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55 Game Win Streak
On December 11, 1999, Mount Union lost a semifinal playoff game to Rowan in overtime, 24-17 at Mount Union Stadium to end a record 54-game consecutive victory streak that began with the opener in 1996 and became the longest winning streak in NCAA football history at any level. The streak broke Oklahoma's 47-game winning streak (1953-57) that lasted for 42 years. Little did anyone know walking out of the stadium that day that this new streak would be broken just four years later.
Following the overtime loss to Rowan, it would take 1,470 days, four years, 56 games and three national championships for the Purple Raiders to lose again, falling to St. John's (MN) 24-6 in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl on December 20, 2003.
Ironically, there were exactly the same number of days between losses in both the 54-game and 55-game win streaks. The 55 consecutive games included 15 playoff contests and three championship tilts.
During the streak, Mount Union...
Won 32 home games, 20 road games and three games played at a neutral site (Stagg Bowls).
Outscored it's opponents 2,552 to 641, which translates into a 46.4 to 11.7 average final score.
Scored at least 70 points once, 60 points eight times, 50 points 23 times, 40 points 38 times, and 30 points 51 times. The Purple Raiders were "held" to less than 30 points only four times.
Held opponents to 21 points or less 47 times, and produced 11 defensive shutouts.
Outgained it's opponents 517.6 to 252.6 in average total yards per game.
Had a +43 turnover ratio.
Trailed in the second half just twice, and after three quarters only one time.
Scored more points in each of three different quarters than the total points scored by all opponents.
Scoring by quarter...
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Total | |
| Mount Union | 662 | 582 | 654 | 654 | 0 | 2,552 |
| Opponents | 222 | 155 | 180 | 84 | 0 | 641 |
The 55 Game Win Streak
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Season Record |
||
| 1. | Sep. 2, 2000 | A | Allegheny | 48-21 | 1-0 |
| 2. | Sep. 16, 2000 | A | Otterbein* | 37-14 |
2-0 (1-0) |
| 3. | Sep. 23, 2000 | H | John Carroll* | 41-31 | 3-0 (2-0) |
| 4. | Sep. 30, 2000 | A | Ohio Northern* | 48-24 | 4-0 (3-0) |
| 5. | Oct. 7, 2000 | H | Marietta* | 54-14 | 5-0 (4-0) |
| 6. | Oct. 14, 2000 | H | Wilmington* | 42-7 | 6-0 (5-0) |
| 7. | Oct. 21, 2000 | A | Capital* | 58-17 | 7-0 (6-0) |
| 8. | Oct. 28, 2000 | H | Muskingum* | 62-7 | 8-0 (7-0) |
| 9. | Nov. 4, 2000 | A | Baldwin-Wallace* | 41-0 | 9-0 (8-0) |
| 10. | Nov. 11, 2000 | H | Heidelberg* | 60-7 | 10-0 (9-0) |
| 11. | Nov. 25, 2000 | H | Ohio Northern (2nd Rd) | 59-28 | 11-0 |
| 12. | Dec. 2, 2000 | H | Wittenberg (QF) | 32-15 | 12-0 |
| 13. | Dec. 9, 2000 | H | Widener (SF) | 70-30 | 13-0 |
| 14. | Dec. 16, 2000 | NS | St. John's (Stagg Bowl) | 10-7 | 14-0 |
