For the first time in their storied 114-year rivalry, the St. Thomas and St. John’s football teams will try to keep their seasons alive when they battle in the second round of the NCAA playoffs Saturday afternoon at O’Shaughnessy Stadium.
A 12-7 home loss to Bethel in the 2010 national quarterfinals was the last time the No. 4-ranked Tommies (11-0 overall, 8-0 conference) squared off against a MIAC opponent in the postseason. This is the first time the 10th-ranked Johnnies (10-1 overall, 7-1 conference) have a chance to end a conference foes’ season. Wide receiver Nick Waldvogel is treating Saturday just like any other playoff game.
“It’s a very significant game, just like any other in the playoffs. I’m just excited for the energy and atmosphere on Saturday,” Waldvogel said. “As a player, this is one of the big reasons I came to UST; to play in championship-type games against worthy teams.”
In front of a Division III-record crowd of 17,327 in the regular season, both squads battled to a scoreless first quarter before heading into halftime knotted up 7-7. St. Thomas exploded in the second half, scoring three consecutive rushing touchdowns and icing the 35-14 victory on a 40-yard rushing score by running back Jordan Roberts.
The first highly anticipated Tommie-Johnnie contest could be considered Roberts’ breakout performance. He chalked up 230 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries. This started a string of eight straight games of 100 rushing yards or more for the junior. The Tommies finished with 338 yards as a team, with running back Jack Kaiser chipping in 67 yards and a touchdown. Waldvogel said the team “stuck to what was working, pounding the football.”
“As with anyone on the team, we just expect each other to perform when called upon,” Waldvogel said. “In the first game, the run game was called upon. However, with the talent that we have at each position, opposing teams need to prepare for a balanced attack.”
Through the air, quarterback John Gould accumulated all of St. Thomas’ 76 passing yards, completing nine of 22 throws. He also threw an interception midway through the second quarter. A crucial component of the offense that was missing from the passing game from the first contest was wide receiver Jack Gilliland. After getting back its most dangerous deep threat, synergy between Gould and the wide receiving core is clicking on all cylinders at the most pivotal point of the season.
“I think that the key has been great play calling by the coaches and development of the chemistry between the wide receivers and John Gould,” Waldvogel said. “In the last couple weeks we’ve been meshing well, and hopefully we can continue that on Saturday.”
Gould threw for 310 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception in St. Thomas’ 57-14 victory over La Verne in the first round of the national playoffs. Tight end Charlie Dowdle had a team-high 113 receiving yards and one touchdown on six catches. Waldvogel, the most prolific Tommie pass catcher this season, hauled in 110 receiving yards on four catches. This was the second time Gould surpassed 300 yards; the senior had 335 yards against Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the first game of the season.
Saint John’s also completed an impressive feat of its own last week. The Johnnies defeated DuBuque for a second time this season with a 51-7 victory over the Spartans. Quarterback Nick Martin accumulated 257 yards through the air with four passing touchdowns on 17-of-26 throwing. Martin threw for 252 yards and two interceptions and was sacked four times in the Tommie-Johnnie regular season matchup. Linebacker Tim McClanahan said Martin keeps his cool under pressure, which makes him dangerous.
“As the quarterback he’s obviously a key part of their offense,” McClanahan said. “I played against him in high school as well, and the biggest attribute he brings is good decision-making and a calmness that helps keep their offense running smoothly.”
Dubuque held Johnnie running back Sam Sura, the reigning MIAC Player of the Year, to 85 yards and no scores on 15 carries. But the senior snagged three catches for 60 yards and one touchdown. This was the third time all season that Sura failed to reach the century mark on the ground. He recorded 74 yards against St. Thomas and was held to 96 yards against Carleton just two weeks ago. Sura finished the regular season seventh in the nation in rushing yards (1,560) and fifth in rushing touchdowns (23). McClanahan said team tackling will be a key factor in stopping Sura.
“Sura is a really tough runner who is going to break arm tackles and gets a lot of yards after contact,” McClanahan said. “We have to have strong physical tackles and have everyone running to the football to get in on the tackles and push the pile backwards.”
St. John’s holds the upper hand in the all-time series with a 51-32-1 record, but St. Thomas is 4-0 in the second round of the national playoffs in Caruso’s tenure. A 21-3 triumph over Whitworth University (Washington) in 2006 was the last time the Johnnies won in the second round. They eventually lost 17-14 to NCAA runner-up Wisconsin-Whitewater in the next round that same year.
The field will be littered Saturday with some of the best talent the MIAC has to offer. The matchup includes 30 All-MIAC players from both squads, including 10 on the defensive side of the ball. Caruso is thankful for this game and called it a “blessing.”
“It’s very difficult for me to explain exactly how exciting this opportunity is and put that in words,” Caruso said. “A lot of people have played this game for a lot of years, and we’re the only group to have the opportunity that we have.”
Jesse Krull can be reached at krul7386@stthomas.edu.