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    1986 Playoffs

     1986 was another banner year for Mount Union as first year head coach Larry Kehres led the Purple Raiders to their second consecutive 10-0 regular season and back to back Ohio Athletic Conference titles. Once again victories over Wittenberg (17-14) and Baldwin-Wallace (13-7) highlighted the unbeaten season as the Raiders were establishing themselves as a Division III football program on the rise.  The Purple Raiders first playoff opponent was the top-ranked Dayton Flyers.  Mount Union was rated number four nationally entering the game at Dayton.  And what a game it was........

-First Round-

     The Purple Raiders stunned number one ranked Dayton 42-36 at Welcome Stadium as senior quarterback Scott Gindlesberger passed for 302 yards and three touchdowns.  The Flyers grabbed the early lead but the Purple and White responded with a 69-yard drive keyed by a 39-yard Gindlesberger to Joe Knoll pass play which ended on the Flyers one-yard line.  Halfback Brian Frost scored from there to tie up the football game at 7-7.  After Dayton had regained the lead midway through the second quarter, the Raiders stormed right back as Gindlesberger completed passes to Bill Eyer of 53 yards and Julio Sanclemente of 11 yards. Gindlesberger then snuck into the end zone from a yard out.  Mount Union forced the Flyers to punt from deep in their territory just before the end of the first half.  It only took the Raiders one play to score as Gindlesberger found Knoll streaking down the sideline for a perfect 45-yard pass and run for a 21-14 lead.

     Dayton tied the score 21-21 in the third quarter before Mount Union responded with three straight touchdowns. An eight yard scoring toss from Gindlesberger to Knoll capped a 59-yard drive in the third quarter.  Then tackle Mike Jarrett sacked the Dayton quarterback forcing a fumble recovered by Chris Weber on the hosts 37-yard line.  Two plays later Gindleberger found wide receiver Ed Hogya all alone for a 31-yard scoring strike.  Possibly the biggest play of the game came early in the fourth quarter after the Flyers had driven to the Purple Raiders 28-yard line.  Defensive pressure caused Dayton quarterback Todd Morris to force a pass and safety Greg Flasco intercepted the errant throw on his 15-yard line and raced 85 yards for the touchdown and a 42-21 Raider lead.

     But there was still some fight in the number one ranked team.  Dayton scored two touchdowns in the final seven minutes of the game.  The Flyers then gave the Raiders one last scare as on the games final play Tom Eubank caught a 43-yard desperation pass but slipped on the wet field at the Mount Union 12-yard line preserving the Raider victory.  Russ Kring led the Raiders ground attack with 83 yards on 25 carries against a team that had allowed only 135 yards rushing the entire year.

Mount Union 42       Dayton 36

Scoring

-Quarterfinals-

          The following week Mount Union was eliminated from the playoffs by Augustana 16-7 before an overflow crowd of more then 7,000 fans at Mount Union Stadium.  For the second straight year the two teams were tied at halftime 7-7.  The Purple Raiders scored first at the 9:42 mark of the second period when quarterback Scott Gindlesberger capped a 63-yard drive with a 15-yard scoring strike to Bill Eyer.  Viking running back Brad Price scored from a yard out with 33 seconds remaining in the first half.

     The Purple Raiders were held to two second half first downs and 15 total yards as the Viking defense rose to the occasion after the intermission.  Three Matt Krull field goals was all the second half scoring. Mount Union's best scoring opportunity came on the opening kickoff of the second half as Eyer broke through the Viking defense and only had one defender to beat but the treacherous footing kept him from cutting properly and he was brought down at midfield by the Augustana safety. 

     Kehres credited the Vikings for outplaying the Purple Raiders in the second half.  It should be noted that Mount Union's record setting tailback Russ Kring was injured in the first quarter and was unable to play after injuring his ankle. Augustana went on to win its fourth straight national title.

Augustana 16      Mount Union 7

Scoring