Oct 21, 2023
(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team hosted the Presidents of Washington & Jefferson College on Saturday night at Gesling Stadium. Sophomore Will Bouma rushed for a program best five touchdowns to lift the Tartans to a 35-14 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory.
Game Information
Carnegie Mellon 35, W&J 14
Records: Carnegie Mellon (7-1, 7-1 PAC), W&J (5-2, 5-2 PAC)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Gesling Stadium)
How it Happened
- The Tartans took a 6-0 lead with 6:38 left on the clock in the first quarter on a 1-yard run by Bouma. The score was set up following a 19-yard interception return by senior Aryan Hegde to give the Cardinal and Gray the ball on the W&J 25-yard line.
- Bouma doubled the Tartans lead a little over two minutes later on a 55-yard run from the wildcat formation.
- W&J wasted little time answering. On their first snap from scrimmage on the next drive, Jacob Pugh connected with Jacob Macosko on a 67-yard touchdown, making the score 12-7.
- The Tartans struck again before the close of the first quarter when Bouma capped off a seven-play, 94-yard drove with a 1-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 18-7 with 1:09 on the clock.
- Another interception set up Bouma's fourth touchdown run early in the second quarter. Senior Adrian Williams interception gave Carnegie Mellon the ball at the Presidents 17-yard line and five plays later Bouma took it in from the 4-yard line as the scoreboard read 25-7 at the 13:22 mark of the second quarter.
- Before the end of the half, Bouma recorded his school record fifth touchdown on a 70-yard run that left the score 32-7 at the half.
- With 12 minutes left in the game Pugh connected for a second touchdown strike to Macosko, this time from 51 yards out.
- The scoring was capped off with 3:59 to play when sophomore Justin Caputo connected on a 39-yard field to make the score 35-14.
Stats
- The Presidents outgained the Tartans 403-371, but the Tartans ground attack recorded 265 yards while was held to 88 yards on the ground.
- Bouma ended the game with a career-high 149 yards and five touchdowns on 19 carries for an average of 7.8 yards per carry.
- Senior Tre Vasiliadis ended the game with 101 yards on 23 carries.
- The Tartans defense forced three turnovers while the Cardinal and Gray committed only one.
- Senior Robert Coury had a team-high eight tackles, five solo, a half sack and 2.5 tackles for loss while adding two quarterback hurries.
- Senior Thomas Coury finished the game with seven tackles, four solo, and a sack.
- Pugh led the W&J offense with 315 yards passing on 17-of-36 and two touchdowns while throwing three interceptions.
- Macosko finished with five catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns to lead all receivers for W&J.
- Defensively, Tanner Volpatti and Justion Johns had 12 tackles each for the Presidents.
Game Notes
- This was the 72nd meeting between the two institutions with Carnegie Mellon leading the all-time series 36-31-5.
- It marked the fourth straight win for the Tartans in the series.
- It was Bouma's third career game rushing for 100 yards in a game and the 11th career time for Vasiliadis.
- The last time two Tartans rushed for 100 yards in a contest was in 2011 in a 34-14 victory at Kenyon. Patrick Blanks finished with 145 yards on 12 carries and Jake Nardone rushed 17 times for 126 yards.
- Robert Coury is tied for third in program history with 263 tackles for his career.
- The Tartans have now won 19 straight games when winning the turnover battle.
- The Tartans have won 35 straight games when leading after three quarters of play.
- It was the sixth time this season the Tartans have held and opponent under 100 yards on the ground.
Thoughts From Head Coach Ryan Larsen
- "I'm incredibly proud of our entire team! So many guys stepped up in all three phases of the game, to make that win happen. We came out in the first half and fired on all cylinders against a really good W&J team which was a point of emphasis for us, and our guys answered! We will look forward to getting better during the bye week, and then return to the field against a really good Westminster team."
Up Next
- Carnegie Mellon will be idle next Saturday before heading to Westminster College on Saturday, November 4. Kick is set for 1:00 p.m.