NCAA Division-III Playoffs, R. 2: Johns Hopkins vs. Mount Union
The No. 6 ranked John Hopkins Blue Jays welcome the No. 8 ranked Mount Union Purple Raiders to Maryland this Saturday for their second round matchup in the NCAA Division-III football playoffs. The Purple Raiders finished second in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), going 9-1. Last Saturday they defeated Hobart to advance. Johns Hopkins won the Centennial Conference and defeated Randolph-Macon to set up this week’s matchup.
How They Got Here
The Blue Jays started the season with a 45-29 victory over Washington and Lee in their only non-conference game of the season. They then ran the table through the conference, scoring at least 41-points in every game but two, with their closest margin of victory being an eight-point win over Moravian.
Last Saturday, the Blue Jays took command of the game from the very start, scoring 21 first quarter points on their way to a 42-21 win. Johns Hopkins scored on their first three possessions of the game. Jon Germano ran for a touchdown and threw for the other two in the first frame. Randolph-Macon made this a closer game with two touchdowns in the second quarter, but Germano’s third touchdown pass of the game kept it a 14-point lead heading into the half. Johns Hopkins would add two more touchdowns in the second half as the Blue Jays won by 21.
Germano finished with 418-yards passing and 4-touchdown tosses. He also rushed for 32-yards and another score. Luke Mcfadden had 11-receptions for 222-yards and 2-scores, and Bradley Munday had 8-receptions for 104-yards and 2-scores. Jack Toner had 8-tackles and an interception.
The Purple Raiders were rolling through the first nine games of the season. They had posted three shutouts and scored at least 38-points in every one of those games, with a high of 71 against Wilmington. On the final weekend of the season, Mount Union welcomed archrival John Carroll to town and fell in a nail-biter, 31-28. That dropped them from the No. 1 spot.
Mount Union faced Hobart in the first round of the playoffs. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter as Dom Davis threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to get the scoring going. Jawanza Evans-Morris added two touchdowns that made the score 21-7, but Hobart got two touchdown passes from Shane Sweeney to tie the score. With the game tied in the third, Mount Union scored the next 17-points to earn the victory, 38-21. B.J. Mitchell scored the two touchdowns.
Davis threw for 321-yards and a score. Mitchell added 90-yards on the ground and 2-touchdowns and Evans-Morris gained 76-yards and 2-scores. Jared Ruth had 113-yards receiving and a TD, and Tim Kennedy added 103-yards receiving. Danny Robinson had 12-tackles for the Purple Raiders and Mike Vidal recorded 1.5-sacks and an interception.
Statistics
Offense:
Mount Union PPG: 48.2, Rushing YDs/Game: 264.5, Passing YDs/Game: 248.7, Total YDs Game: 513.3
Johns Hopkins PPG: 43.3, Rushing YDs/Game: 178.2, Passing YDs/Game: 341.0, Total YDs Game: 519.2
Defense:
Mount Union PPG: 10.7, Rushing YDs/Game: 70.6, Passing YDs/Game: 195.0, Total YDs Game: 265.6
Johns Hopkins PPG: 18.7, Rushing YDs/Game: 166.6, Passing YDs/Game: 188.1, Total YDs Game: 354.7
Why Johns Hopkins Will Win
- The Blue Jays are awesome at home and have the experience and talent to dominate on their home field.
- Germano is an unbelievably good quarterback who showed that he can make huge plays and be a star.
- Jack Toner and Michael Curry are difference makers that can really hamper the Purple Raiders offense and make them one dimensional.
Why Mount Union Will Win
- There is a lot to like about the Mount Union offense, but it is their defense that really is the headline. They simply deny opponents any kind of chances to get things going
- Bradley Mitchell not only is one of the better running backs in the country, but he will keep the ball in the hands of the Purple Raiders offense.
- There is a reason that Mount Union was No. 1 for most of the season. They are that good, despite the tough loss to John Carroll.
Prognosis:
This is an exciting matchup for sure, and fans should be treated to one heck of a game. The biggest concern is the number of interceptions that Germano has thrown this season (14). The Purple Raiders will make him pay for any mistakes he makes. This will be a very close game, but Mount Union will pull it out, 31-27.
By Robert Pannier