By Pat Coleman
D3football.com
ALLIANCE, Ohio -- The streak is over.
Rowan University ended Mount Union's incredible run at 54 consecutive games in knocking off the Purple Raiders 24-17 in overtime and earning a berth in Stagg Bowl XXVII. They will meet Pacific Lutheran, who downed Trinity 49-28.
The Profs (12-1) did it with a mixture of run defense and run offense, holding Mount Union to 108 yards rushing on 38 carries while running 42 times for 220 yards themselves. The Purple Raiders gained 50 yards on their first play from scrimmage and averaged only 3.9 yards per game after that.
"We didn't blitz quite as much as we did in the past," said Rowan head coach K.C. Keeler, "because they do a great job of rubbing off and doing different things, like crossing routes."
With the game tied at 17, Mount Union was unable to enter Rowan territory in the final 13 minutes of regulation and did not get a first down in overtime. "Their defense stopped our offense today on numerous occasions because their players are good and ... they're well-coached," said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres.
Mount Union quarterback Gary Smeck finished 20-for-36 passing but was only 10-for-20 in the second half. "He has great vision, great poise and he has such a nice touch on the ball," said Keeler. "But for him that's a horrible day."
After coming away with only six points in three trips to the Rowan red zone early in the first half, the Profs defense got in the end zone on a 33-yard fumble return by senior defensive tackle Tim Watson.
"You're coached to go for the ball. That's a lineman's dream," said Watson of the running room in front of him. Watson needed only a block of running back Chuck Moore to reach paydirt.
"We were watching Smeck on film all week and he's a great quarterback, but a lot of times when he runs he holds the ball out and we were talking about chasing him down and stripping the ball," Watson added.
Rowan had just missed a 25-yard field goal attempt after senior running back Justin Wright slipped inside the Mount Union 5-yard line with a wide-open path ahead of him.
Freshman Jason Frabasile led Rowan's ground game with 24 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown, the game-winner on a seven-yard scamper in overtime. Wright, who is playing with a torn ACL, carried 10 times for 64 yards.
Freshman quarterback Mike Warker completed 17 of 27 passes for 186 yards, while Scott Lipford caught nine balls for 104 yards, including a crucial first down in overtime. Warker and Lipford also connected on a two-point conversion following Watson's score.
Mount Union finishes its season at 12-1, with its outgoing senior class having gone 54-1 in their careers.