Georgetown Football

Georgetown 39, Marist 14

9/1/18

Marist was no match for the Georgetown Hoyas in the 2018 season opener, as the Hoyas ended a 10 game losing streak with a convincing 39-14 win Saturday at Tenney Stadium.

The Hoyas took advantage of a pair of opportunities which drew an early lead. After holding Georgetown in its opening possession, Marist quarterback Jacob Hallanbeck was picked off at midfield by Blaise Brown. The Hoyas advanced to the one yard line but no further. A handoff to Carl Thomas crossed the end zone, but Thomas was injured on the play and a penalty moved they Hoyas back 10 yards. On the next play, Johnson was sacked for 13 yards. A third and goal from the 23 was incomplete but a personal foul on the Foxes set the Hoyas at the Marist eight, but Georgetown was no less successful, settling for a 23 yard Brad Hurst FG, 3-0.

Towards the end of the quarter, the Hoyas picked up another possession at midfield and went to work. Quarterback Gunther Johnson connected on a pass to WR Michael Dereus for 21 yards, and two plays later found Max Edwards for a 28 yard touchdown pass, 9-0. On the point after, the Hoyas went to the swinging gate formation and caught Marist unprepared, as WR Joshua Tomas found kicked Brad Hurst for the two point conversion, 11-0.

Marist seemed out of step all afternoon, but if the Hoyas took advantage of the first quarter, such was not the case in the second. Marist was held to three and out in its opening series, but Leon Agee fumbled a punt that would have given Georgetown a first down at midfield. After holding Marist to -6 yards in its next possession, Georgetown drove 78 yards to the Marist five, but Hurst's field goal kick was blocked. At halftime, the Red Foxes had not crossed past the Georgetown 45, but the Hoyas only led 11-0.

Hurst's kicking problems continued in the third, where he missed a 33 yard field goal attempt on Georgetown's first possession. The stop seemed to give the Red Foxes new hope but the Hoyas' defense soon came to the rescue. On Marist's second play of the second drive of the third, Hallanbeck was sacked by George Ikott inside the Marist 20 and fumbled the ball, whereupon Duval Paul returned the loose ball for the score, 18-0.

Hallanbeck was benched for redshirt freshman Mike Husni, who threw an interception to Georgetown's Wes Bowers on his first series for the Foxes. Georgetown responded with a four play, 47 yard drive which saw Johnson find Dereus for a 35 yard strike, 25-0.

Despite the favorable score, the Georgetown offense again looked ragged. Pinned deep in its own territory following a Marist punt, RB Joe Toliver coughed up the ball at the Hoyas' seven yard line, converted two plays later for a Marist touchdown, 25-7. The Hoyas answered with a seven play, 68 yard drive would put the outcome out of question, highlighted by a crisp pass from Johnson to WR Winston Jackson for 35 yards and the 32-7 lead. The teams traded touchdowns in the fourth quarter to reach the final score.

Gunther Johnson threw for a career high 369 yards in the game on 26 of 37 passing, with no interceptions. Johnson's total is the most yardage by a Georgetown quarterback since 2013, and only the second game where a Georgetown QB has passed for more than 350 yards in the Patriot League era (2001-present). By contrast, the Red Foxes managed just 178 yards total offense and its three interceptions could not be overcome.

This is Georgetown's 80th season opening win all time in 113 seasons and its 16th in 21 overall versus Marist.

Game statistics:

                          GEORGETOWN           MARIST
First downs                       23               12
Rushed-yards                   38-69            30-61
Passing yards                    369              117
Sacked-yards lost               3-33             3-30
Passes                       26-37-0          18-34-3
Punts                         3-23.3           7-27.4
Fumbles-lost                     2-2              1-1
Penalties-yards                10-85             6-55
Time of possession             35:32            24:28

 

Campbell 13, Georgetown 8

9/8/18

Two fourth quarter fumbles drove Georgetown off the win column, as it slumped to a 13-8 loss to Campbell at a soggy Cooper Field today. The game offered Georgetown promise but resulted in the too familiar outcome.

The teams traded punts on the first of four possessions until Gunther Johnson fumbled a ball at the Georgetown 35, setting up the Camels (2-0) for a field goal at the 1:12 mark of the first quarter, 3-0. Georgetown responded in the second with two ling drives that each stalled but resulted in field goals, giving the Hoyas a 6-3 lead at the half.

The Camels responded in the second half with the effort of Wake Forest transfer RB Rocky Reid, who wore down the defense in a pair of series during the second half, Despite a Campbell fumble at midfield early in the third, the Hoyas could gain no ground, and the Camels responded with a six play, 80 yard drive that saw the defense miss an assignment and surrender a 58 yard touchdown pass, 10-6. Reid carried 29 times for 115 yards.

Following a Campbell field goal to go up 13-6, Georgetown advanced into Campbell territory but RB Joe Tolliver fumbled at the Camels 25. Campbell rode reed deep into Georgetown territory, adding a field goal to go up 13-6 with 7:06 remaining. The offense sputtered again and a stop by the defense forced a punt deep in CU territory, but a bad snap by the Camels' long snapper gave the Hoyas a safety, 13-8. Getting the ball back at its 31 with 4:00 to play, the Hoyas advanced to midfield before Johnson coughed up the ball on a third down rush.

Campbell's win was its first in program history against a Division I non-conference opponent on the road, while Georgetown dropped its ninth consecutive road game over the last two years. The names may change over the years but the results remain: its defense plays with passion, its special teams hold their own, but the offense does not execute plays to win.

Game statistics:

                            CAMPBELL       GEORGETOWN
First downs                       20               14
Rushed-yards                  51-130            29-53
Passing yards                    211              201
Passes                       19-28-1          17-34-0
Punts                         5-38.6           7-43.0
Fumbles-lost                     1-1              3-3
Penalties-yards                9-123             5-35
Time of possession             35:03            24:57

 

Video Highlights From Campbell Game

9/9/18

 

Not Even Close: Dartmouth 41, Georgetown 0

9/16/18

As Ivy league opponents begin to withdraw from Georgetown's future non-conference schedules, games like this are why.

Georgetown's woeful offense continued its long retreat, earning just three first downs and depositing four consecutive second half turnovers as Dartmouth walked over the Hoyas 41-0 at Memorial Stadium today.

From the outset, this was not a Georgetown teams that seemed prepared to be there. Gunther Johnson nearly threw two interceptions in the Hoyas' first three and out, which became a familiar refrain for the Hoyas' offense. In fact, The Hoyas punted on each of its six first half possessions, managing one first down by halftime and showing little in the way of the passing attack Rob Spence was expected to bring to the offense.

A drive in the middle of the first quarter seemed prophetic: First down, a loss of seven. Second: a gain for six. Third down, no options down field, Johnson runs for three. Three and out.

