MATCHUP Mount Union vs. Bridgewater

Records: Mount Union 12-0, Bridgewater 12-1.
What: NCAA Division III playoff semifinal.
When: Noon Saturday.
Where: Mount Union Stadium in Alliance.
Scouting report: Mount Union and Bridgewater will be meeting for the second time, the Purple Raiders winning the first time in the 2001 Stagg Bowl, 30-27. Mount Union, three-time defending national champion coached by Larry Kehres (203-17-3, 18th season), is coming off a 56-10 defeat of Wheaton (Ill.) last Saturday in a quarterfinal. Bridgewater, coached by Michael Clark (56-42-1, ninth season), advanced with a 13-9 win over Lycoming Sunday. The MUC-Bridgewater winner will advance to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the national championship Dec. 23 in Salem, Va., against the winner of Saturday's other semifinal between Rensselaer Poly Institute of New York (11-1) and St. John's of Minnesota (12-0). Mount Union, a seven-time national champion, is in the playoffs for the 12th straight year, and is riding the nation's longest current winning streak at 54 games. The 54-game streak also tied college football's all-time record for consecutive victories that was set by the Purple Raiders from 1996-99. MUC has won 107 of its last 108 games. The Purple Raiders are led by junior QB Zac Bruney, who has completed 136-of-213 passes for 2,356 yards and 26 touchdowns with five interceptions, and senior QB Jesse Burghardt with 64-for-92 for 1,152 yards and 14 TDs with four interceptions. The leading receivers are seniors Randell Knapp and Nick Sirianni. Knapp has 63 catches for a 21.7-yard average and 13 TDs, while Sirianni has 37 receptions for a 20.6-yard average and 10 TDs. The top rushers are junior RB Rick Ciccone with 727 yards in 157 carries and 10 TDs, and RB Jeff Strauch with 462 yards in 88 attempts and six TDs. Ciccone was shelved last week with a hip injury sustained in the first playoff game against Wisconsin-La Crosse. Key defensive players are MLB Shaun Spisak with 106 tackles, T Antoine Dillard with 68 tackles, including 12 for losses and four sacks; S Matt Caponi (57 tackles, five interceptions and 11 pass breakups), CB Mike Miller (50 tackles and eight pass breakups) and OLB Andrew Frate (49 tackles with 14 tackles for losses, three sacks and two interceptions), and end Johnny Josef (38 tackles, 13 tackles for losses and eight sacks). Bridgewater is led by QB Brandon Wakefield (158-for-309, 2,202 yards, 21 TDs, 10 interceptions), and RBs Marcus Washington (864 yards, 124 attempts, 7 TDs) and Robert Matthews (487 yards, 66 attempts, 4 TDs). Wakefield also is the Eagles' fifth-leading rusher (352 yards, 94 attempts, 8 TDs). Top receivers are wide-outs Nicholas Lehto (39 receptions, 19.7-yard average, 5 TDs), Douglas Napier (25 receptions, 13.8-yard average, 2 TDs) and Brian Awkard (22 receptions, 15.0-yard average, 5 TDs. The defensive leader is LB Jermaine Taylor (103 tackles, 20 tackles for losses, 5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries). Other defensive standouts are LB Gary Nelson (55 tackles, 19 tackles for losses, 6 sacks), safety Jeremy Bradshaw (46 tackles, 12 tackles for losses, 4 interceptions), DB Adrian Herndon (49 tackles, 3 interceptions, 9 pass breakups) and CB Steward White (18 tackles and 13 pass breakups).
Scouting report: Mount Union and Bridgewater will be meeting for the second time, the Purple Raiders winning the first time in the 2001 Stagg Bowl, 30-27. Mount Union, three-time defending national champion coached by Larry Kehres (203-17-3, 18th season), is coming off a 56-10 defeat of Wheaton (Ill.) last Saturday in a quarterfinal. Bridgewater, coached by Michael Clark (56-42-1, ninth season), advanced with a 13-9 win over Lycoming Sunday. The MUC-Bridgewater winner will advance to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the national championship Dec. 23 in Salem, Va., against the winner of Saturday's other semifinal between Rensselaer Poly Institute of New York (11-1) and St. John's of Minnesota (12-0). Mount Union, a seven-time national champion, is in the playoffs for the 12th straight year, and is riding the nation's longest current winning streak at 54 games. The 54-game streak also tied college football's all-time record for consecutive victories that was set by the Purple Raiders from 1996-99. MUC has won 107 of its last 108 games. The Purple Raiders are led by junior QB Zac Bruney, who has completed 136-of-213 passes for 2,356 yards and 26 touchdowns with five interceptions, and senior QB Jesse Burghardt with 64-for-92 for 1,152 yards and 14 TDs with four interceptions. The leading receivers are seniors Randell Knapp and Nick Sirianni. Knapp has 63 catches for a 21.7-yard average and 13 TDs, while Sirianni has 37 receptions for a 20.6-yard average and 10 TDs. The top rushers are junior RB Rick Ciccone with 727 yards in 157 carries and 10 TDs, and RB Jeff Strauch with 462 yards in 88 attempts and six TDs. Ciccone was shelved last week with a hip injury sustained in the first playoff game against Wisconsin-La Crosse. Key defensive players are MLB Shaun Spisak with 106 tackles, T Antoine Dillard with 68 tackles, including 12 for losses and four sacks; S Matt Caponi (57 tackles, five interceptions and 11 pass breakups), CB Mike Miller (50 tackles and eight pass breakups) and OLB Andrew Frate (49 tackles with 14 tackles for losses, three sacks and two interceptions), and end Johnny Josef (38 tackles, 13 tackles for losses and eight sacks). Bridgewater is led by QB Brandon Wakefield (158-for-309, 2,202 yards, 21 TDs, 10 interceptions), and RBs Marcus Washington (864 yards, 124 attempts, 7 TDs) and Robert Matthews (487 yards, 66 attempts, 4 TDs). Wakefield also is the Eagles' fifth-leading rusher (352 yards, 94 attempts, 8 TDs). Top receivers are wide-outs Nicholas Lehto (39 receptions, 19.7-yard average, 5 TDs), Douglas Napier (25 receptions, 13.8-yard average, 2 TDs) and Brian Awkard (22 receptions, 15.0-yard average, 5 TDs. The defensive leader is LB Jermaine Taylor (103 tackles, 20 tackles for losses, 5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries). Other defensive standouts are LB Gary Nelson (55 tackles, 19 tackles for losses, 6 sacks), safety Jeremy Bradshaw (46 tackles, 12 tackles for losses, 4 interceptions), DB Adrian Herndon (49 tackles, 3 interceptions, 9 pass breakups) and CB Steward White (18 tackles and 13 pass breakups).
Radio-TV: WBBW-AM 1240, WRMU-FM 91.1, WDPN-AM 1310, (55) (Cleveland, taped, aired 11 p.m. Saturday), (52) (Canton, taped, aired 1 p.m. Sunday).