Top 25 wrap: JCU makes its statement

More news about: Bluffton | Cornell | John Carroll | Mount Union
Aramis Greenwood caught two touchdown passes as John Carroll rolled over another opponent.
John Carroll athletics file photo

John Carroll improved to 9-0 heading into next week's showdown with No. 1 Mount Union, defeating tenth-ranked Heidelberg 48-7. 

The No. 14 Blue Streaks blew the game open with a 24-point second quarter, including drives of 50, 60 and 71 yards to roll out to a 31-7 lead and cruised from there. 

No team has reached double figures against John Carroll this season. John Carroll travels to Mount Union next week, which is also unbeaten after the Purple Raiders rolled over Baldwin Wallace 30-7.

More Top 25 games will be mentioned in our playoff clinchers story, so check that out for Top 25 teams that have punched their ticket to the Field of 32.

Jonny West threw for 316 yards but needed 56 attempts to do it and did not throw for a TD as No. 9 Franklin was upset by Bluffton 24-17. A late 44-yard touchdown grab by Donovan Brown broke a 17-17 tie and helped the Beavers cap their first win over a top 10 opponent in school history. Conner Sheehan threw for 260 yards and two scores for the Beavers, who improved to just 3-6.

Cornell handed No. 22 Illinois College its first loss of the season, blocking a field goal in overtime and returning it for a touchdown in a 35-29 win. The loss leaves St. Norbert in the driver's seat in the Midwest Conference. 

In front of a crowd of 14,534 at UNC Charlotte, No. 20 Wesley rallied past the Division I FCS, inaugural-season 49ers, 35-28. The Wolverines led most of the first three quarters, but trailed 28-21 early in the fourth when Joe Callahan hit Bryce Shade with a 17-yard touchdown pass. Morgan Taylor intercepted Charlotte's first pass afterward, and the Wesley defense later faced a fourth and one but survived. The Wolverines took over near midfield with 4:34 left, and drove for the winning score, a 39-yard completion to Kyle George being the drive's big play. Callahan scored the winner from one yard out, and finished with 317 yards passing. The game technically had little effect on Wesley's playoff chances in Pool B, but the win certainly doesn't hurt the Wolverines' chances.

No. 23 Millsaps scored 11 points in the final two minutes, then caused a Centre fumble during a go-for-the-win two-point conversion attempt, and improved to 9-0 with a 28-27 overtime win. Centre had stopped what seemed like Millsaps' final gasp, a fourth-and-7 pass with 2:59 left. But Zach Bell caused Harry Meisner to fumble, and Nick Arnold returned it 27 yards to the 6 to set up a Majors touchdown. Zak Thrasher scored with 1:50 left, completed a two-point conversion pass to Calvin Shaw, and Millsaps got the onside kick. Then after scoring first in overtime, Centre went backwards, hit a 36-yard pass and then a 3-yard scoring toss. Then, down one, it went to Meisner again to win it.

No. 11 UW-Platteville ground out a 20-10 win against UW-La Crosse to remain in the playoff hunt as an at-large. Andy Puccini ran for 221 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries in the win, improving the Pioneers to 8-1. Eighth-ranked UW-Oshkosh improved to 8-1 headed into the at-large bid showdown with Platteville next week. Cole Myhra ran for 156 yards and two TDs, while Caleb Voss caught four TD passes in the win. Joel Sweeney ran for 123 yards on 17 carries for UW-Eau Claire, one a 50-yard TD to cut the final deficit to 42-14.

18th-ranked St. Thomas held No. 21 Concordia-Moorhead to just 35 yards of total offense in the second half as the Tommies downed the Cobbers 34-20. Jack Kaiser ran for 105 yards and three TDs on 19 carries in the win.

No. 25 Lebanon Valley gained a share of the MAC title for the first time since 1969, defeating Stevenson 30-6. Lebanon Valley must win or Widener must lose next week for the Flying Dutchmen to clinch the MAC's automatic bid.