Johns Hopkins Remains Undefeated with Walk-Off Win
October 30, 2023
The Top 25 matchup between Johns Hopkins (Md.) and Muhlenberg (Pa.) will go down as an instant classic. What started as a game winning field goal attempt with three seconds left ended as a game sealing touchdown run for Johns Hopkins in a 34-28 win. The Johns Hopkins’ field goal attempt was kicked low and blocked by their own offensive line so Blue Jay senior Will Leger scooped up the ball and scored on a 14-yard touchdown run, keeping the Blue Jays’ undefeated season intact. The win not only gave Muhlenberg their first lost on the season, but it also put Johns Hopkins in sole possession of first place in the Centennial Conference with just two weeks to go in the season. Johns Hopkins is ranked No. 8 in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Muhlenberg dropped to No. 22.
The only other Top 25 team to fall this week was then-No.25 Mary-Hardin Baylor (Tex.), who lost to No. 19 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.), 24-14, dropping the Crusaders out of the poll. This opened the door for No. 25 Berry (Ga.) to enter the Top 25 for the first time this season after their 53-6 win over Hendrix (Ark.). The Vikings are 7-1 and in second place in the Southern Athletic Association.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Last Week Next Game
1 North Central (Ill.) (48) 8-0 1224 1 D. North Park (Ill.), 56-0 Nov. 4 vs. Illinois Wesleyan
2 Mount Union (Ohio) (1) 8-0 1173 2 D. Otterbein (Ohio), 51-14 Nov. 4 at No. 15 John Carroll (Ohio)
3 Wartburg (Iowa) 9-0 1120 3 D. Central (Iowa), 24-14 Nov. 4 at Nebraska Wesleyan
4 Linfield (Ore.) 7-0 1024 4 D. Pacific (Ore.), 42-27 Nov. 4 at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)
5 Trinity (Tex.) 7-1 986 5 D. Millsaps (Miss.), 63-0 Nov. 4 at Sewanee (Tenn.)
6 Wisconsin-Whitewater 7-1 958 6 D. Wisconsin-Platteville, 45-23 Nov. 4 at Wisconsin-Stevens Point
7 Wisconsin-La Crosse 7-1 909 8 D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 59-14 Nov. 4 at No. 10 Wisconsin-River Falls
8 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 8-0 903 7 D. No. 16 Muhlenberg (Pa.), 34-28 Nov. 4 at Dickinson (Pa.)
9 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 8-0 817 9 D. Washington & Lee (Va.), 35-12 Nov. 4 at Ferrum (Va.)
10 Wisconsin-River Falls 7-1 779 10 D. Wisconsin-Stout, 49-35 Nov. 4 vs. No. 7 Wisconsin-La Crosse
11 Aurora (Ill.) 8-0 724 11 D. Rockford (Ill.), 77-10 Nov. 4 vs. Lakeland (Wis.)
12 Susquehanna (Pa.) 9-0 688 12 D. Moravian (Pa.), 33-14 Nov. 11 vs. Lycoming (Pa.)
13 Wheaton (Ill.) 7-1 619 13 D. Millikin (Ill.), 75-0 Nov. 4 vs. Washington (Mo.)
14 Alma (Mich.) 8-0 577 14 D. Olivet (Mich.), 41-20 Nov. 4 at Adrian (Mich.)
15 John Carroll (Ohio) 7-1 549 15 D. Muskingum (Ohio), 42-13 Nov. 4 vs. No. 2 Mount Union (Ohio)
16 Ithaca (N.Y.) 7-1 457 17 D. Buffalo St. (N.Y.), 62-0 Nov. 4 at St. Lawrence (N.Y.)
17 Cortland (N.Y.) 7-1 413 18 D. Hartwick (N.Y.), 73-7 Nov. 4 vs. Brockport (N.Y.)
18 Endicott (Mass.) 7-1 342 19 D. Husson (Maine), 23-13 Nov. 4 vs. Curry (Mass.)
19 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 7-1 288 22 D. No. 25 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 24-14 Nov. 4 at Austin College (Tex.)
20 Grove City (Pa.) 9-0 275 21 D. Bethany (W.Va.), 56-14 Nov. 11 at Thiel (Pa.)
21 St. John’s (Minn.) 6-2 262 20 D. St. Scholastica (Minn.), 62-7 Nov. 4 at St. Olaf (Minn.)
22 Muhlenberg (Pa.) 7-1 230 16 Lost to No. 7 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 34-28 Nov. 4 vs. Franklin & Marshall (Pa.)
23 DePauw (Ind.) 9-0 183 23 D. Kenyon (Ohio), 58-7 Nov. 11 at Wabash (Ind.)
24 Delaware Valley (Pa.) 7-1 114 24 D. Stevenson (Md.), 21-14 Nov. 4 at Misericordia (Pa.)
25 Berry (Ga.) 7-1 99 NR D. Hendrix (Ark.), 53-6 Nov. 4 at Birmingham-Southern (Ala.)
Dropped out: Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Whitworth (Wash.), 77; Coe (Iowa), 43; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 24; Augustana (Ill.), 16; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 11; Utica (N.Y.), 10; Union (N.Y.), 9; Wisconsin-Platteville, 6; Brockport (N.Y.), 4; Belhaven (Miss.), 3; Rensselaer (N.Y.), 3; Lake Forest (Ill.), 2; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 2; Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 1; Widener (Pa.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
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The Top 25 matchup between Johns Hopkins (Md.) and Muhlenberg (Pa.) will go down as an instant classic. What started as a game winning field goal attempt with three seconds left ended as a game sealing touchdown run for Johns Hopkins in a 34-28 win. The Johns Hopkins’ field goal attempt was kicked low and blocked by their own offensive line so Blue Jay senior Will Leger scooped up the ball and scored on a 14-yard touchdown run, keeping the Blue Jays’ undefeated season intact. The win not only gave Muhlenberg their first lost on the season, but it also put Johns Hopkins in sole possession of first place in the Centennial Conference with just two weeks to go in the season. Johns Hopkins is ranked No. 8 in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Muhlenberg dropped to No. 22.
