UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS - John Carroll Football returns to Don Shula stadium for the last game of the 2026 regular season.

The Blue Streaks (7-2, 6-2 NCAC) have a critical matchup against the Denison Big Red (6-3, 6-2 NCAC) at 1:05 pm on Faculty Appreciation Day.

Last year, JCU pulled off a 48-21 victory on the road in Granville. This year, playoff implications are on the line. With a win, the Blue Streaks have a chance at the NCAA Division III Playoffs. If JCU wins but does not get into the playoffs, a bowl game is in play. A Big Red win could clinch a spot in the bowl game for Denison. 

John Carroll will celebrate Faculty Appreciation Day at halftime, honoring the faculty who teach JCU's student-athletes on a daily basis. 

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TV: Live on Cleveland's 43 & Rock Entertainment Sports Network
Radio: Listen on WJCU 88.7 FM / WJCU.org

The Offenses:

JCU

John Carroll stormed out to a 28-point first quarter against Oberlin last week. John Carroll had the chance to flex quarterback depth last week, with Bryce Tubin, Carson Bellinger, and Joey Pollock all seeing action throughout the game. This is a big week for Tyler Green, as JCU's star signalcaller goes against his former team. Green set a number of Denison records in 2024 and 2025. 

The run game was the key to the offense's success last week, with the Blue Streaks rushing 48 times for a net 362 yards, including 6 rushing touchdowns. Quincy Newsom stood out in particular, finishing with a season-high 90 yards and a touchdown. Grant Myers will be riding high after scoring a touchdown last week. The offensive line will be critical in this game, set to be played in tradition November temperatures. 

The run game will need to be strong this week against Denison, as they rank fourth in the NCAC in terms of rushing, totaling 1,386 net yards this season.

Denison

Denison also relied heavily on the run game in their last matchup against Wittenberg. The running back room combined for a net 149 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries. 

Quarterback Brian Rager also had a solid outing despite taking 3 sacks on the afternoon. The junior went 16/25 for a total of 307 yards and 4 touchdowns. This included a 79-yard deep shot to wide receiver Grayson Kerscher to open the scoring early in the first quarter.

Overall, Denison likes to play a spread offense, often lining up with four and five receivers. While not quite as pass-happy as a season ago, the Big Red will want to get going in the air early and often.

The Defenses

JCU

The defense for John Carroll was able to hold Oberlin off the scoreboard until early in the fourth quarter. The run defense was particularly strong, with the Blue Streaks holding the Yeomen to only a net 53 yards on 28 carries. In the front seven, Thomas Shondel has broken out this year at linebacker and is expected to start. Up front, Cole Bayer is showing progress at nose tackle. 

The Blue Streaks were excellent at applying pressure to Oberlin last week, combining for 5 tackles for loss. They will need to do so once again against a high-flying Denison offense.

The secondary will be critical. Dylan Crasi and Jacob Hufnagel will be key at cornerback. Greg Roman Jr. picked off a pass last week, and Gino Blasini will play an important role at safety, as well. 

Denison

The offensive line for John Carroll will have significant work on their hands, as Denison's defense combined for 4 total sacks last week. Denison ranks sixth in the NCAC in terms of sacks, with 17 on the season.

Additionally, the secondary forced two interceptions against the Tigers, meaning the Blue Streaks will have to deal with pressure on all areas of the field this weekend.

Denison is middle of the pack in points per game allowed, ranking fifth at 21.2. But Denison does lead the NCAC in turnover margin per game at +0.8. Denison has picked off 11 passes on the season.

The Special Teams

JCU

Flipping the field has been a strength for John Carroll when they have had to do so. Colin Schuler punted once last week, placing the ball inside the 20 on a 46-yard punt. Importantly, Schuler nailed a pair of field goals, instilling confidence in the kicking game heading into this weekend. 

Denison

The Big Red punted 4 times last weekend, averaging 29.5 yards per punt. Denison will hope to better place punts this week in the event they need to, as they failed to place a punt inside the 20 last time out.