Joe Thimons and Grant Myers about to run onto the field

Doug Beigie

Game 9 Preview: Football Looks to Clinch NCAC Crown at Home vs. OWU

11/7/2025 11:33:00 AM | By: Jack Stephens, Staff Writer

With a win on Faculty Appreciation Day, JCU would secure the NCAC title & NCAA postseason bid

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS — The #11 ranked John Carroll Blue Streaks take on the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops for their final home game of the regular season. This game is also Faculty Appreciation Day.

Since their 1-1 start through their first two games, the Blue Streaks have been red hot, winning six in a row, with wins over ranked opponents DePauw and Wabash. With this winning stretch, John Carroll controls their own destiny to win the North Coast Athletic Conference in their first season. It would also be their first conference championship since 2016.

JCU has not clinched a conference crown at home since 1989 and hasn't clinched a conference title in University Heights since 1973. JCU's OAC crown in 2016 was won in Alliance, the 1994 co-championship was clinched in Berea, the 1989 OAC title was secured at Brush High School (Wasmer Field was under construction), and the 1974 PAC co-championship was secured in Oberlin. JCU has won a total of 12 conference championships all-time.

Ohio Wesleyan has struggled this season with a record of 2-6, but the Battling Bishops have shown flashes and given some NCAC members some tough games throughout the season.

Historically, these two teams have only faced off two times, with their last matchup being all the way back in September of 1995. The Blue Streaks came out on top in that matchup winning 28-13 in their opening game of that season.

As for the Gridiron Club, the alumni will honor the late legend Chris Wenzler '90, the 30-year JCU sports information director and JCU Athletic Hall of Famer. Wenzler played football in 1986 before discovering his calling: Sports Information and Mentoring Blue Streaks. His impact lives on today. The Seat of Honor will be reserved in his honor, and coincidentally November 7 is his birthday.

Rick Kuczmarski '82 will be recognized on the field before the first and second quarters by the Gridiron Club, as well. He became just the fourth All-American in program history in 1981 after an exceptional season at defensive tackle. He was a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Tickets
Live Stats
Live Video
TV: Live on Cleveland's 43
Radio: Listen on WJCU 88.7 FM / WJCU.org

Gridiron Club:

Weekly Interview with Jeff Behrman '95
Game Notes
Weekly Player Interview: Ben Dehmer

Offense

JCU
It is hard to say anything that hasn't already been said about this Blue Streaks offense. In their last matchup, John Carroll put up a season high 66 points in a dominant victory over the College of Wooster on October 25.

The offense is driven by the most efficient quarterback in the country coming off his usual performance. Nick Semptimphelter completed 13 of his 15 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown. The preseason All-American has been on a tear all season, completing a Division III best 80.77% of his passes (in the company of Ohio State's Julian Sayin at 80.7%). The Bucknell transfer has also thrown for 2,032 yards and 22 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

A key to his success has been because of the production from one of the best wide receivers in the country. Tyren Montgomery has been playing out of his mind all fall, catching 64 passes for 831 yards and 10 touchdowns, all of which rank inside the top three in the NCAC. Montgomery needs 6 receptions to set the program record for catches in a season. The Blue Streak passing attack also gets major contributions from Kenneth Rawls and Shane Lindstrom, who have combined for 728 yards and nine touchdowns through eight games.

Slowly the JCU ground attack have been able to find their footing each week. Nemo Jenkins has been playing some really good football as of late. The Bradenton, Florida is coming off a 97 rush yards and two touchdown performance against the Fighting Scots two weeks ago. Quincy Newsom has also had a strong year, rushing for 349 and four touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry.

JCU ranks first in total offense, rushing offense and fourth in passing offense in the conference and that has been a big reason why they rank inside the top 12 in the country.

OWU
Despite their record the Battling Bishops offense has been good this season, ranking third in the NCAC in total offense, averaging 421.6 total yards per game.

CJ Jackson is the signal caller of the offense, who is coming off some solid performances in their last two games. Last week against DePauw, the Pontiac, Michigan native threw for a season-high 373 yards and a touchdown. Jackson also carried the ball 15 times for 71 yards. On the season, Jackson has completed 57.9% of his passes for 1,812 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also rushing for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

The receiving room is led by a true freshman, who has been balling in his first year with OWU. Reddick Pillarelli leads the teams with 51 catches, for 762 yards and three touchdowns. The Ottawa Hills grad sits fourth in receptions and fifth in yards in the NCAC. Alongside Pillarelli is senior Josh Hurst, who has also been productive on the outside. The 6'2" wideout has hauled in 40 catches for 519 yards and a team-high five touchdowns.

The Battling Bishops' ground attack is led by two backs who both sit inside the top ten in the conference in rushing yards. Devon Haley and Mysaun Sanders have combined for 797 total yards and six touchdowns on the season. They face a tall task as the Blue Streaks rank near third nationally in rush defense (42.0 yards per game), so they will need to work hard up front to establish the run.

Defense

JCU
Along with the offense, the Blue Streaks defense has been one of the best units in the country. John Carroll's defense currently sits seventh in the country in total defense and 19th nationally in scoring defense, only allowing 207.0 yards and 13.8 points per game, respectively.

Senior linebacker Kenny Grobolsek has been a monster in the middle of the JCU defense all season. The Sheffield Village native leads the team in total tackles and tackles for loss. Mason Rus plays alongside him, and the Kirtland native has racked up 37 total tackles of his own, along with an interception.

On the line, the Blue Streaks rotate multiple defensive rushmen who all help go after the quarterback. Hunter Kanotz and Nathiel Hendrix are tied for the team-high in sacks with three each. Ben Day also has contributed with two and a half sacks, himself. Additionally, while his stats don't jump off the page, senior defensive tackle Tommy Wasinski has been plugging up the middle of opponents' offensive lines all year.

The John Carroll secondary has played very well as a unit, allowing 266.9 passing yards per game which ranks in the top 50 in all of Division III. Jacob Hufnagel and Dylan Crasi will handle much of the outside corner duties, but they will be helped out by Josh Jones and Gino Blasini. In the back end, JP Germano and Lamar Thomas man the safety positions, where they have combined for 45 tackles and three interceptions.

OWU
Ohio Wesleyan faces an uphill battle facing this JCU offense, but they have some nice pieces in order to string together a couple of stops.

The leader of the pack is junior linebacker Grant Johnson. The Dalton grad has been all over the field this season, tallying 69 total tackles, four and a half for loss, one and a half sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Next to him in the linebacker department is John Banks Jr. who has also been productive. The sophomore from Columbus has recorded 43 total tackles and an interception.

Their defensive line is led in sacks by junior defensive end Jack Novak and freshman linebacker Joseph Seney, who are tied with two each. The duo has also combined for seven and a half tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a forced fumble.

The Battling Bishops defensive backs are guided by Connor Stephens and Collin Wehner, two underclassmen who have had a nice year. Stephens is a freshman free safety who is sixth on the team in tackles with 35. Wehner has racked up 22 of his own as well as a pick and three pass breakups.

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