SPRINGTOWN, Ohio – The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets slipped to 1-3 on the football season with a 36-29 non-conference loss at five-time national champion Wittenberg Saturday afternoon.

Howard Payne trailed 9-0 at halftime and 29-7 heading into the fourth period, where the Jackets made a spirited rally.

The Yellow Jackets were not able to overcome five turnovers despite finishing with 417 total yards – including 407 passing. Defensively, Howard Payne yielded 458 yards, with 303 coming through the air, and intercepted a pair of Wittenberg (1-1) passes.

Zy Gravitt was 25 of 47 through the air for 417 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, and was sacked five times. Gus Charles caught nine passes for 138 yards, while Mateo Hernandez hauled in five grabs for 131 yards with an 80-yard touchdown. Kristopher Creel added three catches for 34 yards and Ellis Myers finished with three catches for 42 yards.

Blessing Ngene finished as the top rusher for HPU with 31 yards and a 5-yard touchdown, which brought the Jackets within 16-7 in the third quarter.

For Wittenberg, Max Millan passed for 303 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions as Eric Rasheed caught four passes for 112 yards a pair of scores and Earl Pope finished with seven grabs for 83 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Christian Manville rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Kale Shaw recorded nine tackles for the Howard Payne defense followed by seven from KC Cornelius and Jacob Korrodi and six from Peyton Lowe. Jacob Urbina, who tallied four tackles returned an interception for a touchdown, while Cornelius also picked off a pass.

Howard Payne returns home next week as its hosts Westgate Christian at 4 p.m. Saturday at Gordon Wood Stadium.