COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. - In a wild game that featured scoring runs, big plays, and a goal line stand, the Ursinus football team was edged 36-29 by No. 10 Johns Hopkins in their 2022 home opener on Saturday afternoon.


With the loss, the Bears drop to 1-1 overall on the season and 0-1 in Centennial Conference action. Meanwhile, the 10th-ranked Blue Jays improved to 2-0 and start Centennial Conference action 1-0.


Senior quarterback Jack Psenicska put forth a valiant 331-yard passing day behind going 27-of-52 while tossing three touchdowns and one interception. Psenicska matched his career-high for completions and his 52 attempts were the most in a game since Thomas Garlick had 55 against Moravian in 2017. Senior wide receiver Dallas Evans was brilliant for the Bears by setting career-highs of seven catches for 113 yards and one touchdown. His classmates Octavious Carter added nine catches for 84 yards and one touchdown while Kevin DePrince caught five passes for 53 yards.


Sophomore running back Tony Holden impressed yet again as he rushed for 131 yards on 27 carries, recording his second-straight 100+ yard game of the 2022 season. 


Psenicska methodically marched the Bears down the field on the first drive of the contest in nine plays that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Nick Schnaars to give Ursinus a 7-0 lead at the 11:06-mark of the first quarter. The Blue Jays wasted little time to respond as Danny Wolf broke through untouched for a 52-yard touchdown run to knot the game at seven at 8:55-mark. Ursinus drove the ball back into Blue Jay territory on their next drive before being forced to punt at the Johns Hopkins 35-yard line. Pinned at their own one-yard line, Wolf ripped off a 54-yard yard run on the first play of the drive and senior linebacker William Tatlonghari took him down as the last defender to prevent him from going 99 yards. Tatlonghari's tackle proved large as the Bears forced a punt four plays later following a Blue Jay rushing touchdown that was called back due to a holding penalty. Psenicska was stripped of the ball on the second play of the second quarter on a rush attempt, but the Bears defense responded with a fourth down stop at their own 48-yard line. Hopkins rattled off two-straight touchdown drives in the second quarter and took a 21-7 lead into halftime.


The Bears got two stops to start the second half and got a break after a high snap on a Blue Jays punt set the Bears up at the Hopkins 29-yard line. Psenicska needed just one play to find Evans for an incredible 29-yard touchdown that saw him catch the ball over a Blue Jays defender and cut the deficit down to 21-14 at the 5:58-mark. Junior safety Ryan DiVergilis picked off Hopkins quarterback Ryan Stevens on the first play of the ensuing drive to keep the Bears momentum going by starting the drive at the Hopkins 27-yard line. Carter capped off a quick four-play drive with a six-yard touchdown reception to make it a 21-20 game following a missed extra point. Following a pair of punts, sophomore cornerback Aaron Anderson ran back a 39-yard fumble return to put the Bears in front at 26-21 with three seconds left in the third quarter. Senior defensive lineman Ethan Belville stripped Blue Jays running back Spencer Uggla on his carry to set up Anderson's return. However, the Blue Jays returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for the touchdown to go back up 29-26 at the end of the third quarter. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown that the Bears allowed in over 21 years. 

Ursinus knotted the game at 29 with a 25-yard field goal on their next drive, but was countered with an 11-play 75 yard drive from the Blue Jays to put Hopkins in front at 36-29 with 6:07 left in regulation. The Bears looked to respond as they advanced into Blue Jay territory before Psenicska was intercepted following a deflection at the 24-yard line. Ursinus got the stop they needed to extend the game and gave the ball back to the offense for one last shot to either tie or win the game. The Bears moved down to the Blue Jays two-yard line in the final minute before being stopped on downs to seal the win for the Blue Jays. 

Tatlonghari and Anderson paced the Bears defense with eight tackles apiece while sophomore linebacker Julian Jones added seven tackles. The Bears slightly outgained the Blue Jays in yards at 476-427. Wolf gained 140 yards on 10 carries and scored a touchdown for the Blue Jays despite just playing in the first half. Wide receiver Quinn Revere hauled in six catches for 43 yards and a pair of scores for Hopkins.


The Bears return to action next Saturday, September 17th as they will host No. 19 Muhlenberg at 12:00 p.m.