Capital University in Ohio used a goal-line stand against arch-rival Otterbein to gain its first win of the season Saturday and one of the game’s heroes was punter and receiver Wyatt Pertuset.

Pertuset, one of seven openly gay college football players, scored two touchdowns in the 23-19 win. They were Pertuset’s second and third touchdowns this season.

“The first touchdown was after one of my punts” in the second quarter, Pertuset told Outsports. “The returner muffed it and my teammate, Bryce Johnson, recovered it. After that, we ran a reverse pass where one of our receivers, Dar Stanford, threw it to me in the end zone. That play was a huge momentum push and it felt so good to be at the other end of it.”

“The second touchdown [in the third period] was at the 22-yard line and we ran a change route with Dar and myself. Both defenders fell off to cover Dar and I ran to the outside untouched and my quarterback, Tom Wibbeler threw a beautiful ball right to me to allow me to score. That put us up, 16-13.”

When Pertuset scored his first touchdown on Sept. 1, it was believed to be the first ever scored by an openly gay college player. Of the six other out players, all but one play either defense or offensive line, giving them few opportunities to score. Jake Bain, an Indiana State freshman, switched midseason from defensive back to wide receiver, but he has seen action in only one game as he is using this year as a redshirt.

Pertuset has gotten attention for being openly gay and having scored a historic TD, but if opponents are using any gay slurs to knock him off his game, he seems rather oblivious.

“I’m not really sure,” he said when I asked him if he’s heard homophobic remarks. “I know opponents sometimes try to get in my head by saying stuff, but I never really pay attention to it.”

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