Dartmouth opened the game strongly. An eight play, 44 yard drive advanced to the Georgetown 20, but the Hoyas forced a field goal, 3-0. On its next series, a 51 yard run by RB Rashad Cooper drove the Indians deep into Georgetown territory, where the Hoyas held the line inside the ten and forced a second field goal, 6-0.

With Spence's offense going nowhere, the defense could not hold on indefinitely, and gave up its first touchdown early in the second quarter. Setting up at its 23, Dartmouth quarterback Derek Kyler connected on two pass plays to WR Drew Hunnicutt of 64 yards, the later a 31 yard score that extended the score to 13-0 at the 11:43 mark. Georgetown held Dartmouth to a punt on its next series, but after Georgetown's sixth punt of the half that appeared to pin the Big Green deep in its own territory, the GU special teams gave way, as Dylan Mellor returned the punt 34 yards to midfield with under three minutes to halftime. A nine play, 45 yard drive followed, with Kyler carrying the ball five yards into the end zone to put the game out of reach, 20-0, with 22 seconds to intermission.

At the break, Georgetown had 21 plays for a combined 37 yards.

Dartmouth scored on the opening drive of the third quarter to go up 27-0 and that's when things really began to spin out of control for the Hoyas. Following an Owen Kessler interception at the Dartmouth 30, Georgetown entered enemy territory for the first time all afternoon, but went three and out and Brad Hurst's field goal was blocked. Following a Dartmouth punt, a Georgetown handoff to RB Jay Tolliver was fumbled on first down, leaving the Big Green just seven plays to go up 34-0.

On its next series, Gunther Johnson was intercepted on the first play of the series, the Hoyas committed a personal foul on the return, and Dartmouth took just two plays to go up 41-0. Johnson was then benched for freshman Lorenzo Linsey, whose pitch to Herman Moultrie was fumbled after just three plays. The Georgetown defense held Dartmouth to a punt, but Linsey threw an interception three plays into the next series, the fourth consecutive turnover for Georgetown. Dartmouth drove to the Georgetown two yard line for a sure touchdown before coughing up a fumble of its own, but GU could do no better than to punt it back.

Derek Kyler finished 15 for 21 passing for 177 yards, as the Big Green went three deep at quarterback to run out the clock. Gunther Johnson was 11 for 19 with one interception, Linsey 1 for 5 with one fumble and one interception.

The shutout was the first for Dartmouth in an opening game since 1976. For Georgetown, this was its seventh loss in eight attempts to an Ivy League opponent since the 2016 season. The lone win took place September 24, 2016 at home versus Columbia, with the Lions returning to Cooper Field next weekend for Homecoming. In the intervening two years, Georgetown is 2-20.

Game statistics:

                          GEORGETOWN        DARTMOUTH
First downs                        3               21
Rushed-yards                   22-40           46-260
Passing yards                     72              193
Sacked-yards lost                1-9              0-0
Passes                       12-24-2          17-24-1
Punts                         8-47.0           4-30.2
Fumbles-lost                     3-2              1-1
Penalties-yards                 3-30             3-30
Time of possession             22:06            37:54

 

Missed Opportunity: Columbia 23, Georgetown 15

Updated 9/24/18

Three quarters of futility gave way to 13 minutes of hope, as Georgetown rallied back but fell short in the final two minutes, allowing Columbia a 23-15 victory in Georgetown's 79th Homecoming Game.

The game marked Columbia's third consecutive win in the series and coach Al Bagnoli's 250th career victory overall.

The opening drives of the game resembled how Georgetown fared in the game at Dartmouth. Georgetown went three and out in its first possession, setting up the Lions near midfield. A 24 yard run by RB Lynnard Rose placed Columbia in the red zone, but the Hoyas held on defense and the Light Blue picked up a field goal at the 10:44 mark, 3-0. A second three and out by the Hoyas netted a second punt to midfield, where the Light Blue responded with a five play, 57 yard drive, with a 14 yard pass from QB Dylan Davis to WR Ronald Smith for the score, 10-0, with 7:44 in the first quarter.

The Hoyas didn't reach Columbia territory until late in the first period, where a pair of incompletions stalled the Georgetown drive. On its next series, the Lions crossed midfield, but its pass was intercepted by Georgetown's Leon Agee at its 19 yard line, but the Hoyas could do no better than punt it back. After a change of series, Davis was picked off a second by LB Wes Bowers at midfield and returned to the Columbia 34, giving Georgetown its best scoring opportunity for the half with under a minute to play in the second quarter.

With 15 seconds remaining, Georgetown QB Gunther Johnson connected on a 3rd and 14 to WR Branden Williams to set up the Hoyas at the Columbia 20 with eight seconds remaining, but Johnson's next pass was picked off in the end zone to end the half, as the Hoyas were outgained 201-93 in yards and 10-0 on the scoreboard.

Columbia opened the second half with its best drives of the afternoon, but settled for field goals on both. An 18 play drive focusing on the ground game. Converting on three third downs within the drive, the Lions were halted at the GU 18 for a 36 yard kick, 13-0, and picked up a 46 yard field goal on a seven play, 50 yard drive, 16-0. Dominating time of possession for the quarter, the Hoyas managed only 13 yards and 3:49 of possession in the period.

Columbia entered the fourth quarter following a Johnson fumble at his 40 late in the third, driving 29 yards in five plays for a seemingly insurmountable 23-0 lead. If Columbia experienced a letdown, perhaps they expected little in return from a Georgetown offense that combined for 97 yards through three quarters and lost WR Michael Dereus to an injured shoulder.

Maybe Columbia had nothing to worry about. Maybe Georgetown had nothing to lose.

The Hoyas opened the fourth quarter with 13:05 to play, advancing into Columbia drive but seeing its best drive of the half stall with a dropped pass and a pass caught out of bounds. On fourth and two from the Lions' 39, Johnson went big, taking advantage of Branden Williams' height advantage on Columbia's Will Allen for a 33 yard pass to the Columbia six. The drive stalled at the one, but on fourth and goal, Johnson found TE Isaac Schley cutting across the end zone for the score. Georgetown surprised Columbia with a quick two-point conversion, closing the lead to 24-8 at the 8:31 mark.

The Hoyas needed a defensive stop and got it. On a third down from the Lions' 37, Davis' pass was picked off by Georgetown's Xavier Reddick. Georgetown answered back with another long drive and another big fourth down conversion to Williams, this time a 20 yard pass to close the score to 23-15 with 5:00 to play.

A second defensive stop deep in Columbia territory rallied the crowd at Cooper Field, forcing the Lions to its first three and out since late in the first quarter and its only punt of the second half. Georgetown took over at the CU 42 with 3:05 remaining. Two plays into the drive, Johnson found Williams yet again, as the Hoyas closed to the Lions' nine with 2:00 remaining. Three pass plays netted three incompletions, and on a fourth and goal at the GU 9, Johnson could not find Williams and was sacked, putting the game out of reach as Columbia ran out the clock thereafter.

