BEREA, Ohio –The Baldwin Wallace University football closed out its three-game season opening homestand as it was defeated by defending NCAA Division III Champion and No. 1-nationally ranked University of Mount Union by a final score of 56-21 in an Ohio Athletic Conference, Community Day and Homecoming game on the Tressel Field inside the George Finnie Stadium.
BW (2-1, 1-1 OAC), who fell to 35-21-1 in the all-time series, scored the most points in the showdown since the 2011 season. Mount Union (2-0, 1-0 OAC) has now won 131 straight regular season games. The last Purple Raider lost on the road during the regular season was to the Yellow Jackets during the 1991 season.
At the conclusion of the game, Yellow Jacket senior quarterback Jake Hudson (East Lake, Florida) was selected the Frank Ropollo Offensive Player of the Game and junior defensive back Raheem Wilson (Tampa, Fla./Gaither) was selected the Dick Miller Defensive Player of the Game. It was the second player of the game award this season for Hudson, who was the 41st Lee Tressel Shrine Classic Player of the Game in season opener against Alma (Mich.) College.
Offensively for BW, Hudson completed12 of 27 passes for 216 yards with one touchdown. Sophomore running back Jon Murray, Jr. (Cincinnati/Withrow) led the ground attack with 68 yards on 11 carries with a long of 21. Junior wide receiver Deion Greer (Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic) led the receiving corps with four catches for 72 yards with a long of 33. Defensively, Wilson and junior defensive back Jack Bauer (Uniontown/Green) each had a career-high six tackles. Wilson also made his first career interception and his first career pass break-up
Mount Union was led by All-OAC quarterback D'Angelo Fulford as he completed 18 of 22 passes for 364 yards with five touchdowns. Senior All-OAC running back Jawanza Evans Morris led the ground attack with 53 yards on nine carries. Junior All-American wide receiver Justin Hill led the air attack with six catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, senior defensive back, junior linebacker Trey Williams and sophomore linebacker Mitch O'Hara all had six tackles while Williams and O'Hara each accounted for one of the Purple Raiders' five sacks.
Mount Union opened the scoring at the 13:15 mark when Fulford connected with Hill on a 33-yard pass play on its first play from scrimmage in 11 seconds. The Yellow Jackets tied the game at 7-7 when Deion Greer scored on a 15-yard run at 10:09, which was the first touchdown surrendered by the Purple Raiders since the 9:30 mark in the 2017 NCAA National Semifinal game against Wisconsin-OshKosh. Junior kicker Jimmy Marshall (Lakewood) added the extra point. Mount Union regained the lead at 14-7, which it would not relinquish, when junior linebacker intercepted the pass and returned 25-yards to pay dirt at the 6:18 mark. The Purple Raiders closed out the first half scoring at 21-7 when senior All-OAC wide out Jared Ruth caught a 54-yard pass from Fulford at 4:40. Junior kicker Cory Barnett tacked on all three extra points.
BW opened the second quarter scoring when senior wide receiver Ty Gallo (Brooklyn Heights/Cuyahoga Heights) caught a 12-yard pass from Hudson at the 13:15. Marshall added the extra point. Mount Union scored the final three touchdowns of the first half to take a 42-14 lead into halftime. Fulford hit senior All-OAC wide receiver Luke Herrington on a 35-yard pass play at 11:04. Evans-Morris scampered to a three-yard touchdown at the 5:41 mark. Herrington caught his second touchdown on 31-yard pass from Fulford with 56 seconds remaining. Barnett added all three extra points.
Mount Union scored the only points in the third quarter to go up 56-14. Hill and Fulford connected on a 61-yard pass play just 34 seconds in the quarter. Sophomore quarterback Jake Keeney scored on a 23-yard run at the 7:01 mark. Barnett tacked on both extra points.
The Yellow Jackets closed out the scoring when junior running back Lyle Grant (Alden, N.Y./Alden Central) scored on a one-yard run at 13:11. Marshall added the final point after.
BW goes on the road for the first time in 2018 when it travels to Tiffin for an OAC game against Heidelberg University at 7 p.m. It will be the third night game in the first four games for the Yellow Jackets.
