DePauw Football Awaits NCAA Second Round Opponent

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DePauw earned the North Coast Athletic Conference's automatic bid into the 2024 NCAA Division III Football Tournament after capturing the program's fourth-consecutive conference championship. The Tigers finished the regular season with a perfect 8-0 mark in NCAC play and an unblemished 10-0 overall record.

The expanded 40-team championship bracket was revealed Sunday evening, with twenty-eight teams earning automatic qualification and the remaining 12 teams selected as at-large bids. 

DePauw has earned a first-round bye and will host a second-round matchup on Saturday, November 30, at 12:00 p.m. The Tigers await the winner of the Berry (8-2)/Maryville (TN) (8-1) first-round matchup, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 12:00 p.m. The Berry Vikings earned the Southern Athletic Association’s automatic qualification, while the Maryville Scots claimed an automatic bid onto the national stage from the USA South.

The Tigers are making their sixth appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, previously making postseason appearances in 2009-10 and 2021-23, while Berry will be making its fourth appearance after three-consecutive showings (2017-19), and Maryville enters the national postseason for the third time after appearances in 2013 and 2018.

This will be the second meeting all-time between DePauw and both Berry and Maryville. In 1981, the Tigers defeated the Scots by a 26-0 final, while the Vikings and DePauw met up earlier this season on Sept. 14, with the Tigers earning a 33-0 victory. 

Under the guidance of fifth-year head coach Brett Dietz, the Tigers are led by senior quarterback Nathan McCahill (Indianapolis, IN/Cathedral), who has thrown for 2,854 yards and 43 touchdowns this season. Junior running back Caden Whitehead (Indianapolis, IN/Park Tudor) leads the DePauw ground attack, compiling 874 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season. Junior wide receiver Robby Ballentine (Crown Point, IN/Andrean) and senior tight end Gabe Quigley (Carmel, IN/Carmel) have produced 30 total touchdowns for the Tigers; Ballentine has recorded 17 TDs, while Quigley has scored 13. On defense, senior linebackers Luke Marsh (Whitestown, IN/Western Boone) and Jonathan Bruder (Centerville, OH/Centerville) lead DePauw in tackles; Bruder has compiled a team-high 62 tackles, including a team-best 41 solo tackles, while Marsh owns 58 overall tackles (35 solo). Senior defensive backs, Christian Troupe (Brownsburg, IN/ Brebeuf Jesuit Prep) and Matthew Coons (Indianapolis, IN/Bishop Chatard) along with junior linebacker Joey Roland (Greenfield, IN/ Greenfield-Central) and Bruder have combined for nine interceptions; Troupe owns three, while Bruder Coons and Roland have two interceptions apiece.

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