No. 1 Mount Union 37, No. 12 Capital 0
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- Capital University’s football team, ranked No. 12 in the nation, suffered a 37-0 setback at the hands of No.1 Mount Union College in an Ohio Athletic Conference game Saturday at Bernlohr Stadium.
After playing a scoreless first quarter, the Purple Raiders put up 23 points in the second quarter on a pair of touchdown runs from Nate Kmic, a safety off of a blocked punt, and a Pierre Garcon touchdown reception. Kmic made it 30-0 with an eight-yard touchdown in the third and Trevor Bruney closed out the scoring with a two-yard touchdown late in the fourth.
The Crusaders had some opportunities early, recovering a Kmic fumble on the game’s opening play to take over possession on Mount Union’s 34. But a mishandled snap on the next play gave the ball back to the Purple Raiders.
Later in the first, Capital drove to Mount Union’s 33 and attempted a 51-yard field goal, which missed wide left, and the Crusaders only made two more trips into Purple Raiders territory the rest of the game.
Capital’s defense held the Purple Raiders in check, limiting the nation’s number one offense to 284 yards and forcing seven punts. Mount entered the game averaging 594 yards and 56 points per game. Sophomore linebacker Matt Heagen (New Concord/John Glenn) had a game-best 11 tackles and sophomore defensive tackle Ryan Redman (Newark/Licking Valley) added 10. Junior linebacker Brett Welch (Marietta/Marietta) added seven tackles and a sack for the Crusaders.
Kmic rushed 36 times for 114 yards, a 3.2 average, and quarterback Greg Micheli completed 11-of-19 passes for 118 yards and a score. Capital’s offense managed just 92 yards, led by sophomore running back Matt Merritt (Cincinnati/Indian Hills), who tallied 58 yards on 22 carries.
Mount Union (8-0, 7-0 OAC) clinched at least a share of the OAC title with the victory and snapped Capital’s 15-game home-winning streak. It also marked the first time that Capital had been shut out since a 19-0 defeat at Thiel (Pa.) on Sept. 4, 1999.
The Crusaders (6-2, 5-2) will try to snap their two-game losing streak at Muskingum College at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in New Concord, Ohio.