WHITEWATER — Driving wind. A steady snowfall. Plows clearing the field at every opportunity.

The weather certainly was frightful for Saturday's NCAA Division III quarterfinal playoff game.

But the Wabash College (Ind.) football team found
UW-Whitewater's defense decidedly more dangerous.

Bolstered by five takeaways and a relentless pass rush, Whitewater rolled to a 47-7 victory over the Little Giants before 2,335 at frigid Perkins Stadium.

It was Whitewater's 24th straight win at Perkins, and it moved the Warhawks within one win of their third straight national championship game appearance.

"We got decent pressure on their quarterbacks today," Whitewater coach Lance Leipold said. "We were able to get our hands up on a lot of passes and get some deflections and interceptions."

Whitewater took advantage of Wabash quarterback Dustin Huff, who was making his first start since breaking his right fibula and ankle in the Little Giants' opening game of the season.

After an incomplete pass on Wabash's first play from scrimmage, Huff had his second pass picked off by Whitewater defensive back Gabe Schultz, who returned it inside the Little Giants' 20-yard line.

Justin Beaver, who rushed 21 times for 145 yards, gave the Warhawks a 7-0 lead three plays later with a 3-yard touchdown run.

After Wabash went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, Whitewater marched 60 yards in nine plays, culminating with a Danny Jones to Nick Slupski 19-yard TD pass that gave the Warhawks a two-touchdown edge with 8:52 left in the first quarter.

"Converting turnovers is huge for us to get that momentum early," Leipold said.

There were more turnovers to come.

Huff lasted only three series before backup Matt Hudson relieved him with 5:02 left in the first quarter. But Hudson fared no better.

His first pass was intercepted by Whitewater's Matt Blaziewske on the right sideline, and the Warhawks wasted no time cashing in on their third pick of the opening 12 minutes.

Jones found wide receiver Neil Mrkvicka alone behind the secondary on the next play for a 33-yard strike and a 28-0 Whitewater lead.

"I don't think that (sequence) ended the game, but it definitely drained them," Blaziewske said. "We get the short field and put points on the board…that takes a lot out of a team."

The Warhawks intercepted four passes in the first half — getting Huff and Hudson twice each.

"I don't have a game plan for playing against 13 guys," Wabash coach Chris Creighton said. "Because that's what it seemed like they had out there on defense. We knew they weren't weak anywhere (on defense), and today they were better than us."