A tale of two halves
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The Crusaders (8-1, 7-1 ASC) took a seemingly comfortable 21-7 lead into halftime, scoring on a 29-yard interception return, a 69-yard pass from Cody Fredenburg to P.J. Williams, and a 1-yard run by Fredenberg. The Tigers (7-2, 7-1 ASC) had benched first-string quarterback Brandon Nelson after his second interception, leaving first-year Phil Van Cleave at the reigns of the offense. To make matters worse, the Crusaders had successfully neutralized ETBU’s RoShawn Johnson (16 carries, 33 yards on the day); Van Cleave would have to win the game almost solely through the air. Van Cleave was able to lead the Tigers on a 17 play, 91-yard scoring drive in the second quarter, but it seemed unlikely the Crusaders would surrender a two-TD lead at home. ETBU had turned the ball over five times in the first half alone — four interceptions and a botched punt — to only one by UMHB. Only two missed field goal attempts kept the margin from being even larger. Game over, right?
At first, it seemed that way. The teams exchanged punts to start the second half, but the Crusaders drove into Tiger territory, aided by a roughing the kicker penalty. ETBU’s Littleton Dean tackled Fredenburg for consecutive losses, though, pushing the ball back into MHB territory. An incomplete pass on third-and-long and an 18-yard punt set up the Tigers at their 30, and it took Van Cleave only two plays to find Andrew Jackson for his only catch on the day, a 70-yard touchdown to narrow the margin to seven. That is where things stood until the fourth quarter, which started with ETBU 47 yards away from a tying score.
Van Cleave led the Tigers to the MHB 2 before a holding penalty set the Tigers back. Three consecutive pass attempts from there yielded only Rojo Johnson’s third interception of the day. Each team struggled to move the ball consistently until ETBU found themselves 80 yards away from the end zone with just 2:01 remaining.
Three straight incomplete passes set up a fourth-and-10; Van Cleave found Jabori Jackson for 33 to keep the drive alive. A sack, an incompletion, and a short pass set up fourth-and-9; Van Cleave found Frank Wilson for 13, and another first down. Two more incomplete passes, a 12-yarder to RoShawn Johnson, an incompletion, then complete to Jimmy Holt for 11 and out of bounds. Finally, one more incomplete pass before, from the 21 with just eight seconds left, Earl Morris hauled in Van Cleave’s pass to send the game into overtime.
With momentum surely in the visitors’ favor, the Crusaders won the toss but elected to defer. Throwing the ball almost exclusively, Van Cleave completed two passes to Earl Morris before calling his own number, scoring from 1 yard out. The Crusaders, needing a touchdown and extra point to send the game into a second overtime, converted one first down, but ETBU’s Tory Barnes intercepted Fredenburg in the end zone to send shock waves throughout the ASC. East Texas, in its fourth season, has officially arrived on the national scene. After being out gained 232-118 in the first half, the young Tiger defense held the Crusaders to 121 yards in the second half while rolling up over 250 of their own. ETBU’s Littleton Dean wreaked havoc with 11 tackles (seven solo) and a forced fumble. Six of Dean’s tackles came in the Crusader backfield. Van Cleave wreaked havoc in the MHB defensive backfield, completing 26 of 52 for 381 yards and three touchdowns while throwing three interceptions.
The loss wasted a career-high 29-carry, 196 yard effort from MHB’s Justin Bryson. Cody Fredenburg was held to 9-for-22 for 205 yards, one score, and two interceptions, and was sacked twice.
There will always be second guessers who want to know why MHB let ETBU take the ball first in OT, or why they didn’t just kick the field goal which would give them the point differential they needed to advance as the ASC Pool A representative. While I have no direct insight into the situation, what I’ve observed about the Crusader program is that they play the game to win. Allowing ETBU to take the ball first allowed the MHB coaching staff to do whatever was needed to win the game and showed the staff’s confidence in the team. Perhaps had the third-down pass in OT fallen incomplete rather than been intercepted, coach Fredenburg would have gone for the field goal, but I like to think he would have gone for the first down and the win rather than kick a field goal to lose the game.
The win by ETBU sets up a three-way tie between the Tigers, MHB, and Hardin-Simmons for the conference lead. If all win next week, ASC rules dictate that the Tigers — by virtue of a plus-1 scoring margin — will represent the conference as its champion. If all three win next week, the Crusaders have to be considered a strong contender for one of the three Pool C playoff slots.
Rose-Hulman clinches first .500 season since 1995
In a stunning upset, the Rose-Hulman Engineers (5-4, 3-2 SCAC) upset the DePauw Tigers (5-4, 3-3) 22-12. The win secures the Engineers’ best season since 1995, which was also the last time they defeated DePauw.