Gunther Johnson was 18 of 38 for 228 yard but four sacks, two turnovers and points left on the field at the end of each half proved Georgetown's undoing. With another flat line effort on the ground, Branden Williams carried the Hoyas in th stat sheet, with catches for 121 yards. For Columbia, Dillon Davis was 16-30 for 201 in his collegiate debut, but suffered three interceptions.

Despite the late game rally, the results were all too similar to the homestanding fans. The loss was a record 11th consecutive loss at home for Georgetown since its 2016 win over Columbia, and the Hoyas have dropped three straight since its opening week win at Marist. Georgetown must now go on the road for the next three weeks, beginning Saturday at Brown.

Game statistics:

                            COLUMBIA       GEORGETOWN
First downs                       22               12
Rushed-yards                  45-124            26-25
Passing yards                    201              228
Sacked-yards lost               4-31              1-5
Passes                       16-30-3          18-38-1
Punts                         3-34.3           7-45.4
Fumbles-lost                     1-0              1-1
Penalties-yards                 3-22             9-61
Time of possession             35:50            24:10

Brown 35, Georgetown 7

9/30/18

Same chapter, different verse.

A better running game for the Georgetown Hoyas was not enough in a 35-7 loss at Brown Saturday. The Bears (1-2) ended a nine game losing streak while Georgetown (1-4) dropped its fourth straight.

The Bears set the tone of the game at the start. Sophomore QB Michael McGovern opened the game with a 12 play, 75 yard drive that consumed almost five minutes of the opening period, connecting with WR Jakob Prall for 22 yards and WR Anton Casey for 21 as Brown advanced to the Georgetown three. On a third and goal from the three, McGovern found Casey for the score, 7-0. Georgetown's first drive advanced into Brown territory, but a 17 yard shank by Brad Hurst gave the Hoyas no advantage. Taking over at its 23, the Bears drove 77 yards in 16 plays, and against cored on a third down inside the Georgetown 10 to give the bears a 14-0 lead. At the end of the first quarter, Brown had held the ball for 11:33, Georgetown just 3:27.

Turnovers have been a regular refrain in the Georgetown song book this season and they arrived in the second quarter. On the third play of the second quarter, QB Gunther Johnson was picked off at the BU 32, and two series later Blaise Brown fumbled a punt return at the five, which the Bears cashed in, 21-0, at the 7:05 mark of the second quarter. Two punts later, the Hoyas drove into Brown territory, but Johnson fumbled the football with 15 seconds left, ending the last drive of an unproductive first half. The Bears outgained the Hoyas 192-74 at the break, and despite the Georgetown defense holding Brown without a first down in each of its last five series, the damage was done.

After Gunther Johnson ended the first half passing 5 for 12 for 40 yards, the Hoyas took a different approach after halftime, going to the ground against a Brown defense averaging 328 yards allowed per game and finding some success in the opening drive of the third quarter. Georgetown rushed for eight consecutive plays over 74 yards, with a 17 yard run by Joshua Tomas putting the Hoyas on the board with 11:40 to play, 21-7. THe Bears answered in the air, completing three passes for 71 yards to the Georgetown four, with McGovern running it in for the 28-7 score. Georgetown advanced to the Brown 17 on its next series but threw three incompletions and was never as close the remainder of the game. The Bears added a final score late in the fourth on a 15 play, 71 yard drive that ate up all but 41 seconds of the remaining fourth quarter clock.

The Hoyas' 238 yards against a porous Brown defense was a positive if incomplete sign for a team whose offense has been inconsistent all season. The Bears won the game in the air, where McGovern was 23-43 for 269 yards. Johnson was 11-29 for just 73 yards. Georgetown made up much of the time of possession difference in the second half but to no avail. Third down conversions were telling -- Brown connected on 11 of 21 attempts, Georgetown 2 of 14.

Georgetown ends its three game Ivy League run winless for a second consecutive year, and begins Patriot League play Saturday at Fordham.

Game statistics:

                          GEORGETOWN            BROWN 
First downs                       17               20
Rushed-yards                  41-248           35-100
Passing yards                     73              269
Sacked-yards lost                2-9              1-4
Passes                       11-29-1          23-43-0
Punts                         5-38.6           7-40.1
Fumbles-lost                     2-2              0-0
Penalties-yards                 9-69             7-64 
Time of possession             29:02            30:58

Video Highlights

9/30/18

Highlights from today's win over Georgetown! #GoBruno pic.twitter.com/c09AgVFdzs

— Brown Bears Football (@BrownUFootball) September 30, 2018

What A Finish!
Georgetown 23, Fordham 11

10/7/18

The biggest win in the Rob Sgarlata era played itself out at Jack Coffey Field Saturday, where the Georgetown Hoyas ended a record 15 game Patriot League losing streak with, of course, defense. Consecutive interceptions in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter and an game-ending safety led the Hoyas to a 23-11 win over Fordham, its first win over Fordham since 2011 and its first win at Jack Coffey Field since 1974.

Georgetown started the game with a mix of encouragement and mistakes. Each of its first three drives approached midfield, but the Hoyas were hampered by four pre-snap penalties, the last of which cost the Hoyas yardage on a third and two at the Fordham 42. On third and seven, QB Gunther Johnson found Jay Tolliver for 29 yards to the Rams' 18, and followed on the next play with an 18 yard pass to WR Cameron Crayton for the touchdown, and followed up with a trick play to DE Khristian Tate for the two point conversion and an 8-0 lead with 0:59 remaining in the first quarter.

The Hoyas' defense had kept Fordham without a first down in each of its first two drives to open the game, and appeared to do the same as the quarter ended, but Fordham QB Tim DeMorat found TE Isaiah Searight for 29 yards to extend the drive and give the Rams new life entering the second quarter. The Rams drove on the ground for its next four plays and converted in a first and goal at the two for a rushing touchdown by RB Tyriek Hopkins. The point after was off, and Fordham settled for an 8-6 score.

After a change of possessions, the Hoyas were pinned back at its 15 yard line with 10:40 to halftime. An inadvertent official's whistle cost the Hoyas a possible first down when everyone but Gunther Johnson thought that a GU running back had been caught behind the line of scrimmage when Johnson's fake sent him downfield. Johnson was given just five yards for his efforts and lost seven on the following play via a sack. Punting from its own 20, a bad snap to punter Brad Hurst blew up the play, leading Hurst to toss the ball out of the end zone and accept the safety rather than giving Fordham field position. The play tied the score but gave new life to the GU defense, which held Fordham to just one first down the remainder of the first half and preserved the unusual 8-8 tie into intermission.

