Top 25: JHU gets miracle win

More news about: Johns Hopkins

Oct 28, 2023

Will Leger picked up the blocked field goal and ran untouched into the end zone to give Johns Hopkins the win on the final play of the game.
Johns Hopkins athletics photo

Johns Hopkins turned a blocked field goal into a Miracle at Muhlenberg, while Hardin-Simmons beat UMHB for just the second time in 24 outings and Wartburg, Ithaca and Grove City clinched automatic bids to the playoffs. This is the wrapup for Top 25 teams in Week 9.

The No. 8 ranked Blue Jays seemed to have the game well in hand, leading No. 21 Muhlenberg on the road by two scores halfway through the fourth quarter. But after a third-down sack by Tim Higgins, Johns Hopkins uncorked a super short punt from its own end of the field and Joe Repetti found Timothy Buda in the end zone to cut the JHU lead to 28-21. A third-down sack by Tyler Ekstrom on the next drive forced another punt, and Repetti repeated, hitting Buda between two defenders in the back of the end zone for a 24-yard TD pass. It was tied at 28 with 2:43 to play.

JHU was not content to play for overtime, however. After a big scramble by Bay Harvey, the teams traded interceptions, leaving Hopkins on the Muhlenberg 44. He hit Will Leger for a 22-yard pass to get just short of the red zone, and then scrambled to the 16 and the 14, bringing on a 31-yard field goal attempt to win the game. Now, JHU hasn't made a field goal all season, and they didn't make this one either, but it was blocked before it crossed the line of scrimmage. And Leger came out of the backfield with the ball and ran it untouched to the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown, giving Johns Hopkins the 34-28 win.

For longtime D-III football fans, the play is reminiscent of the Miracle in the Mud, which gave Central a second-round playoff win at Linfield in 2000, and Widener's miracle finish in overtime against Lycoming in 2002.

The Miracle at Muhlenberg! Here's what it looked like. #d3fb https://t.co/PYczcCXH16
— D3football.com (@d3football) October 28, 2023

The gang is back together for No. 20 Hardin-Simmons, including a healthy quarterback in Gaylon Glynn, a healthy middle linebacker in Matt Mitchell, and they played key roles as the Cowboys defeated Mary Hardin-Baylor for just the second time in 24 outings, beating the No. 23 Cru 24-14. Mitchell had 12 tackles, incuding three tackles for loss and a pass breakup in just his second game back after having surgery to remove his appendix just before the team left for its game at Endicott in September. Cade Michna, who got hurt early in the game at Endicott and was playing for the first time since, racked up 12 tackles and two sacks as well. And Glynn completed 10 of 18 passes for 130 yards and was mobile in the pocket, making it easier for Noah Garcia (19 carries, 124 yards, one touchdown) and wildcat back Colton Marshall (10-24-2) to operate. The Cowboys defense got to UMHB quarterback Isaac Phe for five sacks and picked him off once in the win.

Ithaca had very little trouble booking a return trip to the playoffs, as the No. 15 Bombers rolled past Buffalo State 62-0. The Bombers set a school record with 686 yards of total offense in the win as IC racked up 375 yards passing and 311 yards rushing. Ithaca wasted no time in putting the game out of reach with 31 first quarter points, including a 68-yard run by Dan Mason on a fake punt with 34 seconds left in the quarter. It's the second consecutive Liberty League automatic bid for the Bombers, who lead RPI and Union by one game in the loss column with one game to play, holding head-to-head advantage over both teams.

For Grove City, it is the first trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs, as the Wolverines defeated Bethany 56-14. That included two defensive touchdowns in the third quarter -- a pick-six by Boden Davidson and a blocked punt which Ben Bladel took for a score. Nico Flati and Clayton Parrish ran for two TDs apiece as well. And Hunter Clasen ran for 202 yards and two touchdowns as No. 3 Wartburg defeated Central 24-14. It's the 23rd consecutive home win for Wartburg.

No. 25 Delaware Valley found late magic at home again and defeated Stevenson, 21-14, to grab control of the MAC title race. Trailing 14-7, Stevenson went on a 21-play, 96-yard drive that finished with Mustangs quarterback Nyaire Wilson zipping the ball Kevin Smitson for a touchdown with 71 seconds left. On the first play of the next possession, Aggies quarterback Louie Barrios found Luan Avdijaj for an 71-yard touchdown that put DelVal back in front. Stevenson drove to the Aggies' five in the closing seconds, but had two passes to the end zone fell incomplete.

Avdijaj, who had the game-winning touchdown in the closing minute last week against Lebanon Valley, finished with 149 yards on three catches, two of them for long touchdowns. Jacquez Mabin registered 11 tackles, four for loss, for the DelVal defense that held Stevenson to 41 yards on 38 attempts.

Kaleb Blaha racked up an incredible 535 yards of total offense and rushed for a program record six touchdowns as he put No. 7 UW-River Falls on his back and carried them to a 49-35 win down the highway at UW-Stout. Blaha finished with 234 passing yards and a career-high 301 rushing yards while accounting for all of UWRF's touchdowns. Outside of his school record scoring total, he added a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jake Hilton, and had 40-yard and 65-yard touchdown runs. The Falcons and Blue Devils were in a shootout for most of the game until UWRF ran away at the end.

Carter St. John had only 221 yards of total offense and threw his second-most incompletions of the season, but it was of little consequence as No. 17 Alma defeated Olivet 41-20. Olivet played keep-away, as they held the ball for 42:04. The Scots mounted five scoring drives in the other 17:56 and also scored on a safety and a fumble recovery.

It was another day for Luke Lehnen, as the quarterback of the top-ranked Cardinals of North Central ran for three touchdowns and threw for three in a 56-0 win at North Park. The Cardinals only had three touchdowns of more than 50 yards on Saturday, but they all came in the first half as North Central took a 45-0 lead into the locker room. Joe Sacco had nine carries for 137 yards for North Central (8-0, 7-0 CCIW).

UW-La Crosse totaled 562 yards of offense, including 175 rushing and 387 passing, as the No. 4 Eagles defeated UW-Eau Claire 59-14. The Eagles finished with 25 first downs, went eight-of-12 on third-down and scored on all five trips to the red zone. Keyser Helterbrand went 24-of-27 passing for 360 yards with five touchdowns while also rushing for a team-high 52 yards on six carries.

UW-Whitewater rolled out to a 42-10 lead early in the third quarter and cruised to a 45-23 win against UW-Platteville, taking back the Axe. The Pioneers (4-4, 2-3 WIAC) cut Whitewater's lead to 21-10 midway through the second quarter, but Tyler Vasey took the ensuing kickoff back 93 yards for the Warhawks (7-1, 4-1) and Whitewater ran away with it. Whitewater's top three runners combined for 35 carries for 196 yards and three TDs on the ground.