UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS - The second installation of #10 John Carroll (2-0) vs. Kenyon (1-1) in conference play serves as JCU's 2026 home opener.

In John Carroll's first year as a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference, they traveled to Kenyon to face off for the first time since 1989. In this matchup, JCU walked away victorious with a final score of 52-0.

Both teams enter this week's contest from different angles - John Carroll entering victorious over Ohio Wesleyan in a 44-7 final, and Kenyon looking to bounce back after a 26-19 defeat at the hands of Wooster.

This weekend also marks Senior Night for the Blue Streaks, as 18 team members and 5 student staffers will walk with their families to commemorate their final season with the JCU Football organization.

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The Offenses

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At the helm of the Blue Streak offense is Junior QB Tyler Green. The Denison transfer is sitting at 220 passing yards per game and 3 touchdowns, while completing 69.09% of his passes. Green entered the season as a candidate for the Gagliardi Trophy and is looking to secure that trophy as the season progresses. Against OWU, Green completed 19 of his 26 passes for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns through 3 quarters, before being tagged out for Bryce Tubin. Green has plenty of weapons at his disposal, including the shift Shane Lindstrom and Doran Facen Jr., who caught a wide-open touchdown pass last week. 

In the backfield, sophomore RB Cohen Klimak has been pounding the rock all season, amassing 55 carries for 225 yards and 3 TD's. The Streetsboro native recorded the most carries in a single game since Willie Beers in 1991, when he tallied 38 carries in the season opener against Carnegie Mellon. In the following game against OWU, Klimak punched in 2 touchdowns on the ground, as well as one receiving touchdown.

The offensive line keys the offense with experience and size. Right tackle Troy Mrukowski made the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team earlier this week and has performed strongly so far this season as a team leader. Cale Doyle is one to watch as a graduate transfer from Wake Forest, as he's expected to start at guard. 

KENYON 

The Owls are coming off a topsy-turvy offensive performance a week ago in a loss to Wooster. Drew Morgan managed to throw for 284 yards, but the Owls turned the ball over 8 times, including 6 interceptions. The previous week, the Owls performed better on offense, putting up 40 points at Kalamazoo College. First-year wideout Max Heis has been the top target in the passing game so far this year, notching 9 receptions for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tyler Gladden is back as a junior and making an impact, with 10 catches for 136 yards and a score. 

The Owls have struggled on the ground this season, averaging just 2.6 yards per carry, and the Owls are without a rushing score as of yet. Brendan Comerford and Dominic Santoiemma are the top two running backs in the offense. Comerford leads the team with 72 yards on the season. 

On the offensive line, Kenyon has some experience. The Owls' left tackle and left guard are seniors, while the right side of the line is composed of two juniors. The lone first-year is at center. 

The Defenses

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Under the direction of Dean Paul, the first stringers on defense have not allowed a point yet this season. The Blue Streaks have playmakers at every level who can scare a defense.

Hunter Kanotz played a big role last week, as the senior is quickly becoming a wrecking ball up front, along with fellow veteran Ivory Travers in the rush spot. Linebacker Tommy Tartabini is developing into a great stopper, leading the team with 11 tackles a week ago.

The secondary is a strong spot, featuring talented junior corners in Dylan Crasi and Josh Jones plus seniors Thomas Niederst and Jacob Hufnagel. At safety, Gino Blasini has thrived after transitioning from linebacker, while Greg Roman Jr. has been great in his first season as a starter.

KENYON

The Owls' defense has done its job so far this season, limiting Kalamazoo to 10 points and Wooster to just 191 yards of offense. The Fighting Scots completed just 12-of-28 yards for 110 yards. 

Matthew Ehrenreich has been a leader on the defensive line, which plays with 3-down linemen, notching a team-best 3 tackles for loss and 2 sacks plus 3 pass breakups. As for the linebacker core, Sam Finnerty is the senior leader with 9 tackles and 1 tackle for loss.

Jackson Belyn, a senior cornerback, helms the secondary, as the veteran tops the team with 12 tackles and 1 sack. Safety Andrew Pohlman is a playmaker with 2 interceptions on the campaign.

Special Teams

Colin Schuler has been solid so far this season for the Blue Streaks as the starting senior kicker. The rest of the special teams will look to clean up some past mistakes, but with strong coaching and leadership, the unit will soon become a strength. 

On the Kenyon side, Tyler Bell is the kicker, with a long make of 41 yards this season. Alex Jurch is the punter and has a strong leg, averaging 40.3 yards per boot, including 3 inside the 20-yard line and a long punt of 62 yards.