After a slow start for both teams, DeMorat went back to the only spark of the Rams' first half, as he found Seawright for 22 yards on a third and 15 at the Rams' 14 yard line and extended what would become a 18 play, 62 yard drive that consumed seven minutes of the third quarter clock. But with a first down from the GU 20, the Rams were held to just one yard in three plays by the swarming Georgetown defense, and Georgetown's ability to hold the Rams to a field goal was one of four big defensive stops of the second half, 11-8.

Georgetown needed its own heroics on third down in its next possession. Facing a third and two at its 33, Johnson rushed for 16 yards to continue the drive, and two plays later saw freshman RB Herman Moultrie break through for a 41 yard gain to the Fordham six. Two plays later, Moultrie scored to give the Hoyas a 14-11 lead entering the fourth.

The Rams went back in the air to open the fourth. An 18 yard pass play to Seawright put the rams into Hoya territory at the Georgetown 33. On a third and six at the GU 29, Xavier Reddick stuffed quarterback turned runner Colton Smith in the Fordham backfield to force a fourth and six. The Rams opted to go for it, but a false start of its own negated the play and forced a punt with 11:43 to play.

Georgetown's most serious defensive stand lay around the corner, however. After three quarters of largely error-free possession, the turnover bug bit the Hoyas at a critical point of the game. Facing a third and four at its nine, Johnson forced a bad pass into coverage and it was picked off by Fordham's Jesse bramble at the Georgetown 28 with 10:25 to play. In the ensuing drive, the Hoyas defense held the Rams to one yard in four plays, as Fordham turned the ball over on down without a point to show for it.

After a quick three and out, the Hoyas punted it back to the Rams with 7:09 to play. Nine seconds later, DeMorat was picked off by Georgetown's Jethro Francois at the Fordham 38. A pass and a run by WR Jackson Saffold brought the Hoyas to the Fordham three with under three minutes to play, but Fordham held on three plays. Opting to win the game outright and not take the field goal, Joshua Tomas was stuffed on fourth and goal at the one yard line and the Rams were very much alive with 2:21 to play.

An unusual change in quarterback followed the Rams on its next series. Without comment, the Rams sat DeMorat and brought in Luke Medlock, who had been the starter earlier in the season but whose six interceptions had been costly in earlier games. On his second play, Medlock's pass to the GU 25 was picked off by Francois, who returned it to the one yard line with 2:06 to play. There would be no four play drive this time, where Moultrie got the score, 21-11.



DeMorat returned for the next series and so did the Georgetown defense. In a remarkable three play, -23 yard defensive effort, the Hoyas forced three sacks, the last of which was in the end zone and earned the defense a safety, 23-11. The three sacks were the only such sacks all afternoon for the Georgetown defense, but stood out as a sign of the new found defensive might of this team in the fourth quarter.

For the first time since the Marist game, Georgetown out-gained its opponent on the ground (91-68) and in the air (203-154). Gunther Johnson finished 19 of 28 for 203 yards, with seven passes for 89 yards to Branden Williams. herman Moultrie led all rushers with 62 yards on eight plays, highlighted by the 41 yard run in the third.

Amidst all the streaks broken with the game, the game provided a jolt of midseason confidence for the Hoyas, who travel to Lafayette for what is now a competitive game in an underperforming Patriot league. The Hoyas' 2-4 is the league's second best record behind 5-0 Colgate, where the remainder of the league is a combined 4-23.

Game statistics:

                          GEORGETOWN          FORDHAM 
First downs                       16               12
Rushed-yards                   43-91            32-68
Passing yards                    203              154
Sacked-yards lost               5-37             3-25
Passes                       19-28-1          17-33-2
Punts                         6-44.3           7-40.9
Fumbles-lost                     5-1              2-0
Penalties-yards                 5-25             4-33 
Time of possession             33:09            26:51

Defense Carries Hoyas To 13-6 Win

10/13/18

Despite just one first down after halftime, the Georgetown Hoyas held on for its second Patriot League win in as many weeks, a 13-6 struggle over Lafayette in Easton, PA Saturday. Three second half interceptions by the GU defense earned Georgetown consecutive Patriot League wins for the first time since 2012.

After two early punts in the first quarter, the Hoyas made the most of its second quarter opportunities. A Leon Agee interception at the Lafayette 34 yard line opened the door for the Hoyas. Focusing on the run game, Georgetown went 66 yards in six plays, with QB Gunther Johnson taking it to the end zone in from six yards. A rerun of the Hoyas' two-point trickery was sniffed out by Lafayette, 6-0. Following a short Leopard punt, the Hoyas went on a 10 play, 50 yard drive that was converted with a one yard Johnson run, 13-0.

Lafayette had mustered only 62 yards until its last drive of the first half, a 14 play, 77 yard drive that brought the Leopards inside the georgetown three yard line, but an offensive pass interference pushed Lafayette back and they settled for a field goal to close the half, 13-3.

The second half was brutal for both teams. Lafayette opened the second half with an onside kick, but could not advance the ball in its first series. The teams combined for one first down over the next four series, with no evidence of the offense Georgetown had mounted in the first half. Lafayette appeared to drive forward, crossing midfield on a 16 yard pass play and a 15 yard penalty for a late hit, Lafayette QB Sean O'Malley went for the end zone but DB Ramon Lyons picked off the pass at the Georgetown three. The Hoyas do could nothing on the series, and punted it back to the Lafayette 46. The Hoyas' only first down of the third quarter was reached with 1:08 to play, managing three yards rushing and 42 yards overall in a quarter where the Lafayette TV announcers succinctly noted that "nothing happened" in the third.

Opportunity returned in the fourth, where on Lafayette's first play of the quarter, DE Owen Kessler forced a fumble at the Leopards 25 yard line, but the Hoyas promptly went -13 yards in three plays and punted it back to the Lafayette 17. Two pass plays quickly brought the Leopards to midfield, but another punt followed. The Hoyas offense continued its misery, with a four play, 52 second drive with 9:56 to play that kicked it back to the Leopards at its 40. The Leopards drive inside the Georgetown 30 before missing a 42 yard field goal, but the Hoyas offense was three and out again. Lafayette then went deep with 2:56 to play, whereupon DB Ahmad Wilson picked off a Sean O'Malley pass. Still, the offense could do nothing, and the Leopards were able to connect on a 41 yard field goal with 0:22 left. A second onsides kick by the Leopards failed, closing out the game.

The statistics were rough for any offensive player. Gunther Johnson was 11 for 21 for just 73 yards but no interceptions may have been the best number of all. Jackson Saffold led all Georgetown runners with 43 yards on 15 carries; the Hoyas managed just one run of eight yards, and none more than 12. Max Edwards caught four of Johnson's passes for 40 yards, while the rest of the team combined for 7 catches for 33 yards.