The only other Top 25 team to fall this week was then-No.25 Mary-Hardin Baylor (Tex.), who lost to No. 19 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.), 24-14, dropping the Crusaders out of the poll. This opened the door for No. 25 Berry (Ga.) to enter the Top 25 for the first time this season after their 53-6 win over Hendrix (Ark.). The Vikings are 7-1 and in second place in the Southern Athletic Association.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (48) | 8-0 | 1224 | 1 | D. North Park (Ill.), 56-0 | Nov. 4 vs. Illinois Wesleyan | |
| 2 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 8-0 | 1173 | 2 | D. Otterbein (Ohio), 51-14 | Nov. 4 at No. 15 John Carroll (Ohio) | |
| 3 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 9-0 | 1120 | 3 | D. Central (Iowa), 24-14 | Nov. 4 at Nebraska Wesleyan | |
| 4 | Linfield (Ore.) | 7-0 | 1024 | 4 | D. Pacific (Ore.), 42-27 | Nov. 4 at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) | |
| 5 | Trinity (Tex.) | 7-1 | 986 | 5 | D. Millsaps (Miss.), 63-0 | Nov. 4 at Sewanee (Tenn.) | |
| 6 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 7-1 | 958 | 6 | D. Wisconsin-Platteville, 45-23 | Nov. 4 at Wisconsin-Stevens Point | |
| 7 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 7-1 | 909 | 8 | D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 59-14 | Nov. 4 at No. 10 Wisconsin-River Falls | |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 8-0 | 903 | 7 | D. No. 16 Muhlenberg (Pa.), 34-28 | Nov. 4 at Dickinson (Pa.) | |
| 9 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 8-0 | 817 | 9 | D. Washington & Lee (Va.), 35-12 | Nov. 4 at Ferrum (Va.) | |
| 10 | Wisconsin-River Falls | 7-1 | 779 | 10 | D. Wisconsin-Stout, 49-35 | Nov. 4 vs. No. 7 Wisconsin-La Crosse | |
| 11 | Aurora (Ill.) | 8-0 | 724 | 11 | D. Rockford (Ill.), 77-10 | Nov. 4 vs. Lakeland (Wis.) | |
| 12 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 9-0 | 688 | 12 | D. Moravian (Pa.), 33-14 | Nov. 11 vs. Lycoming (Pa.) | |
| 13 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 7-1 | 619 | 13 | D. Millikin (Ill.), 75-0 | Nov. 4 vs. Washington (Mo.) | |
| 14 | Alma (Mich.) | 8-0 | 577 | 14 | D. Olivet (Mich.), 41-20 | Nov. 4 at Adrian (Mich.) | |
| 15 | John Carroll (Ohio) | 7-1 | 549 | 15 | D. Muskingum (Ohio), 42-13 | Nov. 4 vs. No. 2 Mount Union (Ohio) | |
| 16 | Ithaca (N.Y.) | 7-1 | 457 | 17 | D. Buffalo St. (N.Y.), 62-0 | Nov. 4 at St. Lawrence (N.Y.) | |
| 17 | Cortland (N.Y.) | 7-1 | 413 | 18 | D. Hartwick (N.Y.), 73-7 | Nov. 4 vs. Brockport (N.Y.) | |
| 18 | Endicott (Mass.) | 7-1 | 342 | 19 | D. Husson (Maine), 23-13 | Nov. 4 vs. Curry (Mass.) | |
| 19 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 7-1 | 288 | 22 | D. No. 25 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 24-14 | Nov. 4 at Austin College (Tex.) | |
| 20 | Grove City (Pa.) | 9-0 | 275 | 21 | D. Bethany (W.Va.), 56-14 | Nov. 11 at Thiel (Pa.) | |
| 21 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 6-2 | 262 | 20 | D. St. Scholastica (Minn.), 62-7 | Nov. 4 at St. Olaf (Minn.) | |
| 22 | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 7-1 | 230 | 16 | Lost to No. 7 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 34-28 | Nov. 4 vs. Franklin & Marshall (Pa.) | |
| 23 | DePauw (Ind.) | 9-0 | 183 | 23 | D. Kenyon (Ohio), 58-7 | Nov. 11 at Wabash (Ind.) | |
| 24 | Delaware Valley (Pa.) | 7-1 | 114 | 24 | D. Stevenson (Md.), 21-14 | Nov. 4 at Misericordia (Pa.) | |
| 25 | Berry (Ga.) | 7-1 | 99 | NR | D. Hendrix (Ark.), 53-6 | Nov. 4 at Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) | |
Dropped out: Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Whitworth (Wash.), 77; Coe (Iowa), 43; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 24; Augustana (Ill.), 16; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 11; Utica (N.Y.), 10; Union (N.Y.), 9; Wisconsin-Platteville, 6; Brockport (N.Y.), 4; Belhaven (Miss.), 3; Rensselaer (N.Y.), 3; Lake Forest (Ill.), 2; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 2; Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 1; Widener (Pa.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
