#16 Tartans Tripped Up at Muhlenberg, 27-23

(ALLENTOWN, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team, ranked 16th nationally, traveled to Allentown, Pennsylvania on Saturday for a Centennial Conference contest against the Mules of Muhlenberg College. The Mules scored 20 unanswered points to claim the 27-23 win over the Tartans. Carnegie Mellon moves to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play while Muhlenberg goes to 6-1, 3-1.

Game Information
#16 Carnegie Mellon 23, Muhlenberg 27
Records: Carnegie Mellon (4-3, 2-2 CC), Muhlenberg (6-1, 3-1 CC)
Location: Allentown, Pa. (Frank Marino Field at Scotty Wood Stadium)

How it Happened

• On the Tartans second possession of the game, the Cardinal and Gray marched 77 yards on 11 plays and took 7:12 off the clock, as freshman wideout Nick McCullough capped the drive with a touchdown on a 10-yard end around. The PAT was missed which left the score at 6-0 with three minutes to play in the first quarter.
• Following a 38-yard punt by junior punter John Norell that pinned the Mules at their own 2-yard line, the home team went 98 yards on 12 plays for a touchdown on a 4-yard run by quarterback Luke Spang. The PAT gave Muhlenberg a 7-6 advantage with 9:17 left in the half.
• With 3:53 remaining in the first half, a 42-yard field goal off the toe of senior Justin Caputo gave the Tartans a 9-7 lead.
• The Tartans got the ball back with 1:34 on the clock in the half and needed five plays to extend their lead to 16-7 on a 38-yard touchdown pass from senior Joey McGinnis IV to sophomore Luca Cuttita.
• After the Tartan defense stopped the Mules on an 11-play drive that resulted in a turnover on downs, Carnegie Mellon went 76 yards on seven plays and pushed its lead to 23-7 in the final minute of the third quarter on a 2-yard run by McGinnis IV.
• On the Mules ensuing possession, an 8-yard run by Matthew Manning and the successful 2-point conversion made the score 23-15 with 14:07 to play in regulation.
• A second Spang touchdown run, this time a 2-yard quarterback draw, with 7:37 to play made the score 23-21 after a failed 2-point conversion.
• Mulenberg held the Tartans to their second straight three-and-out and got the ball back with 6:31 on the clock. The Mules then took 4:34 off the clock and needed eight plays to take their first lead of the game on a 2-yard touchdown run by Manning, as the clock read 1:57. The Mules 2-point conversion failed to leave the score 27-23.
• The Tartans drove the ball down to the Muhlenberg 22-yard line, but two incompletions, a sack and an interception by the Mules Jeffrey Lopez in the end zone on the final play of the game sealed the win for the home team.

Stats

• Carnegie Mellon outgained Muhlenberg in total offense 380-345.
• McGinnis IV completed 25-of-47 for 297 yards and a touchdown. The signal caller also led the Tartans on the ground with 43 yards on 13 carries and a score.
• Brendan McCullough and junior Reece Kolke each hauled in seven receptions to lead the Tartans. McCullough finished with 114 yards and Kolke 89 yards.
• Cuttita ended the game with a career-high 71 yards receiving on two catches.
• Defensively, Leighton Tarke led the Tartans with a career-high 12 tackles, including a career-best nine solo stops, while recording 3.5 tackles for a loss.
• Graduate student Mitchell Stokey and junior Ethan Ming each had eight tackles. Stokey ended with 1.5 sacks and totaled 2.5 tackles for a loss.
• Spang completed 21-33 for 227 yards passing and ran for 49 yards on 15 attempts and two touchdowns to lead the Mules.
• John Runfolo led Muhlenberg receivers with eight catches for 102 yards.  

Game Notes

• Mulhenberg now leads the series 3-2.
• Brendan McCullough moved into fifth on the school's all-time receiving list with 1,701 yards for his career.
• Stokey moved into seventh on the career sacks list. He now has 18.0 for his career.
• McGinnis IV has 1,899 yards passing this season and currently ranks ninth for a single season in program history.
• Brendan McCullough has 699 yards receiving this year and currently ranks ninth for a single season in program history.

Up Next

• Carnegie Mellon will travel to Dickinson College on Saturday, November 1 for a 3:30 p.m. kick.