The defensive leaders were everywhere. In addition to interceptions by Ramon Lyons, Ahmad Wilson, and Leon Agee, seven different players had five or more tackles (Xavier Reddick, Ramon Lyons, Blaise Brown, Cameron Deen, Wes Bowers, Jethro Francois, and Owen Kessler). Brad Hurst's 11 punts were a career high and the fifth most in a game in school history. Of greater impact--four of the 11 pinned the Leopards inside their 20, where Lafayette's average starting field position was at its 26 yard line.

Game statistics:

                          GEORGETOWN        LAFAYETTE 
First downs                        9               18
Rushed-yards                   38-95            23-33
Passing yards                     73              250
Sacked-yards lost               4-32              2-8
Passes                       11-21-0          25-49-3
Punts                        11-37.7           7-37.7
Fumbles-lost                     1-0              1-1
Penalties-yards                 5-46             5-54 
Time of possession             27:38            32:22

That Was Amazing:
Georgetown 22, Lehigh 16 (2OT)

10/20/18

The greatest game in the Patriot League era at Georgetown University--what else can you say?

The Hoyas overcame five missed field goals with a defensive tour de force, and Jackson Saffold won the game in double overtime with runs of 23 and two yards as Georgetown upset Lehigh, 22-16, ending the longest active streak of consecutive losses to a Division I-AA opponent and placing the Hoyas 3-0 in the league.

Georgetown entered the game having not won at home in over two years, and this site's pre-game report cited the need for an early spark to maintain momentum over a deeper and more talented Lehigh squad. The suggestion was taken to heart, of sorts, in the Hoyas' opening possession. After a pair of rushing plays moved the ball to its 30 yard line, QB Gunther Johnson faked the short pass and went long to Michael Dereus, returning for his first game since an injury at Columbia. The 70 yard pass and touchdown electrified the Cooper Field crowd and sent the Hoyas to a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.

Following an exchange of punts, Lehigh answered Georgetown's spark with one of its own. Following a 58 yard punt by Brad Hurst and a subsequent unsportsmanlike penalty set back Lehigh 15 yards, the Engineers set up at its 13 yard line. Two plays later, QB Brad Mayes found a seam in the Georgetown secondary and found WR Jorge Portorreal down the field for 85 yards to tie the score, or so we thought. In one of three turning points of the game, the extra point was blocked by Georgetown's Duval Paul, who advanced it to the Georgetown 40 yard before encountering traffic from Lehigh tacklers. Paul alertly sent a lateral to Wes Bowers, as the sidelines opened for the Hoyas, as Bowers' runback of the PAT changed the score from a 7-7 tie to a 9-6 Georgetown lead.

On its next series, Georgetown was back on the move, as a Johnson pass to Winston Jackson Jr. drove into Lehigh territory and a Jay Tolliver run advanced the ball to the Lehigh 24 before the drive stalled. The ten play, 39 yard drive set up Hurst for a 41 yard field goal, which he sent wide.

Georgetown settled into a first half pattern where it was unable to take advantage of its lead. A Cameron Deen interception at the Lehigh 45 set up the Hoyas later in the first, but the Hoyas lost nine yards in three plays and were forced to punt. Deep in its territory, the Engineers were contained and could punt only back to its 34, where Georgetown advanced to its 20 before settling for a 32 yard field goal try from Hurst. But Hurst's kick was low and was blocked, and the Hoyas came up empty again.

Lehigh was held to three and out over its next two possessions, where the Hoyas responded with a seven play drive that advanced to the lehigh. Again came out Brad Hurst, and Hurst missed again, this time from 41 yards. The Engineers made their last run of the first half in the final minute of play, a foreshadowing of what was to come. After being held to just three first downs in the first half, Mayes again found Portorreal for 31 yards and Austin Dambach for 13 yards to the Georgetown 22, but a defensive push by Jethro Francois forced Mayes into an incompletion with 13 seconds left and the resulting field goal try from 41 yards was missed by kicker Ed Mish. Despite holding the ball for 17:35 of the half, the Hoyas had only nine points at the half, but too many missed opportunities to ignore.

After a first half where RB Dom Bragalone had been held to seven yards in favor of a pass-first approach, Lehigh returned to the ground in the second half, where the Georgetown defense was called upon in two major stops to open the third quarter. Lehigh marched 48 yards in nine plays to open the third quarter, where the Engineers closed to the Georgetown 22 before a Duval Paul sack sent the Engineers out of field goal range and forced a 4th and 11 at the GU 30, where Francois held Mayes to a three yard run. After a thee and out by the Hoyas, Lehigh returned with an 11 play drive to the Georgetown 23, where Ramon Lyons broke up a likely touchdown to Portorreal and a fourth down pass to Portorreal was dropped, as the defense, called upon so often this season, rose to th occasion yet again.

The black cloud hanging over the Georgetown special teams continued in the third quarter. Despite converting on two big third downs in a 12 play, 61 yard drive, Georgetown again stalled in the lehigh red zone and again called upon Hurst to extend the lead. A 34 yard field goal was missed left, his third of the afternoon, as the score remained 9-6 late in the third.

Following a Lehigh punt, Georgetown opened the fourth quarter with a nine play drive. Led by a 22 yard pass from Gunther Johnson to Michael Dereus, the Hoyas advanced to the lehigh 22 but soon stalled on the ground. facing a 4th and 12 at the lehigh 24, GU opted not to go for the field goal, but Johnson's pass was rushed by the lehigh defense and Georgetown turned the ball over on downs with just under 13 minutes remaining.

Lehigh returned to the ground game with its longest sustained drive of the game. Four consecutive rushes by Bragalone brought the Engineers to midfield, where RB Rashawn Allen tore through the Georgetown line for 19 yards to the GU 24. On a third and 10 at the GU 24, Bragalone broke free for 13 yards to the 11, and it seemed that if Lehigh could score a touchdown, the game might be put out of reach. A paid of Bragalone rushes were contained, and a heavy rush from DT Khristian Tate forced Mayes to throw an incompletion on third down. Lehigh settled for a tying field goal, 9-9, with 7:18 remaining.

Georgetown needed some sort of offensive response but went three and out. For its part, Lehigh could do little better, and punted the ball back with 3:16 to play. A pair of rushes by RB Jackson Saffold helped the Hoyas into Lehigh territory with under two minutes to play, and on a 4th and 3 from the lehigh 39, Johnson found Winston jackson for five yards to extend the drive. Consecutive rushes by Saffold brought the Hoyas to the lehigh 24 with under a minute to play, and a pair of runs to set up field position for Hurst soon followed. With three seconds remaining, Hurst was put in the position to end his futility and become the hero of the game with a 41 yard field goal.

