/notables/2018/09/week4-top25-roundup

Mount Union's defense carries day vs. JCU

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Louis Berry is off to the races after stripping the ball from John Carroll quarterback Anthony Moeglin. (Photo by Dan Poel, Ohiosi.com)
Louis Berry is off to the races after stripping the ball from John Carroll quarterback Anthony Moeglin, who lies face in the turf. Forty-five yards later Berry is in the end zone for the second of Mount Union's two defensive touchdowns in a 23-10 win.
Photo by Dan Poel, ohiosi.com
 

Mount Union got two touchdowns, one on defense, in the final five and a half minutes of the first half, and the Purple Raiders made those scores stand up as the No. 1 team in the country sealed the game with a second defensive score to finish off No. 15 John Carroll 23-10.

Anthony Moeglin led the Blue Streaks down the field on the first drive of the game, going 81 yards and finishing with a 5-yard run to give JCU an early 7-0 lead. The defense made that stand up until Jawanza Evans-Morris made a nifty 27-yard catch-and-run down the right sideline to cut the lead to 7-6. But with John Carroll trying to get some points on the board before halftime, Danny Robinson forced Blue Streaks backup quarterback Jake Floriea to fumble and Robinson scooped it up for a 13-yard fumble recovery to give Mount Union a 13-7 lead going into halftime.

The teams traded field goals as neither was able to mount much offense in the third and fourth quarters, but John Carroll got good field position after a defensive three-and-out and a punt, and drove as far as the Mount Union 5-yard line on a big rushing day from Michael Canganelli. On fourth down from the 5, Cangenelli managed to get into the front corner of the end zone, but wide receiver Darrin Davis was called for holding to help Canganelli fight his way in. The second fourth-down attempt was batted away.

Mount Union went three-and-out once more and John Carroll got the ball into Purple Raider territory. But Louis Berry came in on a blitz and took the ball right out of Moeglin's hands, running untouched to the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown to seal the 23-10 win.

"We did some things to win the game and some things to lose the game," said John Carroll coach Rick Finotti. "We had some great efforts and outstanding plays but we also had turnovers, penalties, missed opportunities, and we have to correct that stuff. We have to be a better football team."

John Carroll's defense limited DeAngelo Fulford to 15-for-38 passing, 3-for-13 in the second half as the Purple Raiders went three-and-out three times. Mount Union had 286 yards of total offense, but John Carroll had even fewer: 231. Canganelli had a game-high 116 rushing yards and added 65 through the air for JCU, which fell to 2-1, 1-1 in the OAC.

Sixth-ranked Frostburg State came out of its unexpected bye week and executed on offense, defense and special teams in a 34-7 win vs. Rowan. The Bobcats' Malik Morris scored on a 68-yard touchdown pass and in recovering a blocked punt. Connor Cox was 15-for-21 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns, while Rowan was held to 166 yards of offense, and just 30 yards on 31 carries.

No. 17 Berry escaped Centre in overtime, winning for the 20th time in 21 games in defeating the Colonels 38-35. Centre drove 69 yards in 1:48 and Tanner Young found Jaylon Hibbs in the far corner of the end zone to tie the game at 35-35. But after Berry kicked a field goal in its half of overtime, Centre's 37-yard attempt missed wide left.

After gaining just 188 yards at Illinois Wesleyan in Week 3, No. 22 Wheaton came out cranked up to 11 and rolled past Millikin 63-6. After a 35-31 loss at Millikin last October essentially left Wheaton on the sidelines in the 2017 playoffs, the Thunder rolled past the Big Blue on Saturday. All nine scoring drives for Wheaton were 49 yards or longer, with Curtis McWilliams completing 19 of 23 passes for 296 yards and four scores.

Susquehanna took a Centennial Conference contender to overtime for the second consecutive week, but came up empty for the second time as No. 24 Franklin & Marshall survived with a 14-7 win. Joe Hartley-Vittoria finished a 107-yard rushing day with a 21-yard touchdown run in the extra session to win the game. 

A late fourth-quarter interception in the end zone by Jovonte Long propelled No. 25 Ithaca over St. John Fisher, 21-14. With 2:02 left in the game, Fisher (0-2) recorded its second interception of the afternoon at the Ithaca 16-yard line to set up a potential game-winning or game-tying drive. After two no-gain plays, Joshua Michels found Cam Cleveland for a 20-yard gain. The Cardinals then connected on 21- and 32-yard completions to push the ball down to the Ithaca 13 with just over a minute left in regulation. A false start moved the spot back 5 yards, and on the next snap, Long made the leaping interception in the end zone to give Ithaca (3-1) the win.

Jase Hammack threw for 378 yards and five touchdowns, the last of them with 14 seconds left in the game, as No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor turned it on in the second quarter and defeated Texas Lutheran 47-14. The Cru scored 27 points in the second quarter, two touchdowns to Jonel Reed and two to T.J. Josey, in the win. Khaaliq Burroughs was 14-for-20 for 203 yards and three touchdowns and Wesley throttled the William Paterson offense, holding the Pioneers to 43 total yards in a 43-7 win. WPU (0-3, 0-2 NJAC) got on the board on a kickoff return for a touchdown with 3:40 left. Wesley improved to 3-0, 2-0.

Behind 501 total yards of offense, including 343 rushing, No. 20 RPI defeated Buffalo State 44-14. Nick Cella led the Engineers (4-0) as he compiled 131 yards on the ground on only 12 carries, including a 65-yard touchdown. Delaware Valley held Alvernia to 98 yards and rolled over the first-year program 41-10. Shaveiz Stewart had two touchdowns, one on a punt return, for the No. 21-ranked Aggies. Dashawn Darden was 13-for-19 for 146 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 80 yards on three attempts for Delaware Valley (3-1).

No. 3 St. Thomas and No. 9 St. John's rolled over UW-Eau Claire and Carleton by a combined total of 108-0, part of a day in which MIAC teams outscored opponents 227-3. Jacques Perra threw a touchdown pass and caught a touchdown pass in just two quarters of action for the Tommies in a 49-0 win vs. UW-Eau Claire. Sam Gerrety had two interceptions as the St. Thomas defense has not allowed a point in 10 consecutive quarters. Jackson Erdmann was 9-for-10 for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the Johnnies' 59-0 win vs Carleton.

Dec. 15: All times Eastern
Final
Cortland 38, at North Central (Ill.) 37
@ Salem, Virginia
Video Box Score Recap Photos
Dec. 9: All times Eastern
Final
North Central (Ill.) 34, at Wartburg 27
Box Score Recap
Final
Cortland 49, at Randolph-Macon 14
Box Score Recap Recap Recap Photos
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