NAPERVILLE, Illinois – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team ended their 2022 campaign in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs with a 49-14 loss to North Central College Saturday in Naperville.
North Central took a lead at the 7:46 mark in the first quarter with a 16-yard touchdown throw from Luke Lehnen to Alec Wolff. A muffed kickoff gave the Cardinals the ball back at the Cru 32-yardline. The Cardinals capitalized on that with a seven-yard scoring punch from Ethan Greenfield to go up two scores.
The Crusader offense responded with a 61-yard drive, capped by a
Brandon Jordan 15-yard touchdown grab to cut the gap. North Central added one more first-half score on an eight-yard pass from Lehnen to Matt Quinn before King found
Brandon Jordan for a 32-yard scoring catch. The Cru drove late in the half but a blocked field goal held the Cardinal advantage at 21-14.
North Central opened the second half with a three-play, 44-yard scoring drive take a two-possession lead. The Cardinals added another score at the end of the third, scoring 14 unanswered points in the third quarter. North Central added two more fourth-quarter scores for the 49-14 win.
King went 19-for-38 for 247 yards and two scores.
K.J. Miller led the Cru with six receptions for 55 yards while
Brandon Jordan added five grabs for 79 yards. UMHB totaled 286 yards of offense on 67 total plays.
Durand Hill led the Cru with eight tackles while
Tommy Bowden added seven.
Johnny Smith-Rider had a team-high two tackles for loss while Bowden added one. Hill,
Titus Dunk and
Trashawn Adams each added pass breakups in the contest. North Central totaled 468 yards on 64 plays with 294 yards on the ground.
UMHB advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs for the eighth time in program history. UMHB went 12-2 under first-year head coach
Larry Harmon. North Central advances to their third consecutive NCAA Division III National Championship game. The Cardinals won it all in 2019 and fell to the Cru in last's years Stagg Bowl.