Hurst had practiced such a kick countless times on the Cooper Field surface and even two Lehigh time outs would not be enough to break his concentration. But like his first attempt in the first quarter, Hurst punched a line drive that was blocked at the line of scrimmage, an astounding fifth missed field goal attempt of the afternoon, and Georgetown stumbled into overtime, 9-9.

If there Hoyas were shell-shocked by Hurst's ongoing misfortune, they didn't show it to open up the overtime. Lehigh won the coin toss and sent georgetown o the 25 to open the series, where Safford ran for four yards and Johnson found Dereus with a 19 yard pass to the lehigh 2. A Saffold two yard run gave the Hoyas a 16-9 advantage. On its series, Lehigh was contained by the Hoyas defense and faced a 4th and 5 at the georgetown 20 with the game in the balance. Once again, the Engineers silenced the Cooper Field crowd by finding WR Devon Bibbons for a 20 yard pick up and to tie the score at 16. . On the first possession of the second OT, the Hoyas held Bragalone to two yards and forced an incompletion on second down. On third and eight at the GU 23, a Mayes pass to Jorge Portorreal was bobbled by Portorreal and intercepted by Jethro Francois on the Lehigh sidelines, a stunning turn of events and setting the Hoyas up for the win if they could somehow get a score.

A sixth field goal try was not in the game plan. From there, Safford rushed 23 yards to the two and two yards for the momentous score before a crowd at Cooper Field that had seen a little bit of everything in this game...good, bad, and ugly.

Both quarterbacks were inconsistent and relied on big plays for their totals. Gunther Johnson was 16 of 37 for 270 yards, but three passes accounted for nearly half the yardage. Jackson Saffold led all rushers with 63 yards, 31 yards of which came in overtime. Michael Dereus caught three passes for 120 yards, each of which were major factors in the game.

Lehigh's Brad Mayes was 16-40 for 253 yards, but two INT's proved costly. Dom Bragalone finished with 90 yards to break 4,000 for his career. Just six yards separated the teams in total offense.

The game excised a lot of demons for the Hoyas. It was Georgetown's first win versus Lehigh in 17 consecutive tries dating to 2001, and its first 3-0 start in PL play since joining the league, also in 2001. For Lehigh, it marked only the third 0-2 start since joining the Patriot League in 1986, while its six game losing streak is now its longest since 1967.

In its 17 prior meetings, Lehigh had defeated Georgetown by an average of 25 points, and had Lehigh got ahead in the second half, there is no telling how far the streak would have gone given the ongoing scholarship disparity between the teams. But for one afternoon, anyway, Georgetown had earned a hard fought victory that none of its predecessors could muster, and with it, the respect of the entire Patriot League.

"The streak was never going to last forever," said Lehigh coach Andy Coen. "You have to give the Georgetown players a lot of credit, there are a lot of dynamic players on that squad. When you're in such a defensive game and it's going back and forth, it's eventually going to break one way, but unfortunately, it didn't break our way."

Next week, the unlikeliest of matchups: the 6-0 Colgate Raiders, picked first in the pre-season polls, versus a Georgetown team picked last in the pre-season but now with an identical 3-0 record in league play.

Game statistics:

                              LEHIGH       GEORGETOWN 
First downs                       19               18
Rushed-yards                  38-104            44-93
Passing yards                    253              270
Sacked-yards lost               3-22             3-26
Passes                       16-40-2          16-37-0
Punts                         7-43.0           6-46.5
Fumbles-lost                     1-0              0-0
Penalties-yards                 5-66             6-64 
Time of possession             28:41            31:19

Streak... BROKEN

10/19/18

Here is the current list of consecutive losses to one team in the I-AA/FCS subdivision, with Georgetown-Lehigh no longer the longest active streak.

32-Grambling State over Prairie View A&M, 1977-2008
22-Eastern Kentucky over Tennessee Tech, 1976-1997
20-Pennsylvania over Columbia, 1997-2016
20-Eastern Kentucky over Austin Peay St., 1978-1997
18-Western Illinois over Southern Illinois, 1984-2001
18-Eastern Kentucky over Morehead St., 1972-1989
17-Lehigh over Georgetown, 2001-2017
17-Princeton over Columbia, 1954-1970
16-Montana over Montana St., 1986-2001
16-Harvard over Columbia, 1979-1994
16-Middle Tennessee over Morehead St., 1951-1966
15-Dartmouth over Brown, 1960-1974
15-Lehigh over Bucknell, 1998-2012

Washed Out: Colgate 38, Georgetown 0

10/27/18

Amidst a dismal afternoon of football, a veteran Colgate defense proved why they are the team to beat in the Patriot League, handing Georgetown a 38-0 shutout in Hamilton, NY. The Red Raiders, now 7-0, held the Hoyas to its fewest total yards in a game in the modern era of the sport at Georgetown (1964-present).

The Hoyas managed five first downs, none after halftime, and just 36 yards on the afternoon amidst a cold (36 degrees) and rainy day at Andy Kerr Stadium that ground the life out of the Hoyas and drew an alleged crowd of 1,827, though by the photo above no more than a hundred on the home side sat through the game.

The first quarter was played to a draw. Georgetown opened with a three play, -12 yard drive which was indicative of how the offense would perform in these conditions. On the succeeding punt, Colgate marched to the GU 17 but a pair of penalties set the red raiders back, and in the end, a yard short, as Georgetown took over on downs at its 29, only to go three and out. After an exchange of punts, Colgate took over with just under three minutes in the first, going on a ten play, 78 yard drive, all on the ground. Two minutes into the second quarter, QB Grant Brenneman ran the ball in for the score, 7-0.

With Jackson Saffold not cleared for the game, GU's running game was a step slow all afternoon. The Hoyas went (-2) yards on its next possession, but special teams cost the Hoyas dearly. Punter Brad Hurst shanked the ensuing punt, traveling just nine yards. The red raiders needed 33 yard and three plays for the touchdown, 14-0. Another three and out by the Hoyas followed, followed by another strong defensive stand, holding the red raiders at the GU five, where Colgate opted for the field goal, 17-0.

Georgetown's last hope in this game went for nought late in the second. Driving to midfield at the Colgate 47, Georgetown's second drive in Colgate territory for the half saw QB Gunther Johnson's pass picked off by DB Alec Wisniewski, who raced unopposed 55 yards for the score with under 30 seconds to play, 24-0. For the half, Colgate outgained the Hoyas by a total of 191 to 30.

With the cold and rain continuing into the third, neither team mounted much of an attack. The two teams combined for four series and a total of -9 yards. The red raiders returned to form midway in the third, with a 14 play, eight minute drive that collected a touchdown early in the fourth, 31-0. After a three and out by the Hoyas, a 66 yard Brad Hurst punt over kicked its coverage and the Red Raiders returned it 32 yards to its 40, setting up a seven play, 60 yard drive that ended the scoring at 38-0.

How bad was the second half for the Hoyas? Five series, six yards.

