(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team hosted 22nd-ranked Washington & Jefferson College on Saturday in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) showdown and topped the Presidents 27-11. The win marks the fifth straight over a ranked opponent and moves the Tartans record to 7-2 overall and 7-1 in PAC play while W&J is now 7-2, 6-2.
The Tartans are now in the driver's seat to claim at least a share of the PAC title and the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs with a win next week against Case Western Reserve.
Carnegie Mellon totaled 310 yards of offense to W&J's 303. The Tartans limited the Presidents to 15 yards of total offense in the second quarter while the home team scored three touchdowns and racked up 116 yards of offense. For the sixth straight game, Carnegie Mellon held their opponent to under 50 yards rushing, as W&J ran for 25 yards.
The Cardinal and Gray's defense recorded a school record 9.0 sacks breaking the old mark set in 2016 when they had 8.0 against Bethany. Sophomore Robert Coury (Phillipsburg N.J./Phillipsburg) led with a career-high 2.5 sacks. Senior Noah Castor (Ewing, N.J./Ewing), junior Ben Coyne (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) and sophomore Kevin Cooke (Glen Ellyn, Ill./IC Catholic Prep) each had 1.5.
Sophomore Thomas Coury (Phillipsburg N.J./Phillipsburg) led the Tartans with a career-high 16 tackles, nine solo, added a 0.5 sack and blocked a punt. Robert Coury also turned in double-digit tackles with 12, seven solo.
Sophomore Tre Vasiliadis (Great Falls, Va./Langley), the PAC leading rusher, carried the ball 28 times for 118 yards and a touchdown. It was his fourth 100-yard game of the season and he now has 929 yards on the year. Sophomore Ben Mills (The Woodland, Taxes/Woodlands) threw for 184 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Senior Kris Hughes (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) recorded a career-high 125 yards receiving on six receptions and had two touchdowns in the win.
On the Tartans first play from scrimmage, Mills found Hughes on a 75-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. The point-after attempt was blocked and left the score 6-0 1:13 into the game.
The Presidents answered with a 14-play, 66-yard that took 6:17 off the clock, but settled for a 28-yard from Sean Disbrow. The field goal made the score 6-3 with 7:24 ro play in the first quarter.
Vasiliadis made the score 13-3 with a 2-yard run midway through the second quarter. The score capped off an 11-play, 70-yard drive.
Carnegie Mellon extended its lead to 20-3 with four minutes to play in the half when Thomas Coury broke through the line and blocked Jacob Sarver's punt and then picked the rock up in the endzone for the score.
A second Mills to Hughes touchdown strike ended the scoring at 27-3 for the first half. The score was a 5-yard pass that finished off a seven-play, 44-yard drive.
Just Heacock found Andrew Wolf for a 16-yard touchdown with 5:050 to play in the third quarter. Heacock then connected with Joey Koroly on the two-point conversion to cut the Tartans lead to 27-11.
Carnegie Mellon will conclude its regular season on Saturday, November 13. The Tartans will entertain Case Western Reserve University in the 35th Annual Academic Bowl at Gesling Stadium. Kick is set for 1:00 p.m.