Johns Hopkins will take a 1-4 overall record and a 0-2 Centennial Conference mark to Ursinus for the 68th meeting between the programs. The Bears enter the matchup at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while Johns Hopkins will play its third consecutive game on the road.
The game will also be the 150th as a member of the Johns Hopkins football program for head coach Dan Wodicka. Wodicka played in 45 games for Johns Hopkins from 2010-13, served as an assistant coach for 71 games, and will coach his 34th game as the Blue Jays’ head coach.
Johns Hopkins Football Faces Unbeaten Ursinus Bears
Johns Hopkins dropped its fourth consecutive game, 21-0, at Carnegie Mellon last Saturday in Pittsburgh. Ursinus most recently earned a 40-14 road victory against McDaniel College.
Johns Hopkins is not ranked in the AFCA or D3football.com polls this week, while Ursinus is receiving votes in both polls.
Luke Baker Leads the Johns Hopkins Offense
Junior quarterback Luke Baker has completed 107 of 185 passes for 1,171 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions through five games. He also has 176 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Baker ranks second in the Centennial Conference in passing yards per game at 234.2 and leads the league in total offense per game at 269.4 yards. His 37 completions at Randolph-Macon rank third in Johns Hopkins single-game history, behind David Tammaro’s 42 completions at Washington & Lee in 2017 and Hewitt Tomlin’s 39 completions at Gettysburg in 2011.
Johns Hopkins has received production from several pass catchers. Robbie Enright has 22 receptions for 244 yards and three touchdowns, Alex Orecchio has 16 receptions for 242 yards and one touchdown, and Jaeger Krauss has 20 receptions for 259 yards and two touchdowns through four games played. Freshman running back Cooper Powell has added 17 receptions through five games.
Blue Jays Defensive Standouts
Senior Justin Scully leads Johns Hopkins with 53 tackles through five games. He also has one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup. He recorded a career-high 15 tackles against Susquehanna.
Kevin Olah has 24 tackles, seven pass breakups, and one interception through five games. His 46-yard interception return at Randolph-Macon set up the Blue Jays’ second touchdown of that game.
Sophomore Cole Stup recorded a career-high 15 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss at Carnegie Mellon. Through five games, he has 34 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Johns Hopkins Football History and Road Record
Johns Hopkins is playing its 141st season of football after first fielding a team in 1882. The program enters the game with an all-time record of 621-498-57 (.552), 17 Centennial Conference titles, and 14 NCAA Playoff appearances.
The Blue Jays are 30-10 in their last 40 road games dating to the start of the 2019 season. Johns Hopkins is 58-15 on the road dating to the start of the 2013 season.
The trip to Ursinus marks only the fifth time this century that Johns Hopkins has played three consecutive road games in a season. The Blue Jays last did so in the first three games of the 2010 season, when they played at Randolph-Macon, Gettysburg, and Moravian.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Johns Hopkins faces an unbeaten Ursinus team while attempting to end a four-game losing streak. Baker’s production gives the Blue Jays an important offensive presence, but Johns Hopkins will need strong defensive performances from Scully, Olah, and Stup to compete.
Wodicka’s 150th game with the program adds a notable milestone to a Centennial Conference matchup between teams entering in very different positions. Johns Hopkins’ recent road record offers useful context, but the Blue Jays will have to overcome their current record and recent results to earn a conference victory.
Source: Original report