On Senior Day, it was a freshman — quarterback Cameron Hummel — who made the difference. Hummel set career highs of 128 yards rushing and 235 yards passing, as the Engineers surprised DePauw with 465 yards of total offense. Despite this, it took several key plays — a blocked PAT by Mike Alto, a red zone fumble recovery by Nick Dames, a blocked field goal attempt by Zach Pieri — just to keep the game within reach. At the half, Rose-Hulman held on to a narrow 7-6 lead.
It was more of the same in the second half, only this time it was DePauw striking first when David Blackburn blocked an Engineer field goal attempt, which Justin Tillis picked up and rambled 51 yards with before being tackled. An offside penalty against RHIT on the next play wiped out a sack, and Jackson Rust scored 4 plays later on a 25 yard that put DePauw up 12-7 after a failed two-point conversion try.
Two series later, Hummel found Charlie Key for a 58-yard completion, following up that play with a 1-yard keeper and two point conversion to put RHIT on top for good 15-12. The Engineer defense kept DePauw out of the end zone on its next three tries, getting the ball back on a punt, a Ross Weithoff fumble, and a Brian Knaup interception of Weithoff. The latter, after a DePauw personal foul set the Engineers up on the DePauw 6, led to RHIT’s final score. Fittingly, it was Hummel once again doing the honors from 9 yards out.
RHIT travels to Centre for the final game of the season. DePauw’s last chance to salvage something in Nick Mourouzis’ last season comes against Wabash — an 81-0 winner last week. They say records don’t matter in the Monon Bowl rivalry, but it doesn’t look good for DePauw.
Keenum steps down as McMurry AD
Steve Keenum has relinquished his duties as director of athletics at McMurry, but will stay on as football head coach. McMurry president Dr. John Russell made the announcement on Nov. 10; a search process representing a cross-section of the McMurry community will be conducted. No timetable for the replacement AD has been announced.
“We will begin a national search for a full-time athletic director immediately. Coach Keenum will continue his duties leading our football program as we move forward to separating the positions,” Russell said. “I have been pleased with the progress of our football team this year, but for our athletic program to go to the next level, we need a full-time athletic director” whose focus is not divided by coaching a sport.
“It’s been challenging. It’s been exciting. And, at times, it’s been overwhelming,” Keenum said, referring to his time serving as both McMurry’s top athletic department official and football coach since March 2001. “It’s time to pass the baton. Both jobs, coaching and being an administrator, are such that they require full-time focus of two individuals. I look forward to concentrating on what it is I love to do: coaching football. I’m excited about the direction that our football program is headed.”
The Indians upped their record to 4-5 overall from 0-10 last year, the second-best improvement in school history. They face Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday.
Elsewhere around the region
Trinity 35, at Sewanee 0. Trinity (7-2, 4-2 SCAC) got back on track with a deliberate win at Sewanee (3-7, 0-6 SCAC). Trinity rolled up 393 yards in three quarters against what was the SCAC’s leading defense. Ray Valencia scored twice in his fourth consecutive 100-yard game (26 carries, 152 yards), Dan DesPlaines was a sharp 17-for-23 for 180 yards and two touchdowns, and first-year punter Casey O’Bryant had a school-record 78-yard punt. The Tiger defense recorded five sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and held Sewanee to a season-low 137 yards. Trinity can clinch the SCAC’s Pool A bid (and, most likely, an away game in Week 12) with a win against 1-7 Millsaps.
at Louisiana College 31, Mississippi College 0: The Wildcats (4-5, 4-4 ASC) recorded their first shutout since their 2000 opener, holding the Choctaws (3-6, 2-6) to just 97 offensive yards. Wildcat running back Wayne Davis ran for 202 yards and scored three first-half touchdowns.
at Rhodes 35, Millsaps 3. The Lynx (7-3, 4-2 SCAC) completed their best season since 1990 with an easy win over Millsaps (1-8, 1-7). Daniel Swanstrom was 24-of-35 for 350 yards and two touchdowns. In the process, he broke his own record for single season completions (230) and passing yardage (2634 yards). Millsaps was held to 189 yards total offense, minus-6 in the second half excluding the last drive.
The playoff picture clears up a bit more
This week’s results in the ASC mean that, if HSU, UMHB, and ETBU all win, ETBU will get the ASC’s Pool A playoff bid. Why? Because ASC rules dictate that, in a multi-team tie where all teams have split with the others, the team which has the highest winning margin in head-to-head games will get the conference’s Pool A slot.
