GREENCASTLE, IN – The Johns Hopkins defense had been there before – many times.
Host and unbeaten DePauw was set up with a first-and-goal with less than 30 seconds remaining and down just 14-9 in Saturday's third round NCAA Playoff game against Johns Hopkins. At that point, the odds may have favored the Tigers, who entered the game averaging just over 52 points per game and were perhaps due.
If there is one thing the Blue Jays have done this season, it's defy the odds.
After the Tigers spiked the ball on that first-and-goal play, the Blue Jays forced an incompletion on second down, had DePauw quarterback Nathan McCahill slip down as he tried to cut back against a pursuing Blue Jay defense on third down, then had the Tigers false start in the final seconds, forcing a 10-seconds clock runoff that sealed the five-point win and a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals for Johns Hopkins.
A late-game stop didn't seem like it would necessary at the half as the Blue Jays kept the high-scoring Tigers off the board and built a 14-point halftime lead.
After the teams traded four punts to start the game, the Blue Jays put together an 11-play, 80-yard drive that bridged the first and second quarters to grab a 7-0 lead. Starting at their own 20, the Blue Jays mixed the run and pass effectively on the drive and were forced to convert just once on third down before junior Geoff Schroeder polished off the drive with a two-yard run up the middle to give the Jays the lead just over a minute into the second quarter.
The Blue Jay defense followed the Schroeder touchdown by forcing a three-and-out and the Johns Hopkins offense needed just two plays to double the lead. After an Andrew Rich rush on first down, senior James Rinello hit classmate EJ Talarico in stride down the sideline and Talarico raced untouched into the end zone for a 64-yard strike that pushed the lead to 14-0.
The Tigers threatened on their ensuing possession after the Talarico touchdown as they worked down to the Blue Jay 16-yard line. After a Matthew Konkol sack pushed the Tigers back to the 20, junior Jack Schondelmayer intercepted Nathan McCahill's pass into the corner of the end zone to kill the drive. Graduate student Luca Lutzel deflected the pass into the air and Schondelmayer made the diving interception several feet away.
The Tigers opened the second-half with an efficient nine-play, 70-yard drive that Matthew Berry capped with a 23-yard field goal. Like the late-game stand, the Blue Jays also had their back against the shadow of the end zone on this one, but after DePauw had a first-and-goal at the two, the Blue Jays held with an Oliver Craddock tackle for a three-yard loss on third down forcing the Tigers into Berry's attempt.
The 14-3 Blue Jay lead held until early in the fourth quarter, when the Tigers got a 32-yard McCahill-to-Robby Ballentine touchdown pass to pull within 14-9. McCahill was then stopped on the two-point attempt and the Blue Jays maintained the five-point cushioin. As it turned out, the Carson Bourdo tackle on that play proved crucial late in the game.
DePauw (11-1) had a golden opportunity to grab the lead a short time later when the Blue Jays lost a fumble near midfield, but Bourdo intercepted McCahill at the Blue Jay 11 and Johns Hopkins took over at their own 33 with 10:41 on the clock.
The Blue Jays then pieced together their most impressive non-scoring drive of the season as they worked a remarkable 8:54 off the clock with a 17-play drive that eventually ended with a missed field goal with 1:47 remaining.
The Tigers took over from their own 23 and and converted a pair of third downs on a 12-play, 76-yard drive that pushed them to the Blue Jay one with 28 ticks on the clock. McCahill's 30-yard strike to Frankie Ricciaridi on second-and-10 from the 31 put the Tigers in position to win. Four plays later, the Blue Jays were celebrating the fourth trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals in program history.
The win, which improves Hopkins' record to 11-1, marks the seventh time in 12 games this season that the Blue Jay defense has come up with a stop in the final two minutes to seal a victory. Seven times in 12 games?
Maybe the odds actually favor Johns Hopkins in those situations.
Inside the Box Score – Johns Hopkins
• Rinello was 24-of-30 for a career-high 296 yards and the one touchdown. His two favorite targets were Cole Crotty (9-114-0) and Talarico (6-115-1).
• Junior Geoff Schroeder churned out 77 yards on the ground against a Tiger defense that entered the game allowing just 29.3 yards rushing per game.
• The Johns Hopkins defense held the Tigers to just the nine points and 354 yards, 76 of which came on the final drive of the game. DePauw entered the game averaging 52.1 points and 506.3 yards per game.
• Craddock paced the Blue Jay defense with nine tackles, including three for losses, while PJ Penders and Carter Hogg added eight stops apiece.
• Bourdo and Schondelmayer had the two interceptions and the Blue Jays rang up nine tackles for losses and four sacks in the win.
Inside the Box Score – DePauw
• McCahill was 21-of-33 for 283 yards with the one touchdown and also had a team-high 52 rushing yards for the Tigers.
• Ballentine was on the receiving end of 10 of McCahill's completions and totaled 165 yards and the one score.
• Nolan Tully paced the Tiger defense wth 14 tackles and one pass breakup, while Joey Roland collected 2.5 of DePauw's six sacks on the day.
Notes of Interest
• Johns Hopkins tied the program record with its 12th consecutive road victory.
• The Blue Jays reach the 11-win mark for the sixth time in program history (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024).
• The Johns Hopkins defense has held 11 of its 12 opponents this season at least 10 points under its season scoring average.
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