Football slips in battle at 17th-ranked John Carroll

Nationally-ranked John Carroll used a late second-half surge to escape a strong Muskingum effort on Saturday afternoon at Don Shula Stadium, 31-10.

The Basics

• Records: Muskingum (2-3 overall, 1-3 OAC), John Carroll (3-1, 2-1 OAC)
• Location: University Heights, Ohio - Don Shula Stadium
• Attendance: 3,367
• Temperature: 65 and sunny

Notable

• Muskingum senior captain defensive lineman Tim Ousley recorded one sack to raise his school-record career total to 23 sacks.
• Muskingum was tied with 17th-ranked John Carroll through the midway point of the third quarter.

How It Happened

• John Carroll struck first late in the first quarter when Nate Leopold returned a Muskie fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to give the Blue Streaks a 7-0 edge.
• Anthony Lupo extended the JCU lead to 10-0 at the 12:03 mark of the second quarter on a 23-yard field goal to cap off an eight-play, 71-yard drive.
• Muskingum took advantage of a John Carroll fumble to piece together a three-play, 21-yard drive that culminated with junior captain Brody Hahn scoring on a 16-yard run at the 8:02 mark of the half. Following sophomore kicker Gavin Costello's extra point, the Muskies trailed 10-7.
• The Muskies tied the game in the early stages of the third quarter on Costello's 29-yard field goal that ended a six-play, 25-yard drive. The score was aided by a blocked punt on John Carroll's opening drive of the third frame by freshman defensive back Stefano Napolitano that gave Muskingum possession at the JCU 37.
• John Carroll answered the Muskingum challenge and used a deflected pass that was intercepted at the midway point of the third quarter to set up a scoring drive to give the Blue Streaks the lead for good. The Blue Streaks covered 45 yards in two plays that resulted in Jake Floriea hitting Keyshawn Colmon for a 22-yard strike to lift JCU to a 17-10 lead.
• The Blue Streaks pushed its lead to 24-10 in the waning seconds of the third quarter on Michael Canganelli's 23-yard touchdown scamper.
• John Carroll capped off the scoring at the 7:10 mark of the fourth quarter when Cangamelli scored on a one-yard run to end an eight-play, 78-yard drive. 

Inside the Numbers

• Muskingum ended the game with 220 yards of offense and 16 first downs.
• Hahn led the offense by accounting for 183 yards of total offense. He ended with 121 yards passing and 62 yards rushing with one touchdown.
• Senior captain running back Bernard Johnson rushed for 20 yards on eight totes. Johnson also added six receptions for 32 yards.
• Senior receiver Darius Hayes-Carruth registered three grabs for 32 yards.
• Sophomore receiver Patrick Eanes, freshman John Mack Jr., and freshman Ja'Lin Goodman all had two catches.
• Junior defensive back Brian Brown led the team with 10 stops.
• Senior defensive lineman Yannis Dailey added seven hits with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
• Ousley logged six stops with one sack for seven yards.
• Junior defensive back Cortez McGinnis logged one interception and three stops.
• The Blue Streaks entered the game ranked 17th in the latest D3football.com Top 25 Poll.
• John Carroll ended the outing with 384 yards of offense and 24 first downs.
• Floriea threw for 218 yards and one score. 
• Canganelli rushed for a game-high 111 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns.
• Colmon led all receivers with 110 yards and one touchdown on five receptions. 
• Hunter Orlando led the JCU defense with 15 hits and two tackles for loss for six yards. 
• Chad Stalnaker added nine tackles.

Up Next

• Muskingum next hosts Baldwin Wallace for Homecoming on Saturday, October 19. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.