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Ro Golphin and the Blue Streaks advance to the semifinals for the second time in program history and first time since 2002. |
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| UW-Oshkosh is back in the semifinals for the first time since 2012, thanks to eight St. Thomas turnovers. By Caleb Williams, d3photography.com More photos from this game |
An all-Ohio Stagg Bowl remains a possibility, as Mount Union and John Carroll posted convincing quarterfinal victories. And there will be a new team in the Stagg Bowl, one not wearing purple, as John Carroll (Blue Streaks) will be playing the black and gold Titans of UW-Oshkosh.
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The Blue Streaks knocked off UW-Whitewater in Perkins Stadium, 31-14. The teams were tied at seven entering halftime behind stout defensive performances from each side. The third quarter belonged to the Blue Streaks. John Carroll converted two interceptions on consecutive pass attempts from Cole Wilber into ten points to open up a lead that the Blue Streaks would not relinquish.
Sam Kukura's touchdown run with 2:24 to play sealed the victory. Anthony Moeglin completed 16 passes, spreading the ball to eight receivers. Ro Golphin carried 18 times for 60 yards and a score.
It was John Carroll's defense that controlled the game, limiting the Warhawks to just 228 yards of total offense. UW-Whitewater's first touchdown was set up by an interception that gave them the ball at JCU's 23. The Warhawks did not score again until they were trailing 24-7.
Now, we get a rare semifinal rematch of a non-conference season opener. John Carroll, which has beaten both purple powers Mount Union and UW-Whitewater on the road in the past month, will try to avenge its opening loss to UW-Oshkosh. That was a 33-14 Titans victory in Oshkosh on Sept. 3. The host will be announced by the NCAA on Sunday.
In St. Paul, Johnny Eagan’s interception with a little more than one minute remaining marked his third of the game and sealed the victory to send UW-Oshkosh to the semifinals. The Titans forced eight turnovers in a 34-31 victory over St. Thomas on the road.
UW-Oshkosh opened up a 24-7 lead early in the second quarter after scoring on four of its first five possessions. St. Thomas rallied back to score 17 unanswered points to tie the game at 24 after a 30-yard blocked punt scoop and score from Ryan Winter in the middle of the third quarter.
Titans’ wide receiver Sam Mentkowski made several game-changing plays when the team needed it most. He had touchdown receptions of 46, 38 and 32 yards and finished with seven catches for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
After St. Thomas scored on a 14-yard touchdown run by Josh Parks to tie the game at 31, and UW Oshkosh kicker Eli Wettstein drilled the game-winning 36-yard field goal with 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.
UW-Oshkosh will move on to play John Carroll for the second time this season. The Titans won their first meeting 33-14 on Sept. 3 at home.
“It doesn’t matter who the opponent is right now, but we have a lot of respect for them,” UW-Oshkosh coach Pat Cerroni said. “It’s unbelievable that we played them in the first game of the season, and now we’re playing them again.”
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| Baylor Mullins, the Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist, gave his Cru a boost by recovering a punt block for a touchdown and in turn, got a boost from the sidelines. Photo by Joe Fusco, d3photography.com More photos from this game |
Top-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor struggled to move the ball against Wheaton's defense. The Crusaders found other ways to score, however, as special teams broke open a close game in the third quarter.
Reggie Wilson blocked a punt that Baylor Mullins picked up for a touchdown, and Raylon Hickey returned a Johnny Peltz pass 25 yards for a touchdown during a 21-point third quarter in Mary Hardin-Baylor's 38-16 win against Wheaton in Belton, Texas.
The Crusaders didn't dominate by any means, scoring 10 first-half points on short fields set up by interceptions, but otherwise going almost nowhere. Their own defense was equally stingy, however, and Wilson came up the middle to snuff a punt deep in Wheaton territory after forcing a three-and-out. Mullins picked it up in the end zone for a touchdown.
In all, the Cru ran just six plays in the third quarter, but got 12 points because of Wilson and Mullins, Hickey and an 80-yard bomb on third-and-eight from Blake Jackson to Bryce Wilkerson. The Wheaton defense allowed a late 37-yard touchdown run to Markeith Miller, but it was otherwise strong, allowing just 11 Mary Hardin-Baylor completions and 142 rushing yards on 39 carries, a 3.6 yard-per-carry average.
The Thunder, which made the late decision to start Peltz at quarterback instead of the ailing Andrew Bowers, could not recover from the troublesome third quarter. Peltz was 28 of 48 for 284 yards and two touchdown passes to Trey Hanley, and he was sharp on both of those scoring drives. But he also threw three interceptions. Wheaton could only muster 22 rushing yards on 26 attempts.
Mount Union and Alfred combined to score 115 points, 70 by the Purple Raiders. The defending champions jumped out to a 28-7 lead after the first play of the second quarter, but Alfred roared back to cut the lead to 35-33 with 5:46 to play in the third quarter. Mount Union turned up the heat in the final quarter-and-a-half, en route to a 70-45 victory.
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| Dom Davis finished with 359 yards of total offense, 108 of them on the ground in Mount Union's victory. Photo by Mike Dear for d3photography.com |
Tyler Johnson completed 36 of 67 pass attempts for 534 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions, but was playing from behind most of the day. Mount Union freshman quarterback Dom Davis threw a pick-six to give Alfred a 7-0 lead, but would not make another mistake on the day. Davis finished 21-for-28 for 251 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 18 times for 108 yards and a score.
B.J. Mitchell, who finished with 123 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries, salted the game away late. Trailing by ten with just over nine minutes to play, Alfred attempted an onside kick. Brian Groves returned it 55 yards for a Purple Raiders touchdown that slammed the door shut on Alfred's comeback.
Mount Union will travel to face Mary Hardin-Baylor in the semifinals (semifinal sites will be confirmed on Sunday). The Purple Raiders are seeking their 12th straight Stagg Bowl berth.
With the Blue Streaks and Titans matching up on the other side of the bracket, there will be a non-purple team in the Stagg Bowl for the first time since St. John's in 2003.