LANCASTER, PA – Franklin & Marshall answered a Johns Hopkins touchdown in overtime and then converted on a two-point play to knock off the Blue Jays, 29-28, in what amounted to the championship game in the Centennial Conference.
With the win, the Diplomats improve to 9-1 overall and 7-0 in the Centennial Conference and grab the league's automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Playoffs. The Blue Jays slip to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Centennial; Johns Hopkins is expected to receive an at-large bid to the tournament when the bracket is announced on Sunday evening.
Johns Hopkins had the first possession in overtime and the Blue Jays worked their way to the Diplomat six-yard line entirely on the running of Geoff Schroeder and Bay Harvey before Harvey found junior Cole Crotty in the back of the end zone to give the Blue Jays the lead; Brad Paxton converted on the extra point to make it 28-21.
F&M needed just two plays to pull within a point as Ty Tremba hit Jack Harrison in the corner of the end zone from 22 yards out to pull the Diplomats within a point. F&M didn't hesitate to go for two points and the win and, after a timeout, Tremba found a wide open Louis Paris in the corner of the end zone to seal the comeback victory.
Early on, it didn't seem like a comeback was in the cards for the Diplomats as the Blue Jays had scored on each of their first three possessions to grab a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter. Each of the drives was at least nine plays and took more than five minutes off the clock.
After stopping the Diplomats to open the game, the Blue Jays took over at their own 12-yard line and used nine plays to go 88 yards and ate 5:09 off the clock with Harvey connecting with Robby Enright from 13 yards out to open the scoring with 7:27 on the first-quarter clock.
Franklin & Marshall's next two drives lasted a total of five plays and generated minus two yards as the Blue Jay defense sacked Tremba twice on the first of those two drives, then got a David Hallal interception to end the second.
While the defense was busy keeping the F&M offense at bay early on, the offense followed its first possession with two more time-consuming drives that helped build the 21-0 lead.
A Schroeder one-yard touchdown reception capped the Blue Jays' second drive of the game just one play into the second quarter and Harvey powered in from three yards out to polish off a 10-play, 80-yard drive that took just over six minutes a short time later. The Blue Jays converted a third-and-15 with a 22-yard Schroeder reception on the first of those two drives, while Harvey's touchdown run came one play after he threw a 34-yard strike to Cole Crotty.
F&M jumped back in the game with touchdowns on its final two drives of the first half as they put together scoring drives of 77 and 86 yards.
Tremba capped the first drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Gary Lewis and then scrambled in from six yards out with just 26 seconds showing on the second-quarter clock to account for a 21-14 score at the half. The second of those two drives saw the Diplomats convert on a pair of third-down chances and Tremba's scoring run came shortly after his 21-yard completion to Harrison converted a fourth-and-10 from the Blue Jay 37.
The Diplomats threatened late in the third quarter and appeared to pull within a point when Tremba scrambled up the middle to the goal line and was originally awarded a touchdown, but Johns Hopkins head coach Dan Wodicka challenged that he was down short of the end zone and the challenge was successful to set up a fourth-and-goal from inside the one-yard line. Tremba called his own number again, but Johns Hopkins junior Browning Trainer knifed in and stopped him just behind the line of scrimmage to force a turnover on downs.
The Blue Jays took over inside their own one-yard line and moved all the way to the F&M 26, but a false start on fourth-and-one set them back five yards and Harvey was sacked for a 13-yard loss to give the Diplomats possession at their own 44-yard line.
It didn't take F&M long, two plays and just 30 seconds, to pull even as Tremba fired a 34-yard touchdown pass to Lewis in the corner of the end zone and the extra-point was good to knot the score at 21.
Johns Hopkins had two chances to win it late, but Paxton's 45-yard field goal attempt with just over two minutes remaining was just short and F&M blocked a potential game-winning field goal attempt on the final play of regulation to set the stage for overtime.
Inside the Box Score – Johns Hopkins
• Johns Hopkins outgained the Diplomats 440-285.
• Schroeder rushed for 143 yards and added 41 yards receiving and the one touchdown.
• Harvey was 21-of-30 for 203 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards and the one score.
• Jack Smith and Will Seibert tied for the team lead with seven tackles apiece. Among Seibert's seven tackles were three tackles for losses and two sacks.
Inside the Box Score – Franklin & Marshall
• Tremba was 12-of-25 for 250 yards and three scores and rushed for 26 yards and one touchdown.
• Lewis had three receptions for 96 yards with two his three catches going for touchdowns.
• Connor Hille and Sam Keenan tied for the team lead with 13 tackles apiece for the Diplomats.
Notes of Interest
• Harvey tied David Tammaro's school-record for career rushing touchdowns by a QB (20) with his three-yard scoring run in the first half.
• Crotty became the seventh player in program history to reach the 200-reception mark with his 34-yard catch that set up Harvey's record-tying scoring run.
The bracket for the 2025 NCAA Division III Football Playoffs will be announced on Sunday, November 16 (5 pm). The selection show will air online at ncaa.com.
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