Gunther Johnson ended the game two series early, going 8 for 18 and 48 yards. Freshman Lorenzo Linsey saw action in two series but looked very shaky, and threw just two passes, missing on both. The Hoyas helD the ball for just 7:41 after halftime. Its net -12 yards rushing was its fifth lowest total since 1964, and its worst since 2009. With both teams staying on the ground, the entire game was completed in just two and a half hours.

Injuries to Joshua Tomas and Michael Dereus were equally damaging, as the Hoyas managed nothing on the field against a Colgate offense which shut out its fourth opponent this season, its first such run since 1966.

That Georgetown did not score a touchdown was not unexpected. According to Colgate's game notes, the Red Raiders had not allowed a touchdown in 46 of the last 47 quarters. For its part, however, the Hoyas showed no ability ot make any consistent progress, and looked more like the team that was knocked around by Dartmouth 41-0 than the winner of its three previous PL games.

With a bye week on the horizon, Georgetown ends its road schedule with a combined record of 3-3. The Hoyas finish the season with home games on Nov. 10 vs. Bucknell and Nov. 17 versus Holy Cross.

Game statistics:

                          GEORGETOWN          COLGATE 
First downs                        5               21
Rushed-yards                  28--12           52-242
Passing yards                     48               69
Sacked-yards lost               2-16             3-11
Passes                        8-20-1           6-13-0
Punts                         8-41.9           3-33.3
Fumbles-lost                     3-0              1-0
Penalties-yards                 6-65             7-75 
Time of possession             22:09            37:51

Georgetown 14, Bucknell 3

11/11/18

In the series with Bucknell, defense often drives the outcome and Saturday's game was driven by the Georgetown defense, as the Hoyas earned a hard fought 14-3 win at Cooper Field.

Over the last seven years of this series, the teams have combined for an average of just 22 points per game between them, so an early score by either team would be crucial. In its second possession, the Hoyas drive 44 yards to the Bucknell 24, but on a fourth and seven passed on a field goal attempt in the wind, but QB Gunther John's pass was low and incomplete. It was the only significant drive of the quarter, as Georgetown held the Bucknell offense to just 23 yards in the first quarter.

After an exchange of punts in the second quarter, Georgetown got the drive it wanted from an unlikely location--the ground. In a season where the Hoyas have struggled mightily to run the ball, Georgetown's nine play, 63 yard drive was all on the ground, highlighted by a 36 yard run by RB Herman Moultrie to the Bison 11. The Hoyas drive settled at the BU 3, where on third down Johnson split the defenders and ran in for the score. Senior PK Oliver Hill, who had one PAT in his career, came on for the kick, 7-0.

Bucknell took the ball to midfield, but the drive stalled and the Bison pinned the Hoyas back in its end end of the field in the final minutes of the half. Brad Hurst's erratic kicking flared up again, with a 24 yard punt to set up the Bison at midfield with 1:38 to halftime. The Bison drive into Georgetown territory but suffered from poor clock management, as the clock ran out before they could mount any pass play into scoring position.

A 22 yard Hurst punt set up the Bison early in the third quarter, responding with a 12 play drive to the Georgetown 20, but a pair of stops by leon Agee and Mike Taylor forced the Bison to settle for a 37 yard field goal, 7-3.
The Hoyas needed a response and it arrived on queue. On its next drive, Moultrie ripped apart the Bison defense with runs of 14 and 30 yards to drive the Hoyas to the Bison 21, and picked up a short pass that he carried 22 yards for the score, 14-3. Moultrie accounted for all 65 yards of the four play drive.

The lead offered Georgetown's defense an opportunity to bottle up the Bison attack, and that is what it did. A nine play drive into the early fourth quarter was halted by a Xavier Reddick interception at the Georgetown 28, and while the Hoyas went to a run-centric offense to work the clock, the defense did its part to limit any sustained threat from the Bison. A three play, -10 yard drive by the Bison turned over the ball to Georgetown with 9:49 to play, but the Hoyas went three and out at midfield. The Bison managed only two yards on its next series, with outstanding defensive plays by Reddick, Wes Bowers, and Quincy Chinwuko to force a punt with 5:49 to play.

Georgetown looked to have the game in its hands, but Moultrie's hands weren't as sure about that, losing a handoff at midfield that turned the ball back to the Bison with 5:01 to play. Assisted by a phantom roughing penalty on Khristian Tate and a 26 yard pass play to the seven, the Bison were in business, but Georgetown was up to the challenge. Three plays netted one yard. While the Bison needed two scores to tie, it passed on the short field goal to go for the touchdown, where the Hoya pass rush forced an incompletion on fourth down.

From its six yard line, the Hoyas stayed on the ground to move the clock but could not move the ball. A third down play to Tate, who was a prodigious running back in high school, was sniffed out by the Bison defense, forcing a punt with just over two minutes remaining. A short Hurst punt and a 26 yard punt return welcomed the Bison to the Georgetown red zone. A first down play was buried by Owen Kessler, a second down pass was held to one yard by Wes Bowers. On third and eight, George Ikott fored QB Tarrin Earle to hurry a pass, while on fourth and eight, Reddick scored his sceond big play of the game, forcing a 14 yard sack that closed out the afternoon.

The two teams could not maintain ball control down the stretch. The Hoyas and Bison combined for eight series in the final 15 minutes, combining for just 60 yards, but three of the final four drives by the Bison gained combined -20 yards.

Mountrie's 135 yards rushing was a career high. Gunther Johnson's passing was limited at best, going 8 for 15 for 93 yards, with two of those passes accounting for 54 yards. Defensively, the Hoyas held Bucknell's leading rusher, Jared Cooper, to 34 yards on 20 carries, none more than six yards. The win was Georgetown's fourth in five games and marks only its third five win season since 2002. The Hoyas welcome Holy Cross (4-6) Saturday in the season finale at Cooper Field with an opportunity for a winning season that no one short of Rob Sgarlata could have predicted three months ago.

Game statistics:

                            BUCKNELL       GEORGETOWN  
First downs                       12               16
Rushed-yards                   35-13           44-199
Passing yards                    140               93
Sacked-yards lost               7-42             1-10
Passes                       17-33-1           8-15-0
Punts                         8-39.3           8-36.8
Fumbles-lost                     2-0              1-1
Penalties-yards                 3-15             3-25 
Time of possession             31:35            28:25

 

Georgetown Drops 2018 Season Finale, 32-31

Updated 11/18/18

A commanding 26 point lead over Holy Cross was squandered in a 32-31 loss at Cooper Field today, as two blocked punts off the foot of Brad Hurst rallied Holy Cross to the win.

This game had five-star potential from the start. Georgetown opened the game with an onside kick at the Holy Cross 41, and struck quickly. A six play, 41 yard drive followed, with QB Gunther Johnson picking up 15 yards on two rushing plays that led to the first score, 7-0.

