BALTIMORE, MD (October 30, 2021) -- The Susquehanna University football team pulled to within one score at 24-17 in the third quarter, but No. 20 Johns Hopkins University scored the final 14 points of the game to hand the No. 18 River Hawks its first loss of the 2021 season with a 38-17 defeat in action from Homewood Field Saturday in Centennial Conference play. 

The loss snapped a 15-game win streak for the River Hawks (7-1, 6-1 Centennial Conference), which hadn't lost in regulation since the 2018 season when SU fell to Moravian College 21-18 on October 6, 2018. The victory by Johns Hopkins University (7-1, 6-1 Centennial) placed SU, JHU and Muhlenberg College into a three-way tie atop the conference standings with two weeks to play. 

It was a slow start for Susquehanna, as Johns Hopkins scored the game's first 24 points as Danny Wolf posted three rushing touchdowns aroudn a Kyle Battles field goal to make it 24-0 with 9:45 to go in the first half. SU would get on the board with 2:52 to play in the second quarter, finishing a 13-play drive over 6:53 with a seven-yard touchdown pass from senior Michael Ruisch to Kyle Good. SU would get the ball back and Elijah Hoffman finished the first-half with a 30-yard field goal to make it 24-10 at the break. 

After the intermission, Susquehanna kicked off but got the ball back after two plays thanks to Edwin Maxwell forcing a fumble which was recovered by senior Craig Roumes at the Hopkins 30. Three plays later, Ruisch would take it in himself from 12-yards out to make it 24-17 with 12:59 to go in the third quarter. On the ensuing drive, JHU used a big 34-yard pass from Ryan Stevens to Harrison Wellmann to take the momentum back, scoring at the 10:18 mark of the third quarter as Wolf took it in from two yards out. 

JHU's defense would force another fumble on the next River Hawk drive, and Stevens hit Quinn Revere for a five-yard score to make it 38-17. SU had three drives in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get much going as the Blue Jays held on for the victory. The tale of the game was turnovers, as the River Hawks lost the turnover battle for the first time in 2021 5-2, as the Blue Jays outscored SU in points off turnovers 25-7. JHU outgained Susquehanna 417-272 on the afternoon. 

Junior Frankie Negrini rushed for 96 yards on the game for Susquehanna on 17 carries, while Ruisch finished with 58 yards on the ground. Ruisch was also 18-for-30 for 158 yards through the air, as Samuel Darrell finished with 34 yards on five grabs. Eddie Nugent also finished with four catches for 55 yards, and Good finished with 37 yards receiving and the score. Roumes finished with a team-high nine tackesl, while first-year Andrew Wells tallied eight stops as well. David Gilchrist posted seven tackles, and Aaron Beverly had six stops, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Riley Gaughan had two sacks and six stops as well for Susquehanna. 

Stevens threw for 268 yards and a score, and Wolf finished with four rushing touchdowns and 140 yards on the ground for JHU. 

Up Next

• Susquehanna will host No. 7 Muhlenberg College Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., November 6, for Senior Day on Amos Alonzo Stagg Field in Doug Arthur Stadium. 

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