WESTMINSTER, Md. - Carnegie Mellon scored two special teams touchdowns and had four passing touchdowns in a 52-14 victory over the McDaniel College football team Saturday on Rembert Field at Kenneth R. Gill Stadium on Homecoming.
The Green Terror (1-3, 0-1 CC) got off to a rough start in its Centennial Conference opener, trailing 21-0 midway through the first quarter. Two of the Tartan's touchdowns came via special teams off blocked punts that were recovered and returned for touchdowns by the visitors.
Despite the early deficit, McDaniel would cook up some special teams magic of their own. With 6:02 remaining in the opening quarter, first-year punter
Jacob Bone executed a fake punt with a 56-yard pass to
Jacob Wagner on 4th-and-2 from the Green Terror 33-yard line.
On the next play, sophomore
Jason St. Leger scored on an 11-yard run with 5:21 left, capping a 5-play, 75-yard drive.
St. Leger led McDaniel offensively with 10 carries for 76 yards for an average of over seven yards per carry.
Trailing 21-7, to begin the second quarter, sophomore
Cordae James scored on a 1-yard run to cap a 5-play, 80-yard drive to pull the Green Terror within one score, 21-14.
However, Carnegie Mellon (2-2, 1-0 CC) responded with a nearly eight minute drive that resulted in a 22-yard field goal to put the visitors in front 24-14 at halftime.
The field goal marked the first of 31 unanswered points for the visitors who scored 14 points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth.
Jackson Salters completed 21-of-30 passes for 237 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Tartans, helping them overcome three turnovers. Brendan McCullough had seven receptions for 139 yards and three touchdowns.
Sophomore
David Smith had two interceptions for the Green Terror Terror defense while sophomore
Lincoln Wendell had a team-high eight tackles, including one for loss and a forced fumble.
McDaniel finished with 92 yards rushing and two touchdowns while sophomore
Caleb Wray had 61 yards passing in his first collegiate start.
The Green Terror host Ursinus next Saturday, October 10 for a 1 p.m. kickoff inside Gill Stadium.
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