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4-4, 3-2 HCAC |
8-0 |
Thomas More College (8-0) jumped to #20 in the latest AFCA Division III Coaches Poll and is in the hunt for an at-large playoff bid. Last season the Saints finished 9-1 but were passed over for a playoff bid due to an early season loss to Thiel College.
The series
Bluffton is still looking for their first win over Thomas More since these two teams first hooked up back in 1991. Thomas More owns the all-time series 8-0 and has outscored the Beavers 271-71.
The coaches
BC Head Coach Carlin Carpenter is 99-117-1 in his 23rd season at Bluffton College. Thomas More Head Coach Dean Paul is 16-4 in his third season with the Saints.
Last meeting
November 4, 2000: TMC 26, BC 14. After a 7-7 first half, Thomas More scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 19-7 and held on for a 26-14 win over the Beavers. The Saints scored their final TD with just 1:41 left in the game to put the game out of reach for Bluffton. Thomas More senior running back Will Castleberry rushed for 176 yards on 32 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 25 yards in the second quarter and 2 yards on the Saints final score. Saints quarterback Jesse Lowery added 82 yards on the ground, including a 48-yard TD run in the third quarter, and completed nine of 15 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. Bluffton quarterback Brad Moore led the Bluffton offense with 77 yards rushing and 138 passing, while senior running back Tyson Goings was held to 68 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown.
Last week
Brad Moore scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 1:28 left in the game to lift the Beavers with a dramatic 26-24 come-from-behind victory over Franklin College in Salzman Stadium. Bluffton took a 20-9 lead at halftime, but two Grizzly touchdowns in the fourth quarter put the Grizzlies on top 24-20 with 7:07 left in the game. Moore then engineered a 17 play, 73-yard drive to score the winning touchdown on an option play. Moore passed for 207 yards and three touchdowns in the game; with senior Jon Spradling on the receiving end of six of those passes for 106 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Jim Dwenger caught four passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Pat Craun led the defense with 10 tackles and returned an interception 17 yards, while senior Jeff Company collected nine tackles and returned an interception 48 yards.
Thomas More College continued its bid for a perfect season and a berth into the NCAA playoffs by beating previously undefeated Defiance College 33-17. The Saints scored the game s final 19 points to rally from a 17-14 deficit late in the third quarter. Justin Frisk led Thomas More offensively as he had 21 carries for 135 yards, while Curtis Williams scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:01 left in the third quarter and finished the day with 11 rushes for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Jesse Lowery was 11-20 for 194 yards for the Saints passing attack.
Statistical matchups
Thomas More is led by running backs Justin Frisk (102.7 ypg) and Curtis Williams (89.8 yards per game), who are filling the void left by Will Caslteberry last season. Quarterback Jesse Lowrey has passed for 122.1 yards per game and has an efficiency rating of 131.09. BC running back Jovan Johnson is rushing for more than 131 yards per game, while Brad Moore is leading a big play passing offense that is totaling 167.2 yards a game. The defenses are solid for both teams, with their main task being to stop each other’s potent running attack.
Game preview written by Josh Slaughter, SID intern.
