Main Page             Email

  1990 Playoffs

    -First Round-    

     "Football is a game of inches" best decries the Mount Union playoff loss to Allegheny on November 17, 1990.   More than 5,800 fans witnessed the Purple Raiders 26-15 heartbreaking defeat in the opening round of the playoffs at Mount Union Stadium.  Four times during the course of the game Mount Union was able to penetrate the Gator's 10-yard line only to come away with a single field goal by All-American kicker Ken Edelman.  It was that kind of day.

     The most disappointing effort occurred late in the fourth quarter. Trailing 20-13 with 4:54 remaining in the game, the Purple Raiders drove 77 yards to a first and goal on the Gators' three-yard line. On first down halfback Terry Friel gained two yards to the one-yard line.  Second down saw Dean Paul, who rushed for 141 yards on the day, stopped for no gain by the Allegheny defense.  On third down Raider quarterback Brad Petro tried to leap over the line and the officials marked his progress three inches short of the goal line.

     Following a timeout, Petro attempted to sneak into the end zone between the center and right guard. The All-Ohio Conference signal caller believed that he crossed the goal line but in the pile-up was shoved back.  He later stated that when he looked down he saw the goal line.   Unfortunately, when the officials cleared the pile, the pigskin was marked on the one-inch line and Allegheny took possession there. 

     The Gators final score came on a desperation pass attempt and interception on the game's final play after Allegheny had taken a safety and kicked off to the Purple Raiders.  The loss in no way diminished the outstanding 10-0 regular season record of Mount Union and another Ohio Athletic Conference championship.

     Mount Union outgained Allegheny on the day 390 yards to 314, but lost the turnover battle 4-0, which proved to play a big part in the contest.  The Gators went on to win the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, marking the third time in three playoff appearances that the Purple Raiders were eliminated by the eventual national champions.

     Season highlights included a 16-12 victory over Baldwin Wallace and a 13-7 win at John Carroll. Edelman, Petro, linebacker Dave Lasecki and center John Bouloubasis all won Ohio Athletic Conference awards.  But they all would gladly give the awards away for one more inch of real estate at Mount Union Stadium on a cold November afternoon. 

Allegheny 26       Mount Union 15

Scoring