On no level was it supposed to work.

John Carroll had not enjoyed much success through the air all day, but on a fourth-and-eight play with 32 seconds remaining in regulation and the score tied at 10-10, the Blue Streaks went through the air.

And it worked.

Facing double coverage, Keyshawn Colmon hauled in a Jake Floriea pass in the end zone with 24 ticks left on the clock to lift John Carroll to a 17-10 victory over Baldwin Wallace on Saturday afternoon in Berea, Ohio.

The victory was a series record seventh in a row over the Yellow Jackets. 

So how improbable was the touchdown catch? It was just the sixth completed pass of the game for John Carroll, and the 28 yards the touchdown pass traversed was the longest completion of the game for the visiting Blue Streaks.

"Great throw by Jake, great catch by Keyshawn," said John Carroll head coach Rick Finotti, who improved to 3-0 against his crosstown rival.

The game was a defensive battle throughout. Neither team cracked 300 yards of total offense, and until the dramatic ending, the teams had produced a grand total of 20 points through the first 59 minutes of play.

Baldwin Wallace struck first with a five-play, 55-yard drive. Jack Gibbons found Darius Stokes from six yards out with 3:56 left in the opening period to give the home team a 7-0 lead.

That advantage stayed in place until the final minute of the first half. JCU was able to put together an 11-play drive that covered 67 yards that was capped by an improbable connection. Joey Torok, normally known for his pass catching skills, showed his stripes as a pass thrower, finding Evan Nugent in the end zone on a 16-yard pass play. Anthony Lupo's extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 58 seconds left.

The Yellow Jackets had a response. Moving quickly downfield in the final seconds to get Dean Sarris in place for a 49-yard field goal attempt. The freshman placekicker set a stadium record by making that kick, and giving his team a 10-7 lead heading to the locker room.

Amazingly, that would be the last points that Baldwin Wallace would score. 

John Carroll tied the game at 10-10 with 4:38 to play in the third quarter when Lupo made a 33-yard field goal, set up by a short punt.

On the next Baldwin Wallace possession, JCU forced a fumble courtesy of Connor Bogard, and the Blue Streaks were in great field position. But the drive stalled, and Lupo's 33-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Neither team threatened in the fourth, but John Carroll would eventually tilt the field to its advantage. In its penultimate drive of the game, the Blue Streaks elected to punt from the Baldwin Wallace 33 to pin the Yellow Jackets. Forcing a quick three-and-out in which the home team actually lost a yard, the Blue Streaks began their game-winning drive from its own 45. JCU picked up two big first downs to set up the winning play.

John Carroll (9-1, 8-1 OAC) gained 168 yards on the ground, led by Michael Canganelli, who carried the ball 34 times for 130 yards. Floriea added 50.

The defense allowed just 264 yards to a team averaging better than 400 yards per game.

The Blue Streaks must now await word on whether or not they will receive of five at-large bids nationwide onto the 2019 NCAA Division III Football Championship.