Nick Weiss returned a punt 77 yards for a TD in the first half while also posting eight tackles and an interception in Denison's 26-14 win over Chicago.

Denison jumped out to a 23 point lead through two and a half quarters en route to a 26-14 victory over the visiting University of Chicago in front of 1,140 at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium.

Senior tailback Jon Berg (Washington, Pa./Trinity) along with junior Nick Krempasky (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) provided the bulk of the offense against the Maroons.  Berg carried the ball 22 times for 118 yards and a 11-yard touchdown in the third quarter.  Krempasky alternated possessions with Berg and got 20 carries for 90 yards.  

The DU special teams set the tone in the first quarter.  After the Big Red forced a punt after the opening three plays of the game, sophomore Nick Weiss (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) returned the ensuing punt 77-yards for the score.  It was the first punt return for a touchdown since Bert Bathiany's (Ft. Thomas, Ky./Highlands) 31-yard return in 2006.  

The score would remain 7-0 in favor of the Big Red until the second quarter when quarterback Mike Barnes (Gates Mills, Ohio/Mayfield) capped off an eight-play, 70-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. 

Two possessions later, after a Matt Ring (Powell, Ohio/Bishop Waterson) punt backed the Maroons up on their own 7-yard line, Chicago quarterback Marshall Oium was pressured by Andrew Boemi (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) and was flagged for intentional grounding in his end zone, resulting in a safety for the Big Red.

Berg's 11-yard TD run in the third quarter and a 32-yard field goal by Kevin Schneider (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) in the fourth quarter would round out the scoring for the Big Red.

Berg's 118 yards rushing marked the seventh 100-yard game of his career.  He has 616 yards on the season and is the team leader of the North Coast Athletic Conference's top-ranked rushing offense. 

Defensively, Weiss had a stellar all-around day.  The cornerback posted eight tackles, seven of which were solo.  He intercepted a Oium pass in the fourth quarter while also contributing one pass break-up, one tackle for a loss and a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Junior safety Caleb McFerren (Zanesville, Ohio/Zanesville) led the Big Red in tackles with 10 and senior linebacker Jim Minor (Washington, Pa./Trinity) turned in an eight tackle performance.

Denison out gained Chicago 301-224 and out rushed the Maroons 235-62.  The Big Red punters also did an excellent job of controlling the field position game.  Six of Denison's eight punts ended up inside Chicago's 20-yard line.  This is Denison's fourth victory of the season and their third consecutive win in as many weeks.  Their last three-game winning streak came to open the 1990 season.

DU will look to continue their winning streak next Saturday when they travel to Springfield, Ohio for a 1 p.m. clash with the Wittenberg Tigers.