Tartans Close Season with 24-17 Centennial-MAC Bowl Series Victory Over Misericordia

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team hosted Misericordia University on Saturday afternoon in a Centennial-MAC Bowl Series contest, as it marks the 10th years of the bowl series. The Tartans won a thriller 24-17 in their first appearance in a bowl series with senior Connor Warren being named the Most Valuable Player of the game.

Game Information
Carnegie Mellon 24, Misericordia 17
Records: Carnegie Mellon (6-5), Misericordia (7-4)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Richard M. Lackner Field at Gesling Stadium)

How it Happened

• On the Tartans opening drive of the game, the Cardinal and Gray marched 65 yards on 10 plays which resulted in a 4-yard touchdown run by senior Willem Bouma. Senior Justin Caputo's PAT sailed through the uprights and left the score 7-0.
• The score remained unchanged until the closing 1:33 of the first half when the Cougars found the end zone twice before the teams went into the locker room,
• Misericordia's first score came on a 3-yard run by Jacob Hunter which capped a 13-play, 73-yard drive. The two-point conversion failed, and the score was 7-6 Carnegie Mellon.
• After holding the Tartans to a three-and-out that took 24 seconds off the clock, the Cougars marched 63 yards on nine plays that resulted in a 2-yard touchdown pass from Hunter to Jordan Alston with a tick left on the clock. Hunter then converted the two-point conversion on a run and the score was 14-7 Misericordia at the break.
• On the first possession of the second half, sophomore Jack Lawson sacked Hunter and forced a fumble. Warren then scooped up the ball on the 32-yard line and took it in for the touchdown to make the score 14-14.
• Misericordia then took a 17-14 lead when Connor McLaughlin connected on a 22-yard field goal with 6:27 to play in the third quarter.
• Warren set up the Tartans next score of the afternoon with an interception on the Cougars 44-yard line. Three plays later, sophomore quarterback Jackson Salters found junior Reece Kolke on a 42-yard touchdown strike to make the score 21-17.
• With 3:01 left in the game, a 42-yard field goal by Caputo extended the Tartans lead to 24-17.
• On the Cougars' first play of their next possession, Lawson intercepted Hunter to seal the win for the Tartans.

Stats

• Carnegie Mellon ended the game with 306 yards of total offense while Misericordia totaled 338 yards.
• Warren finished with eight tackles, six solo, an interception, three pass breakups and a fumble return for a touchdown.
• Senior Jacob Franze ended the game with a team-high 10 tackles and two forced fumbles while Lawson totaled three force fumbles, a fumble recovery, a sack, an interception and seven tackles, five solo.
• Salters threw for 127 yards on 12-of-19 and a touchdown.
• Junior Giacomo Valente ran for a career-high 90 yards on 11 carries.
• Junior Brendan McCullough led the Tartan receivers with six receptions for 63 yards.
• Hunter finished the game passing for 187 yards on 15-of-38 with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also rushed for a team-high 115 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.
• Vincent Smith had four receptions for 90 yards while Alston ended with 77 yards on five receptions and a touchdown.

Game Notes

• This was the first meeting in the series.
• Brendan McCullough ends the season fourth all-time in program history in career receiving yards. He has 1,911 receiving yards for his career. Reece Kolke ranks 10th in receiving yards with 1,371.
• Mitchell Stokey ends his career with 20.0 sacks which ranks seventh all-time in program history.

Thoughts From Head Coach Ryan Larsen

• "I'm incredibly proud of our program, and how we were able to conclude the 2025 season on a high note! This senior class will graduate with an overall record of 37-9, two conference championships, two NCAA final 16 appearances, and with four straight seasons with a postseason victory. That is an incredible feat that we will build on in the future. I thank them for leading Tartan Football with integrity and a tireless work ethic."