| 15. | Sep. 1, 2001 | H | Allegheny | 52-7 | 1-0 |
| 16. | Sep. 15, 2001 | H | Otterbein* | 48-10 | 2-0 (1-0) |
| 17. | Sep. 22, 2001 | A | John Carroll* | 33-30 | 3-0 (2-0) |
| 18. | Sep. 29, 2001 | H | Ohio Northern* | 31-3 | 4-0 (3-0) |
| 19. | Oct. 6, 2001 | A | Marietta* | 47-0 | 5-0 (4-0) |
| 20. | Oct. 13, 2001 | A | Wilmington* | 54-6 | 6-0 (5-0) |
| 21. | Oct. 20, 2001 | H | Capital* | 52-13 | 7-0 (6-0) |
| 22. | Oct. 27, 2001 | A | Muskingum* | 48-7 | 8-0 (7-0) |
| 23. | Nov. 3, 2001 | H | Baldwin-Wallace* | 17-3 | 9-0 (8-0) |
| 24. | Nov. 10, 2001 | A | Heidelberg* | 54-7 | 10-0 (9-0) |
| 25. | Nov. 24, 2001 | H | Augustana (2nd Rd) | 32-7 | 11-0 |
| 26. | Dec. 1, 2001 | H | Wittenberg (QF) | 49-21 | 12-0 |
| 27. | Dec. 8, 2001 | H | St. John's (SF) | 35-14 | 13-0 |
| 28. | Dec. 15, 2001 | NS | Bridgewater (Stagg Bowl) | 30-27 | 14-0 |
| 29. | Sep. 7, 2002 | A | Wis-Whitewater | 44-21 | 1-0 |
| 30. | Sep. 21, 2002 | A | Baldwin-Wallace* | 28-21 | 2-0 (1-0) |
| 31. | Sep. 28, 2002 | H | Muskingum* | 49-3 | 3-0 (2-0) |
| 32. | Oct. 5, 2002 | A | Otterbein* | 55-0 | 4-0 (3-0) |
| 33. | Oct. 12, 2002 | H | Heidelberg* | 61-0 | 5-0 (4-0) |
| 34. | Oct. 19, 2002 | H | John Carroll* | 35-16 | 6-0 (5-0) |
| 35. | Oct. 26, 2002 | A | Capital* | 38-22 | 7-0 (6-0) |
| 36. | Nov. 2, 2002 | H | Marietta* | 56-10 | 8-0 (7-0) |
| 37. | Nov. 9, 2002 | A | Ohio Northern* | 34-24 | 9-0 (8-0) |
| 38. | Nov. 16, 2002 | H | Wilmington* | 62-0 | 10-0 (9-0) |
| 39. | Nov. 30, 2002 | H | Wheaton (2nd Rd) | 42-21 | 11-0 |
| 40. | Dec. 7, 2002 | H | Wabash (QF) | 45-16 | 12-0 |
| 41. | Dec. 14, 2002 | H | John Carroll (SF) | 57-19 | 13-0 |
| 42. | Dec. 21, 2002 | NS | Trinity (Stagg Bowl) | 48-7 | 14-0 |
| 43. | Sep. 6, 2003 | H | Wis-Whitewater | 40-17 | 1-0 |
| 44. | Sep. 20, 2003 | H | Baldwin-Wallace* | 24-0 | 2-0 (1-0) |
| 45. | Sep. 27, 2003 | A | Muskingum* | 58-0 | 3-0 (2-0) |
| 46. | Oct. 4, 2003 | H | Otterbein* | 66-0 | 4-0 (3-0) |
| 47. | Oct. 11, 2003 | A | Heidelberg* | 68-13 | 5-0 (4-0) |
| 48. | Oct. 18, 2003 | A | John Carroll* | 34-16 | 6-0 (5-0) |
| 49. | Oct. 25, 2003 | H | Capital* | 35-7 | 7-0 (6-0) |
| 50. | Nov. 1, 2003 | A | Marietta* | 55-0 | 8-0 (7-0) |
| 51. | Nov. 8, 2003 | H | Ohio Northern* | 55-7 | 9-0 (8-0) |
| 52. | Nov. 15, 2003 | A | Wilmington* | 58-0 | 10-0 (9-0) |
| 53. | Nov. 29, 2003 | H | Wis-La Crosse (2nd Rd) | 39-14 | 11-0 |
| 54. | Dec. 6, 2003 | H | Wheaton (QF) | 56-10 | 12-0 |
| 55. | Dec. 13, 2003 | H | Bridgewater (SF) | 66-0 | 13-0 |
Win #55 on December 13, 2003 broke Mount Union's record 54-game winning streak set from 1996 through 1999. Shaded gray areas were playoff/championship contests during the streak. With one loss separating the two streaks, Mount Union won 109 of 110 games played from the season opener in 1996 through the semifinal in 2003.
*Denotes Ohio Athletic Conference games.