Oilers Escape With 25-20 Football Win over Eagles
October 26, 2002

Complete Game Stats

The Ashland University football team used a Hull of a performance and a chip off a new Block to scare the daylights out of the Findlay Oilers Saturday (Oct. 26) at Community Stadium. Unfortunately for the Eagles, these Oilers have found ways to strike it rich, even when all odds are against them. That happened again on Saturday.

Jeremy Smith capped an 8-play, 70-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run with 35 seconds left in regulation as Findlay (7-1/6-1 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) came from behind to nip Ashland (2-7/2-6), 25-20.

Findlay’s winning drive took just 1:03 and wiped out a 20-17 Ashland lead. Smith’s 1-yard dive was set up by a 53-yard pass from quarterback Jeff Fraser to wideout Ty Rhoad. The Eagles had taken the lead with 1:38 to play on sophomore quarterback John Szabo’s 5-yard scoring pass to sophomore H-back Jason Schwalm.

AU sophomore wide receiver Michael Hull set a school single-game record with 14 catches. He had 189 receiving yards. Hull has also tied the school single-season record for receptions (60). Hull’s 14 catches eclipses Eugene White’s 11-catch day against Grand Valley State in 1999. He has 60 catches, which ties him with Bob Rosati (1972).

Szabo ended the afternoon 27-of-48 for 306 yards and two touchdowns. He also put his name into the record book. Szabo has 164 completions this year and that’s a school single-season record, passing Mark Molk (162, 1998).

Szabo’s arm got extra work, in large part, because AU senior tailback J.R. McCoy left the game in the first half with an injury. McCoy had 25 yards on nine carries. In his place the Eagles inserted freshman tailback William Block. He more than held his own, cutting through the Oilers for 62 yards on 22 carries. Block didn’t spend a lot of time running left and right. He went right at the Oilers, often bulling through the middle of the line.

Rhoad led the Oilers by catching six passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. Fraser finished 24-of-38 for 253 yards with one touchdown.

“It was a crazy game,” said AU head coach Gary Keller. “We had our opportunities to win this game, clearly. We just broke down on that long pass. I felt we were in the right defense.”

Findlay controlled the early part of the game. With 4:34 left in the first quarter, UF’s Andy Campbell kicked a 24-yard field goal to give the visitors a 3-0 advantage. Then with 12:46 left in the first half, Rhoad caught a 48-yard scoring pass from Fraser. That capped an 8-play, 80-yard trip. Campbell’s PAT put the Oilers in front, 10-0.

The Eagles narrowed the gap to 10-7 when Szabo found Hull with a 9-yard TD pass 52 seconds before halftime. The Eagles then turned to redshirt freshman kicker Austin Wellock. His 23-yard field goal with 8:45 left in the third quarter tied the game at 10 and his 20-yard field goal with 13:25 remaining in regulation gave the Eagles their first lead, 13-10. Wellock, the GLIAC leader in field goals per game, has connected on 15 of 16 field goal tries.

It didn’t take the Oilers long to regain the lead. They took Wellock’s kickoff and moved 58 yards in six plays to go in front, 17-13. Fraser ended that drive with a 9-yard TD run. Campbell’s kick put Findlay in front, 20-17.

That set the stage for an AU drive that consumed 5:22. That possession lasted 19 plays, covered 95 yards and ended with Schwalm’s first career TD catch. That drive was kept alive by one of the most exciting – and surprising - plays of the season. On a fourth-and-five play from the AU40, the Eagles lined up in punt formation. The snap went to upback Toby Stepsis, a defensive back and former high school quarterback, who completed a 17-yard pass to senior defensive end Dave Catanese. Later in the drive, AU converted two other fourth-down plays. On a fourth-and-seven play from the Findlay 30, Szabo found senior wideout Kevin McMahon for eight yards. Then on a fourth-and-13 play from the Oiler 25, Szabo hooked up with Hull for 20 yards and a first down.

“There were a lot of good things that we did,” said Keller. “Our special teams contributed to that. I felt it (fake punt) was there most of the day. We just waited, waited, waited for the right opportunity. I felt that maybe we waited too long, I thought maybe they were ready for it. Toby made a nice throw and Dave Catanese made a nice catch.”

Findlay then went ahead for good on Smith’s TD run with 35 seconds remaining. Ashland blocked Campbell’s PAT kick, but the Oilers recovered the ball in the end zone for a safety and a 25-20 final.

Ashland was able to contain Findlay tailback Robert Campbell, holding him to 77 yards on 21 carries. Campbell came into the game third in the nation in rushing, averaging 142.3 ypg.

NOTES FROM THE NEST: Ashland led in total yardage, 388-385. Freshman linebacker Brady Miller had another strong game with a team-high 13 tackles (11 solo) with an interception and a pass breakup. Junior strong safety Aaron O’Reilly was in on nine tackles (six solo) with an interception and a pass breakup. Szabo was sacked four times while AU, second in the league in sacks, never brought Fraser down behind the line of scrimmage…this was Findlay’s second consecutive win at Community Stadium. Saturday was Senior Day at Community Stadium and the seniors were honored prior to kickoff. AU ends this year 1-4 at home…Findlay came into the game first in the league in time of possession, but AU led on the clock, 33:18-26:42. Look for the Oilers to move forward in the region rankings. They were ranked fourth, but Saginaw Valley State, ranked, second, lost at Ferris State Saturday…AU visits Indianapolis next Saturday (Nov. 2).