 
Heading to the fourth, the Lords once again got into enemy territory. Facing 2nd-and-13 from the Tigers' 15-yard line, Walker Weatherly intercepted another pass. On the Tigers' next possession, Mikey Plancher punched in a four-yard run to move the score to 31-14.
 
Sewanee added two more scores the rest of the way before Kenyon's Jimmy Andrews rushed from one yard out to bring the final tally.
 
Bell hauled in 17 passes – the second-highest total in Kenyon single-game history – for 156 and a touchdown to lead the Lords. Brandon Byrd added five receptions for 67 yards while freshman Seamus McCurren totaled 26 yards rushing and 51 yards receiving. Defensively, D.J. Manley led the team with nine tackles and two pass break-ups while Sam Dickey notched eight tackles.
 
Next up for Kenyon is a road date at North Coast Athletic Conference opener at Oberlin College next Saturday at 1 p.m.