Two fumble returns for touchdowns were unquestionably the difference Saturday afternoon in Alliance.

One ended the first half, one ended the game as #1 ranked Mount Union outlasted #15 ranked John Carroll, 23-10, in a defensive slugfest staged at Mount Union Stadium.

Neither team reached 300 yards of total offense on the day, and the Mount Union defense (14 points) accounted for more points than either the John Carroll offense (10 points) or the Mount Union offense (9).

"We did some things to win the game and some things to lose the game," said John Carroll head coach Rick Finotti. "We had some great efforts and outstanding plays but we also had turnovers, penalties, missed opportunities, and we have to correct that stuff. We have to be a better football team."

At the onset, John Carroll appeared ready to go, and marched 81 yards on the opening drive for a touchdown. Anthony Moeglin capped the drive with a five yard touchdown run. A Matt Danko extra point made the lead 7-0.

That score would hold up almost the entire first half. John Carroll forced punts on the first two Mount Union offensive possessions, and then survived a short range field goal that was missed wide right from 25 yards that kept the Purple Raiders off the scoreboard in the opening quarter.

The JCU defense responded again early in the second period, stopping Mount Union on a fourth down conversion at the Blue Streaks' 29-yard line, and then again when forcing a third Purple Raiders punt.

On the sixth possession, the Purple Raiders found their groove. Four consecutive completions by D'Angelo Fulford covered 60 yards, the last 27 going to Jawanza Evans-Morris for a touchdown. The kick attempt, however, was no good, keeping the Blue Streaks out front, 7-6.

After the two teams traded punts, John Carroll took over on its own nine-yard line with 1:24 remaining before halftime. Hoping to take a one-point lead into the break, and knowing Mount Union had two timeouts, the Blue Streaks tried three running plays. The first two netted six yards. 

The third proved disastrous. Jake Floriea was stripped off the ball in the pile, and Mount Union defender Danny Robinson scooped up the fumble and ran it back 13 yards for a touchdown.

Mount Union would take a 13-7 lead into the locker room.

The tide appeared to continue working against the Blue Streaks in the third quarter. After Mount Union stalled on its opening drive of the second half, the Blue Streaks moved down to the Mount Union 31-yard line and faced fourth-and-inches. But the Blue Streaks were unable to convert the first down, and Mount Union seized the momentum change to put together a drive that ended in a 32-yard field goal that increased the hosts' lead to 16-7.

The Purple Raiders got close again to scoring on their next drive but were forced to punt when their charge stalled at the JCU 34. The John Carroll offense responded to the defensive stand by putting together its best drive since the opening quarter. The Blue Streaks covered 52 yards in 11 plays, with the key moment a Michael Canganelli 12 yard run on a third-and-20 play that set up a 45-yard field goal by Danko that sliced the Mount Union lead to 16-10 with 13:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Another dramatic finish in this series was forthcoming. In five of the last six meetings, the game had come down to the final minutes, and today's would follow suit.

Trailing by six points with 8:36 to play, the Blue Streaks began a march down the field against the Purple Raiders. Moeglin had a 13 yard completion to Evan Nugent and Canganelli snapped off a 24-yard run to get into the red zone. On a fourth-and-three play, Canganelli enabled JCU to convert with a four-yard gain. Then, facing a fourth-and-goal, Canganelli again came through with what appeared to be a potential go-ahead touchdown run from six yards out, but the score was negated by a holding penalty. JCU tried again from the 12-yard line on fourth and goal but Moeglin's pass was broken up and Mount Union took over on downs with 3:33 remaining.

John Carroll's defense rose tot he challenge one more time. With only one time out left, the Blue Streaks were still able to force a three-and-out, and forced a punt with 1'46 showing on the clock. JCU would begin its final drive at its own 46-yard line.

The Blue Streaks were able to get one first down, and had moved the ball to the Mount Union 43-yard line with 44 seconds left.

Disaster would then strike again.

On second and ten, Moeglin dropped back top pass, but All-American Louis Berry not only came in for the sack, but was able to strip the ball away from Moeglin and raced 45 yards for the game-deciding touchdown.

"It was a great play on their part," said Finotti. "Anthony is a ballplayer ... he's looking to win the ball game, looking to make a play, and he just didn't see (Berry) coming off the corner. It was a bang-bang play, great timing. Credit to them."

Mount Union finished with 286 yards of offense compared to 231 for John Carroll, while the Blue Streaks had 18 first downs to the Purple Raiders 17.

Canganelli led all players with 116 yards on 24 carries.

In the end, it was the turnover difference -- John Carroll had three and Mount Union had zero -- that was the most impactful statistic.

"Every week in the OAC is a playoff game, so this outcome won't change our approach," said Finotti. "We are only guaranteed ten games, so we have to make each one count and give it our best."