ETBU beat MHB by seven, lost to HSU by six for a plus-1. MHB lost to ETBU by seven, defeated HSU by seven: even. HSU beat ETBU by six, lost to MHB by seven: minus-1. MHB is a strong contender for one of three Pool C bids available due to its win in-region against ranked HSU and a quality win out of conference against 7-2 Willamette. A win by Willamette against No. 3-ranked Linfield, although unlikely, would further help the Crusaders’ cause, as would losses by other Pool C contenders such as Baldwin-Wallace (at 3-6 Otterbein), Simpson (vs. former D-III member Upper Iowa, 1-8) or Hampden-Sydney (at archrival Randolph-Macon, 4-5). HSU is out, for the simple reason that you’re not going to see a team with two losses get a Pool C bid when there are only three available in the entire country.
What happens if one of the three loses this week?
If ETBU loses, MHB gets the pool A (because it defeated HSU)If MHB loses, HSU gets the pool A (because it defeated ETBU)If HSU loses, ETBU still gets the pool A. The loss would not impact HSU’s SOS.If two teams lose, the remaining team gets the automatic bid.
Trinity still gets the SCAC’s Pool A with a win over Millsaps, though Centre will tie for the SCAC championship with a win at home against Rose-Hulman.
IF MHB gets one of the Pool Cs, it sets up an interesting situation in the first round. Most observers feel Christopher Newport will now get the No. 1 South seed and the bye that comes with it, with Bridgewater likely to get No. 2. With one loss, MHB would normally be the most likely candidate for a No. 3 or No. 4 seed, except that it lost to ETBU and it’s unusual for a Pool C team from a conference to be seeded higher than the same conference’s pool A representative. A likely scenario, accordingly, sends a No. 6 or No. 7 Trinity to a No. 4 or No. 5 ETBU. Where MHB ends up is anyone’s guess at this point, and it’s fairly likely that, since one of the teams will have to travel anyway, that one gets sent out of the South bracket altogether.
A factor further complicating this is that Trinity’s strength of schedule is probably going to end up somewhat higher than both ETBU’s and UMHB’s. My worst-case SOS for Trinity after this week is 10.222, with ETBU ending up at 10.000 and UMHB/HSU at 9.778. That’s probably not enough to cause the selection committee much pause, given that ETBU and MHB both have in-region wins against ranked opponents and Trinity does not. But should some very strange things happen (wins by RHIT and DePauw), Trinity’s SOS could end up as high as 10.667. That might be too much for the committee to ignore, giving Trinity a possible home game against ETBU (or, in a scenario where HSU wins the conference, against the Cowboys).
Tidbits
HSU fans are not happy that ETBU may advance to the playoffs on the strength of a +1 scoring margin in common games. You see, HSU defeated ETBU in overtime — but since they scored last, they were not allowed to kick the extra point that would have negated the margin the Tigers enjoy.Trinity’s Todd Canion’s 5 extra points helped him pass Jerheme Urban for the all-time Trinity scoring record. Canion’s missed/blocked field goals this year, however, continue to be a source of concern for the Trinity staff. With this week’s win, Rhodes head coach Joe White’s record at the school improved to 34-33. The 34 wins make him second on Rhodes’ all-time coaching list. ETBU’s Littleton Dean is eighth in the country in tackles for loss (2.3/game).Sul Ross’ Bernie Luna is No. 2 in the country in forced fumbles, just a hair behind Upper Iowa’s Duran Major. Upper Iowa declared they were moving to Division II at the beginning of the fall but aren’t eligible yet to be listed there statistically.Around the ASC
Co-Offensive POW: Lance Moore, RB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons; Earl Morris, WR, Jr., East Texas Baptist. Moore had 272 all-purpose yards (25 carries/232 yards, two receptions for 44) and a season-high three touchdowns against McMurry. It was the first 200-yard rushing effort at HSU since 1997. Morris caught a school-record 11 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns, including the score which sent the game into overtime and a key reception on fourth-and-five to set up the game winner in overtime.Defensive POW: John Muder, LB, Sr., Louisiana College. Switching from middle to strong-side linebacker, made eight tackles (five solo), one for loss as the Wildcat defense limited Mississippi College to less than 2 yards per play.Special Teams POW: Sean Struwe, PK, Sr., East Texas Baptist: kicked two key extra points; one to take Mary-Hardin Baylor into OT, the second to give ETBU a seven-point victory margin and the ASC tiebreaker. Struwe hit all four of his extra point attempts on the day. Around the SCAC
Offensive POW: Cameron Hummel, QB, first-year, Rose-Hulman. Set career highs in passing (14-of-22 for 235 yards) and rushing (128 yards and 3 touchdowns).Defensive POW: Michael Perez, DL, Jr., Trinity: Nine tackles (six solo) in Trinity’s shutdown win over Sewanee, including 3 tackles for loss, of which 2 were sacks. He also forced a fumble.Honorable mention: Matt O’Bryant, LB, Sr., Millsaps: 21 tackles (12 solo), including four for loss, one sack, and one pass deflection. This guy busts his hump week in and week out, never gets any recognition, and goes out the next week and plays harder. Despite playing for 1-8 Millsaps, O’Bryant may be the best linebacker in the conference and is among the best in the country. He’s tied for fifth in the country in tackles per game (13.8), fifteenth in solo tackles (6.8). You can bet he will be loaded for bear against Trinity next week. Games of the Week (times local)
Mississippi College (3-6, 2-6 ASC) at No. 23 East Texas Baptist (7-2, 7-1), Marshall, Texas, 1 p.m.; McMurry (4-5, 4-4) at No. 12 Mary Hardin-Baylor (8-1, 7-1), Belton, Texas, 2 p.m.; Austin (3-6, 3-5) at No. 24 Hardin-Simmons (7-2, 7-1), Abilene, Texas, 2 p.m.: You really don’t expect any of these upsets to happen, but it’s already been a strange year in the ASC. It will be interesting to see how MHB handles their first conference loss in two years against a McMurry team that has played well at times this year.
