Box Score FRANKLIN, Ind. – The Franklin College football team suited up for the final home game of the regular season on Saturday (Nov. 6), taking on the Rose-Hulman Engineers.
The Grizzlies (5-4, 3-3 HCAC) got off to a fast start against the Engineers (7-2, 6-0 HCAC), but couldn't keep the momentum going as Rose left town with a 38-14 win. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Franklin, dropping them to .500 in league play.
How it Happened
The Grizzlies marched right down the field on the game's first drive, needing just six plays for the game's opening touchdown. A pair of long passing plays from Kai Ross to Dylan McKinney and Jarrett Gibson helped set up the score, with Ross using a brilliant play fake to rush in from two yards out.
However, the Franklin offense would struggle to stay in a rhythm the rest of the day while the Engineers league-leading offense found their legs. Franklin scored for the final time with 11:14 to go in the game when Ross connected with Elijah Corwin on a 26-yard touchdown pass, with Corwin making a great catch going to the ground.
Inside the Box Score
-Making his second career start under center, Ross went 20-for-44 for a career-high 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
-Gibson turned in another strong outing as Ross' top target in the pass game. The Angola, Ind.-native hauled in nine passes for 114 yards, giving him at six straight games with at least eight catches and five games with more than 100 yards receiving.
-Nick Winders and Jason Pigg topped the Franklin defense with 10 tackles each. Kody Wilkerson and Aaron Black just missed double figure totals with nine stops each.
-Evan Stambaugh picked off his second pass of the year, returning the pass 18 yards early in the second half.
-Sophomore Jireh Ojata recorded at least a share of a sack for the eighth straight game, teaming with Tanner Swindle for a sack early in the game. The Carmel, Ind.-native maintained his national sack lead and is now up to 13.0 for the year.
-Saturday's game was the final home contest for 18 members of the Grizzly football program. This year's senior class featured: WR Ryan Poole, DB Nick Winders, DB Wyatt Carmack, DB Michael Heading, DB Evan Stambaugh, K Casey Smith, K Carter Brown, WR Bobby Scaggs, RB Ian Seim, DL Noah Ryan, DL Dante Darden, LB Jason Pigg, OL Evan Hosea, DL Tanner Swindle, OL Thomas Witham, OL Ethan McClain, WR Devon Mueller, DL John Svinarich and student assistant Ryan McGillem.
Up Next
The Grizzlies close out the season next Saturday (Nov. 13) afternoon, heading to Hanover for the 91st Victory Bell Game. Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.