An exchange of punts followed, but which put Georgetown deep in Holy Cross territory with 6:02 in the first. On first down from its one, Johnson was late getting out of the backfield and Holy Cross picked up an east safety, 7-2. Following the ensuing kickoff, HC returner Spencer Gilliam returned the kick 75 yards, with Georgetown's Jalen Goldwire making a touchdown saving tackle at the HC 2. Goldwire's extra effort paid off, as the Georgetown defense shut down Holy Cross on three consecutive plays, forcing a field goal when a touchdown seemed in sight, 7-5. The defensive stand, one of many on the afternoon, set the tone for Georgetown's exceptional effort all afternoon.

A three and out for Georgetown was answered with a long HC drive to end the first quarter. Holy Cross QB Geoff Wade found WR Richie DeNicola for 60 yards to the GU 30, but on the ensuing play, Leon Agee picked off a Wade pass and saved another scoring series for the visitors.

Georgetown returned to the scoring in as most unusual way. After the georgetown defense held Holy Cross on downs at the HC 35, the Hoyas' drive stalled at its 25, but a Crusader pass interference kept the drive alive. Two plays later, A Johnson pass to WR Max Edwards gained 10 yards to the HC 42, but Edwards landed on the HC defender, not the ground. At the time, it seemed that only Edwards and the officials saw the result, as the two teams stopped, assuming a whistle, when none was forthcoming,. Edwards got up and ran unopposed into the end zone. Any efforts to check on replay were nonexistent, as Cooper Field is the only PL stadium not equipped with replay cameras.

Wade stumbled again on the next possession. On a second down from his 21, his pass was read by Ramon Lyons, who sat on the play, picked up the INT, and returned it for a touchdown, 21-5, giving GU 14 points within a minute of play.

The teams could not advance the ball for much of the quarter. HC was held on downs on 4th and 9 at the GU 35 with 8:24 to play, but Georgetown's three and out offense returned thereafter in its next two series. late in the quarter, LB Wes Bowers forced a fumble at midfield, but fumbled it back to HC. Two plays later, Lyons forced a Wade fumble of his own, and Georgetown recovered at its 32.

The Hoyas' response in this series was puzzling. A pair of rushes by Joshua Tomas and herman Moultrie took the Hoyas to the HC 4 with just 1:12 remaining. Georgetown could have run out the clock with the possession, yet took two of its own timeouts and still failed to get the ball in the end zone, settling for a short field goal, and giving back the ball to the Crusaders with its timeouts intact. The extra time allowed HC to drive to the GU 35 in the final minute, where PK Derek Ng missed a 52 yard field goal as time expired.

Georgetown ended the first half holding a 24-5 lead and forcing four Holy Cross turnovers in a 20 minute stretch.

Georgetown picked up another touchdown early in the third, and again, defense led the way. Following a three and out by the Georgetown offense, Wade suffered his fourth interception, as Wes Bowers picked off the pass and ran it in for the score, 31-5.

As in the first half, Georgetown's defense was supreme,holding the Crusaders at the HC 42 midway in the third. The Hoyas had built the lead with defensive intensity and an offense not afraid to take chances. By the third quarter, however, Georgetown was going conservative, and it was fatal.

On its next drive, GU stayed on the ground and went three and out. A poor punt by PK Brad Hurst set up the crusaders for their best drive of the day thus far, connecting on a six yard run on 4th and four and moving 43 yards for the score, 31-12.

Georgetown opened the fourth in HC territory, up by 19. The Crusaders had a long way to go, but any Georgetown offense at this would have been the knockout punch. Instead, it knocked itself out.

A three and out forced a punt at midfield. HC's special teams knew an opportunity when they saw it, and focused on the line drive punting of Brad Hurst, whose kicks were increasingly horizontal, something seen four weeks earlier when he missed a record five field goals against Lehigh. On the punt, HC flooded the box and forced a blocked kick, returned for the touchdown. A two point conversion failed, 31-18.

Another three and out forced a punt that was nearly blocked a second time. Georgetown forced a punt at the 11:21 mark but kept the ball on the ground, suffering another three and out. Again came a line drive Hurst punt, and HC blocked it again for a touchdown, 31-26.

The Georgetown offense was playing not to lose. A three and out followed and HC took over at the 8:24 mark. The Crusaders marched to the Georgetown 12 before Georgetown's George Ikott forced a fumble at the GU 12 that was recovered by Duval Paul at the GU 12 with 4:17 to play. How many opportunities could Georgetown get to close this out?

One first down may have been enough but the offense worked the clock to no effect. A three and out consumed just 1:16, and Hurst nearly coughed up a third block in a 40 yard punt to the GU 26 with 3:01 to play.

Holy Cross went to work against a weakened and tired GU defense, Khristian Tate and Duval Paul were sidelined with injuries and Wade was much more effective--19 yards to midfield, 30 yards to the Hoya 23, then seven yards to the 12. A pass to the end zone was broken up but flagged for pass interference, advancing the ball to the two with under a minute remaining.

And yet, Blaise Brown had an opportunity for one glorious finale. On first down, Brown spied Wade's pass to the end zone and saw it come right to him, but the ball bounced off his hands. One play later, the crusaders were in the end zone, 32-31.

It was asking too much, perhaps, to expect the Georgetown offense to mount a comeback with 42 seconds left. For Johnson, who had escaped an interception all afternoon, it arrived on a 3rd and 10 at midfield, which ended the game. It was the largest lead lost by a Georgetown team since Oct. 16, 1999, when the Hoyas dropped a 27-0 halftime lead to Davidson, and the largest comeback in Holy Cross history.

And it shouldn't have.

The Crusaders were going nowhere until Hurst, whose slow release had been a point of uncorrected concern all season (and who shanked a punt off a Georgetown player's helmet earlier in the game), kicked right into the HC rush to rally the Crusaders, who would score touchdowns on four of their final five possessions.

Georgetown's hopes of a winning season were left on the floor at Cooper Field, a game that was not lost as much as squandered in two quarters of uninspired offensive play and a defensive that gave all and had nothing left to give. The Hoyas were 2 for 16 on 3rd down and, excepting Edwards' unlikely touchdown, had a total of 38 yards passing.

The season ended with Georgetown becoming the sixth PL team to finish under .500 and while the 5-6 record far exceeded expectations, this was the one that got away.

Game statistics:

                          HOLY CROSS       GEORGETOWN  
First downs                       17               10
Rushed-yards                    28-6           40-132
Passing yards                    280               80
Sacked-yards lost               4-46              1-5
Passes                       23-46-4           8-22-1
Punts                         6-45.3          12-32.8
Fumbles-lost                     2-2              1-1
Penalties-yards                 5-44             8-45 
Time of possession             31:35            28:25

 

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