ASHLAND — The Eagles are headed to the Sweet 16.
Fourth-seeded Ashland University overcame two first-quarter turnovers and rallied for a 20-13 win over fifth-seeded Notre Dame in a Super Region One first-round playoff game Saturday at Jack Miller Stadium.
The postseason victory was the third in program history and first since 2017 for the Eagles (10-1). AU will play at top-seeded Indiana (Pa.) University in the super region semifinals on Nov. 26.
“I’m really proud of these guys. They’re in elite company of teams to win postseason games,” AU coach Lee Owens said. “I don’t think they are satisfied with that. To advance in this tournament has been a goal of this group since the start of the season and we get a chance to do that.”
Notre Dame (9-3) took advantage of an early interception to grab a 3-0 lead with 10:38 remaining in the first quarter. The Eagles lost a fumble on their next possession, but the Falcons went three-and-out and AU trailed 3-0 after the opening quarter.
“I thought that was really big,” Owens said. “Two turnovers in pretty good field possession and to hold them to a field goal.”
Ashland tied the score early in the second quarter on A.J. Rhodes’ 28-yard field goal. The Eagles took a 10-3 lead with 5:10 remaining in the second quarter when quarterback Austin Brenner scrambled for a 5-yard touchdown run.
Brenner’s TD run was set up by a Jourdan Swett interception.
“I was going to make the tackle and (the Notre Dame receiver) didn’t have it fully secured,” Swett said. “I just made the most of the opportunity.”
Notre Dame trimmed Ashland’s advantage to 10-6 midway through the third quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Cameron Shirkey.
Ashland took the ensuing possession and marched 75 yards on seven plays. Brenner capped the drive when he hooked up with Garrett Turnbaugh on a 12-yard scoring strike to back corner of the end zone, giving the Eagles a 17-6 lead with 4:23 remaining in the third quarter.
“To be able to make it a two-score game at that point and respond after they had gotten a field goal was big,” Brenner said. “We were just trying to do our part on the offensive side of the ball.”
Brenner completed a 26-yard pass to Logan Bolin early in the drive. Larry Martin picked up 30 yards on the ground.
“I told the guys I thought that drive was the biggest drive of the year,” Owens said. “(Brenner) threw a great route on the play-action jet to Logan and finished it with the corner route (to Turnbaugh).”
Notre Dame struck early in the fourth quarter when back-up quarterback Isaiah Murphy tossed an 8-yard TD pass to tight end C.J. Kiss to cut Ashland’s lead to 17-13. Murphy came on in relief of Chris Brimm, who was injured late in the third quarter and did not return.
“When you have a quarterback who has been the guy for six years (get injured), you never know where it’s going to go,” Notre Dame coach Garrett Mack said. “Hat’s off to our offense for putting stuff together. I think it shows how they’ve grown over the course of the year.”
Ashland took a 20-13 lead when Rhodes booted career-long 44-yard field goal in difficult, swirling wind with 9:21 left in the game. The score capped a six-play, 16-yard drive.
“Special teams were big today,” Owens said. “How about A.J. Rhodes? In that wind, in that scenario, those three points were so big.”
Notre Dame marched deep into Ashland territory on its ensuing possession, but on fourth-and-six from the AU 10, Murphy was sacked by AU’s Jeffrey Barnett for a 10-yard loss and a turnover on downs.
AU took possession at its own 20-yard line with 2:44 remaining but couldn’t move the chains. Trevor Bycznski punted the ball away, but Notre Dame return man Antoine Holloway fumbled after being hit by AU special teams ace Jake McLoughlin. Ashland’s Nabil Abdus-Salaam recovered the ball with 55 seconds left and Ashland killed the clock with a couple of Brenner kneel-downs.
Brenner completed 7-of-15 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown in adverse weather conditions, while running for 47 yards and a TD. Martin rushed for 135 yards on 25 carries, while Gei’vonni Washington returned from nagging injuries to run for 42 yards on 11 carries. Bolin caught five passes for 43 yards. Defensively, Swett led the Eagles with 12 tackles and an interception.
Idris Lawrence rushed for 115 yards on 24 carries for Notre Dame. Brimm completed 8-of-17 passes for 112 yards, while Murphy was 6-for-8 for 61 yards and a TD.
