The first offensive drives were a portend of things to come in John Carroll's 37-14 loss to visiting Mount Union Saturday afternoon at Don Shula Stadium.
The #2 ranked Purple Raiders took the opening kickoff and marched 69 yards in 18 plays for a touchdown, taking eight minutes and 44 seconds off the clock. D'Angelo Fulford capped the drive with a one-yard run.
The #9 ranked Blue Streaks went three and out.
Consider the tone set.
John Carroll held Mount Union to a three and out on its next possession, but then muffed the punt, ceding control back to the Purple Raiders offense. An exhausted JCU defense went back out proved no match on a short field as the visitors needed just three plays to cover 36 yards for their second score. Fulford found Justin Hill from nine yards out to make the score 14-0.
The Purple Raiders offense had the ball for over 11 minutes in the opening quarter.
Mount Union would score two more touchdowns in the second quarter and added a field goal as time expired for a 30-0 lead at the break.
John Carroll showed life in the third quarter, putting together its best drive of the day, mimicking the opening drive of the game that Mount Union put together. Covering 16 plays and 75 yards, the JCU drive ended when
Michael Canganelli scampered two yards for a touchdown.
Anthony Lupo's adventurous extra point via the goalpost made the score 30-7 as the Blue Streaks removed seven minutes and 14 seconds from the game clock.
The two teams traded fourth quarter scores. John Carroll's final points were tallied at the 11:21 mark when
Jake Floriea hooked up with
Devin Limerick for a 40-yard scoring play.
Mount Union (3-0, 2-0 OAC) gained 404 yards of total offense while John Carroll (2-1, 1-1 OAC) amassed 252, with 206 coming in the second half.
Fulford was 20-30 for 258 yards and three touchdowns. He also gained 65 yards on the ground and scored one touchdown.
Floriea was 14-32 for 181 yards and one touchdown.
Evan Nugent had three catches for 58 yards.
Chad Stalnaker led the JCU defense for the second consecutive week, tallying 11 tackles which included an assisted sack.Â
Harrison Richardson and
Conner Bogard each had nine tackles.
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