Madden Lowe and Catholic U. has had reason to celebrate a little more in 2021. Catholic University athletics photo

By Brian Lester
D3sports.com

Madden Lowe has the Catholic offense rolling against WPI on a Saturday afternoon in early October.

He throws for more than 300 yards for the third time this season to go along with four touchdowns while the defense turns in one of its best efforts of the year as a promising season rolls on.

The 30-7 win for the Cardinals (4-2, 2-0) was an important one from the perspective that it shows they are ready to contend in the NEWMAC. The win is their third consecutive in league play dating back to 2019 and their sixth in the last nine outings overall.

“Anytime you beat a team like WPI that has a strong tradition, it’s a good win, especially on the road,” Catholic coach Mike Gutelius said. “It’s kind of like planting a flag, saying we are here and we are going to be someone that has to be recognized. Whether we maintain that or not, we’ll see.”

A little more than seven hours away in Washington, D.C., on that same Saturday in October, Gallaudet is tied at 14-14 at halftime with Keystone in an ECFC battle despite two touchdown runs by veteran quarterback Timel Benton.

But a second half that features sound defensive play and the ability to control the time of possession carries the Bison (3-0 against four-year schools, 2-0 in the ECFC) to a 34-14 victory and adds another layer of joy to what has been a special season.

Things are clearly different in 2021 for a program that has a lot of hope after a string of challenging seasons.

“I believe guys came out hungry because of not having a season last year,” Benton said. “As a team, we don’t (pay attention to) any outside noise. We’re staying level headed and we’re playing as a team and not as individuals. Previous years are in the past. We can only move forward and continue moving in the right direction.”

Bison coach Chuck Goldstein likes the attitude of his team.

“In the past, we’d fall behind and it was tough to get out of a rut,” Goldstein said. “It was hard for us to compete for four quarters. This team, even in close games, finds a way to get it done.”

Finding a way to win seems to be a theme for the only two NCAA Division III football teams in the nation’s capital. Both are riding a wave of momentum as they stay on track for their first winning seasons since 2013.

That year, Gallaudet went 9-2 and made the playoffs for the first time in program history. That was also the last time they won more than four games.

“It feels like 2013 was years ago,” said Goldstein, who has been with the program 12 seasons, the past 11 as the head coach. “We’ve won some big games in the past, but to consistently put together wins is big. We enjoy each one but then get back to work. The goal is to go 1-0 every week. The kids are doing things the right way.”

Timel Benton has been a fixture at quarterback for Gallaudet since 2016. Gallaudet athletics photo

The same can be said about Catholic, which enjoyed three consecutive playoff appearances in the late 1990s but has had little to flex about since. Its four wins are the most since going 5-5 in 2017.

Seeing the team succeed means a lot to Gutelius, who is an alum of the school and has been the head coach since 2016.

“To see the guys buy in and to see us have success, I fill with pride and happiness,” Gutelius said. “But I remind them we haven’t arrived yet. If we let complacency come in, it will slide us into a mire of mediocrity in a second. We have to keep pushing.”

Lowe understands the importance of not taking the foot off the gas. Still, he is confident, never doubting that this is the kind of year Catholic was capable of all along.

“We had high expectations going into the season, and everyone knew we had the potential to be a contender, but we can’t look ahead,” Lowe said. “We’re just trying to take it game by game.”

Lowe has been instrumental to Catholic's rise back to respectability.

Forced to sit as a freshman when the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season, Lowe doesn’t play like a quarterback who is in first season of live action in college football. He’s thrown for close to 1,800 yards (1,792) and 16 touchdowns.

“He’s the original playground quarterback,” Gutelius said. “He’s the kid you wanted on your team because he’d find a way to get the ball to the good kid at the right time. He always makes the play.”

As good as Lowe has been, he is quick not to take all of the credit.

“At the quarterback position, you are kind of dependent on everyone around you,” Lowe said. “Yeah, the stats look good for me, but a lot has to happen to have success. I’m thankful for the players around me.”

That includes his receivers. In the win at WPI, he threw the ball to 11 players. Nine of his receivers have caught 10 or more passes on the season.

“It’s great to be able to trust and depend on those guys to make plays," Lowe said. "We have great players who are fantastic athletes, and I’m very thankful I can trust them. I know when I throw the ball, they are going to make plays.”

Gallaudet has a talented signal callier as well in Benton, who has helped spark one of the top rushing attacks in the nation. Between an injury hardship year and COVID, Benton has played for the Bison since 2016.

“He brings leadership and his familiarity with the offense. He knows what I’m thinking,” Goldstein said. “He’s never played a complete season because of injuries, but he’s fighting through them. He gets a lot of touches and takes a pounding, but he gets back up. The guys see that and feed off that. He’s a special player for us.”

Benton is the leading rusher (400 yards, six touchdowns) for an offense that is cranking out 383.7 yards per game on the ground. Benton has also thrown for three scores.

He will be the first to say he doesn’t succeed unless the other 10 guys on the field do their job as well. He gives a big shout out to his offensive line in particular and also points to the effort the defense puts forth.

What also must be factored into the Bison's success is the way Benton embraces his role as the quarterback.

“Not everyone can handle the stress the quarterback position has on a person," Benton said. The entire team and campus is counting on you to lead them to have the best opportunity to win each game. There’s no slacking off for this position. On the field and off the field, quarterbacks have to carry themselves in a way that represents the overall team.”

As programs, Gallaudet and Catholic aim to continue representing their schools well and maintaining the momentum they have built up.

“Most of the players haven’t experienced this kind of success here, and who knows how it all shakes out, but none of it matters if we don’t take care of business today,” Gutelius said. “If we do our job today, tomorrow will take care of itself. We have to put our heads down, our shoulders to the wheel and go to work every day.”

Benton, who dreams of one day being a college football coach, is proud of what he and his teammates have accomplished so far, and likes the fact that this group is raising the bar for future teams at the school.

“We have a great opportunity to finish what we started and we’re on the right track for that,” Benton said. “What comes with that, even when this senior group is gone, will inspire guys coming up to have greater success than the ones that came before them, which means the Gallaudet University football program is headed in the right direction.”