COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus football team delivered a complete performance to defeat Johns Hopkins 35-14 in Centennial Conference action on Homecoming Saturday at Patterson Field.
With the win, the Bears improved to 6-0 for the second time in the last three seasons and to 3-0 in Centennial Conference action. It was the first win for the Bears over Johns Hopkins since the 2017 season, who was coming off back-to-back National Semifinal appearances. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in Centennial Conference play.
Senior quarterback
Tristan Machado went 14-of-21 for an efficient 116 yards and two touchdown passes while playing a clean game and making big plays down the stretch for the Bears. His efforts earned him the Kenneth E. Walker Trophy which is handed out to an Ursinus player during the annual homecoming contest. Senior wide receiver
Aidan Donahue led the Bears with four catches for 56 yards while junior
Jake Van Orden caught two passes for 19 yards and one touchdown.
Junior running back
Devon Green led the Bears with 67 yards on 14 carries and caught a four-yard touchdown pass. Senior running back
Jason Bernard added 64 yards on 14 carries with two scores in a valiant effort.
The Bears opened with the ball and went three-and-out before turning the Blue Jays over on downs on their first drive at the Ursinus 47-yard line. Ursinus used that momentum to open the scoring when Machado found Green in the endzone for a 4-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0 at the 5:00-mark of the first quarter. Johns Hopkins countered with a touchdown of their own to tie the game at seven at the 2:04-mark of the first quarter. The Bears responded by putting together a 19-play 78-yard drive that spanned 10:23 and ended with a three-yard touchdown run by Bernard to put Ursinus up 14-7 at the 6:37-mark of the second quarter. The Blue Jays drove back into Ursinus territory but came up empty after missing a 45-yard field goal into a gusty wind to keep the score at 14-7 into halftime.
Johns Hopkins leveled the game at 14 on their opening drive of the second half after putting together a 16-play 95-yard drive that went 8:52. Ursinus got two big plays that started with a brilliant 19-yard catch from Donahue over two defenders and a 24-yard run by Green to set up a go-ahead 4-yard touchdown reception from Van Orden to make it 21-14 with 1:04 left in the third quarter. The Bears forced the Blue Jays to punt for the first time in the game in the final minute of the third quarter following a three-and-out and extended their lead to 28-14 at the 10:38-mark of the fourth quarter following a 20-yard touchdown run by Bernard on 4
th-and-1. Senior safety
Kendall Robinson put the finishing touches on the win by running a 29-yard interception back for a touchdown at the 6:28-mark to make it 35-14. Johns Hopkins advanced into the red zone one last time before sophomore defensive back
Ky'iere Rankins forced and recovered a fumble.
Junior linebacker
PJ Blessington posted a team-high eight tackles (six solo) and Rankins matched him (five solo) along with a TFL plus his forced and recovered fumble. Junior safety
Jake Ziegler made seven tackles (four solo) and junior linebacker
Nakai Robinson posted six stops (four solo) and 2.0 TFL. Junior defensive end
Samuel Rock III recorded six tackles (three solo) and 2.5 TFL and 0.5 sack.
The Bears return to action on Saturday, October 25
th as they will travel to face Franklin & Marshall at 1:00 p.m.
