ALLIANCE -- In 1998, when the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor fielded a football team for the first

ALLIANCE -- In 1998, when the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor fielded a football team for the first time, it could only dream of an opportunity like it had Saturday.
The mere thought of playing seven-time Division III national champion Mount Union was enough to wish for a long winter's nap where dreams never meet reality.
On Saturday at Mount Union Stadium, the Crusaders finally woke up. And as exhilarating as the dream was, reality is infinitely better.
Mary Hardin-Baylor rallied from a 35-21 deficit to score 17 points in the fourth quarter and knock off mighty Mount Union 38-35 and earn a trip to the national championship game Dec. 18 in the Stagg Bowl in Salem, Va.
Unequal history
"When we started this program six years ago, all we talked about was one day having a chance to play Mount Union in a championship environment," said Crusaders' coach Pete Fredenburg.
"To come here and beat Mount Union at home is part of an incredible journey for us. It is the ultimate."
By the time Mary Hardin-Baylor started a gridiron program, Mount Union had already won three national titles. In '98 when the Crusaders were just getting things started, the Purple Raiders were busy winning their third straight title and fourth overall.
Six years later, the Crusaders achieved what so many other teams couldn't -- keep Mount Union out of the national title game. The victory over Mount snapped the Purple Raiders' 39-game home win streak. Mount Union's last loss at home was exactly five years ago (Dec. 11, 1999), when it fell to Rowan in a national semifinal.
Coming in, Mount Union's defense had given up an average of 61 yards a game rushing and just 201 total yards. Offenses were scoring a mere 8.7 points per contest.
The powerful Mary Hardin-Baylor offense had eclipsed all those numbers by halftime. The Crusaders' attack, led by freshman quarterback Josh Welch, was too much for the Mount Union defense.
All told, Mary Hardin-Baylor rolled up 308 yards rushing with its option offense and finished with 477 total yards to Mount Union's 311.
"Baylor executed its offense very well," said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres. "They ran for a lot more yards than we did and that really told the story. It was a pass that won the game for them, but it was the running game that set everything up."
After an offensive battle in the first half, Mount Union began to turn the tide in the third quarter.
The Purple Raiders outscored Mary Hardin-Baylor 21-7 in the stanza, including a 25-yard touchdown from Zac Bruney to Jason Cavell and a 10-yard scoring run by Bruney.
On the Crusaders' next possession, Mount Union's special teams came up with a big play. Forced to punt from its own 28, Mary Hardin-Baylor's kick was blocked by Mount defensive end Johnny Josef and returned 11 yards for a touchdown by Wade Kirk.
Kirk's second blocked punt return of the season gave the Purple Raiders a 35-21 lead with 3:10 left in the third quarter.
Defense delivers
Mary Hardin-Baylor didn't panic. Sticking to the ground game, the Crusaders continued to pound the Mount Union defense up the middle.
Defense deliversA 25-yard field goal from Zach Newcomb pulled Mary Hardin-Baylor to within 35-24 with 10:28 remaining in the contest.
The Crusaders' defense did its job, too, forcing two straight Mount Union punts.
Mary Hardin-Baylor next drove 83 yards in 11 plays, taking 4:07 off the clock to get with four points. The big play in the possession was a 25-yard run by Anthony Carter on a third-and-15 at the Mount Union 30. On the next play, Carter finished the job, breaking free for a 5-yard score. Mary Hardin-Baylor trailed 35-31 with 5:11 left.
After another Purple Raider punt, the Crusaders had 3:16 left to show their mettle. And they did.
Driving to the Mount Union 19, Mary Hardin-Baylor's drive, and season, nearly came to an end. On third-and-7, Welch was sacked by Anthony Frate for a 5-yard loss.
But on fourth-and-12 at the Mount Union 24, the Crusaders' dream became reality. Welch found tight end Walter Sharp in the middle of the end zone for the game-winning score.
"The ball just fell into my hands and I just tried to squeeze it as tight as I could," said Sharp. "Josh made a great throw and all I had to do was catch it."
And so after three straight road victories in the playoffs, Mary Hardin-Baylor will take its show on the road to Virginia hoping to capture its first national championship and earn even more respect.
"We want to win the championship," said Fredenburg. "But just beating Mount Union has given our program more credibility. Because of what we did today, our program will get national recognition and that's something we've always dreamed about."