Wabash (6-3) at DePauw (5-4), Greencastle, Ind., 1:07 p.m.: The 110th Monon Bell Classic features two teams headed in opposite directions. DePauw has lost two straight and looked simply awful losing to Rose-Hulman last week, turning the ball over five times, four in the red zone. Wabash, on the other hand, comes off an 81-0 thrashing of Hiram in which it rolled up 611 yards of total offense and has won four of the last five
I implied that I’d have a story on the Bell this week, but it may be too big for an outsider like me to cover. This game is big enough that it’s going to be nationally televised on HDNet television, on WFYI-TV in Indianapolis, and that the game has been sold out for months.
The “Monon Bell” comes from the old Monon railroad, which linked the towns of Crawfordsville (Wabash) and Greencastle (DePauw). The Bell is a 300-pound brass and cast iron locomotive’s bell, donated in 1932, to be given to the winner of the annual contest. Ironically it was actually 1933 before the Bell was awarded, as the ‘32 game ended 0-0 in a slop fest. The 1933 DePauw team, coached by a Wabash grad, was initially awarded the Bell after a 14-0 victory.
The series had recently been rather lopsided in favor of the Tigers, as five of the last seven Classics have gone to DePauw. The 2001 win by Wabash halted a five-game DePauw winning streak in the rivalry. The game turned when, with just 2.7 seconds left, Ryan Short tipped a pass to Kurt Casper in the end zone for the game winner. The Wabash faithful — who claim this was a play they had practiced — dubbed this the “Monon Miracle” or simply “the catch.” No doubt the DePauw crowd has another name for it. Last year’s win by Wabash tied the all-time series up, 50-50-9.
What this tells you nothing of is the passion the two schools put into the game — and the utter contempt each has for the other. As in many rivalries, the losing team often tries to steal something of the winner’s — in this case, the Bell itself. Each school has been successful three times in the last 40 years or so. In 1959, a Wabash student, posing as a foreign dignitary, managed to steal the 300-pound Bell. He was able to convince the DePauw president to show him where the Bell was kept; once found, it was liberated. In 1966, DePauw students, despairing another theft, actually buried the Bell in the end zone for 11 months. Twelve years later, several hundred Wabash fans invaded DePauw in an attempt to steal the Bell.
One of the many folks who responded to a plea for Monon insight told me “Mere words do not express the true feelings of the fans, students, alumni and players of DePauw and Wabash. The Bell game is not something that is learned or researched; it is something that must be experienced.” The rivalry is something to be treasured by all football fans; that it’s in Division III makes it all the more “right.”
The DePauw side of this rivalry has been conspicuous by their relative silence so far this year. Could they be saving up for something special this week?
Millsaps (1-8, 1-4 SCAC) at Trinity (7-2, 4-1), San Antonio, 1:30 p.m.: This really shouldn’t be much of a game. Trinity has the No. 1 scoring offense, scoring defense, pass offense, rushing defense, total defense, and total offense in the SCAC. The only categories Millsaps ranks among the conference leaders in is sacks and penalty yardage — and unfortunately, it’s allowed nearly twice as many sacks (47) as it has made (26). Trinity needs a good game here to get ready for the playoffs. Matt O’Bryant will do his best to end his career with a win, but Trinity’s not Sewanee, the Majors’ only other victim this season.
Next week: Playoff preview!
Comments? Complaints? Praise? Have an interesting story idea for an upcoming column? Think your team isn’t getting enough coverage? If so, contact me: Comments? Complaints? Praise? Have an interesting story idea for an upcoming column? Think your team isn’t getting enough coverage? If so, contact me: ron.boerger@d3football.com