Braxton Plunk had a super-efficient first half and an epic fourth quarter, with two huge drives in the final minutes against the Wartburg defense. Photo by Tom Nettleton, d3photography.com

By Greg Thomas
D3football.com

Tyler Echeverry capped a frenzied fourth quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run and Mount Union will play in the Stagg Bowl for the 22nd time as the Purple Raiders edged Wartburg in a thrilling national semifinal, 34-31.

The score from Echeverry, Mount Union’s second string running back, was the last of five scoring plays in the fourth quarter, a quarter which saw 31 points scored and four lead changes. 

The sprint to the finish was ignited when Mount Union (14-0) mishandled a punt snap, ending with a 1-yard punt that set Wartburg’s offense up at the Purple Raider 21-yard line. Following a penalty, Wartburg quarterback Nile McLaughlin connected with Drake George for a 26-yard touchdown to give the Knights (13-1) their first lead of the contest, 24-21. 

Mount Union responded to their first deficit of the postseason, with a 15-play, 83-yard drive capped by a Braxton Plunk 2-yard touchdown run that put Mount Union back ahead 28-24 with 4:25 to play. The drive nearly stalled near midfield, but Echeverry converted a key fourth-and-2 to keep Mount Union’s offense on the field. 

Needing an answer, Wartburg appeared to have a long kickoff return into Mount Union territory by Hunter Clasen, only to see the return called back by penalty. Undeterred, Wartburg wasted no time with their own answer, going 70 yards in just four plays. Wartburg had success throwing through the middle of the field for most of the game, including McLaughlin’s 59-yard touchdown to Carter Henry. The touchdown returned the lead to the Knights, 31-28 with 3:06 to play. 

With the season on the line, Plunk again engineered a masterful 7-play, 69 yard drive. Facing fourth-and-7 with 1:36 to play, Plunk avoided Wartburg’s blitz, rolled left, and found Wayne Ruby, Jr. 36 yards downfield for a first down conversion. Three plays later, Echeverry was in the end zone with the game’s decisive points. 

In a performance emblematic of a Gagliardi Trophy finalist, Plunk led the Mount Union offense completing 43 of 56 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns. Plunk also scored two touchdowns rushing. Ruby caught eight passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Ruby Jr.’s season touchdown total is now 29, leaving him two behind the NCAA single season record of 31 set by North Central’s Andrew Kamienski in 2019. Jayden Manley added 112 receiving yards for the Purple Raiders. 

McLaughlin led the Wartburg offense with 334 yards passing and three touchdowns. Henry led all receivers with 158 yards receiving. Clasen entered the game leading all rushers in the postseason but was held to just 53 yards on 21 attempts. Wartburg was limited to only 25 yards rushing for the game. 

Mount Union, which has won 13 of the 21 Stagg Bowls it has played in, last reached the Division III football championship game in 2018 and last won it in 2017. The Purple Raiders will face the winner of the semifinal between Mary Hardin-Baylor and North Central.