GREENCASTLE, IN - In the third round of the NCAA Division III football championships, No. 8/9 DePauw (11-1) fell 14-9 to No. 17/19 Johns Hopkins (11-1) in a heartbreaking battle to advance to the quarterfinal round of the championship. With the loss, the Tigers concluded their historic 2024 campaign, which included the NCAC title, with the program's second appearance in the round of 16.
JOHNS HOPKINS (11-1) 14, DEPAUW (11-1) 9
- After a scoreless first quarter, Johns Hopkins scored twice in the second to take a 14-0 lead with 11:36 remaining before the half.
- DePauw would make an attempt to close the Blue Jay lead with a seven-play, 53-yard drive in the second quarter, but the DePauw was stopped at the Johns Hopkins’ 20 yard line to halt the Tigers’ first scoring opportunity.
- After the break, DePauw turned up the gas offensively as the Tigers marched down the field on their opening drive. Senior quarterback Nathan McCahill (Indianapolis, IN/Cathedral) went 4-for-4 for 59 yards with a team-long 45-yard reception to junior Robby Ballentine (Crown Point, IN/Andrean). The Tigers would get on the board with a field goal by sophomore Matthew Berry (Jacksonville, FL/Bolles School).
- DePauw would score again with a drive that began during the final minutes of the third quarter. With 2:24 remaining in the third quarter, the Tigers traveled down the field 56 yards before time would expire. On the second play of the fourth quarter, McCahill would connect with Ballentine once again for a 32-yard touchdown pass to bring the Tigers within five points of the Blue Jays (14-9).
- On the next drive, Johns Hopkins fumbled a punt, thanks to a bad snap, and DePauw sophomore Luke Moody (Noblesville, iN/Guerin Catholic) and senior Luke Marsh (Whitestown, IN/Western Boone) would recover the ball on Johns Hopkins 49-yard line, giving the Tigers another opportunity to score with 11:46 remaining in the game.
- Three plays later, Johns Hopkins would regain possession after intercepting a pass by McCahill.
- Johns Hopkins maintained offensive possession for 8:54 before missing a 40-yard field goal attempt to secure the win.
- On DePauw’s final drive of the game, McCahill rushed for 27 yards and threw for 49 yards, which included a 30-yard reception by sophomore Frankie Ricciardi (Chicago, IL/Notre Dame College Prep), before being stopped at the 1-yard line with just 34 seconds remaining.
- The early 14-point lead for Johns Hopkins proved to be too much as DePauw would not be able to secure the game-winning touchdown, giving the Blue Jays a 14-9 victory over the previously unbeaten Tigers.
- McCahill finished the game completing 21-of-31 passes for 283 yards and one touchdown through the air. The senior was also the Tigers’ leading rusher, compiling 52-yards on 12 attempts. Ballentine recorded a game-high 165 reception yards on 10 receptions (16.5 yards/reception) and one touchdown. The DePauw defense was led by senior Nolan Tully (Woodstock, GA/Blessed Trinity), who made a game-high 14 tackles (12 solo, 2 asst.). Junior Joey Roland (Greenfield, IN/Greenfield-Central) also recorded a game-high 2.5 sacks for a loss of 14 yards.