2000 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

Mount Union's football team felt it had some unfinished business to take care of in 2000 after having its NCAA-best 54-game winning streak snapped at the end of the '99 campaign.

The season began with a 48-21 road win against #11 ranked Allegheny (PA) on Sept. 2. The Raiders scored on three of their first four possessions en route to a 24-7 halftime lead and never looked back. Quarterback Gary Smeck connected on 20-of-26 passes for 223 yards while strong safety Brian Cassidy had nine tackles and free safety Matt Sotcan had two fourth quarter picks.

The Purple Raiders opened Ohio Athletic Conference play with a 37- 14 victory at Otterbein on Sept. 16. Running back Chuck Moore had 24 carries for 126 yards and two scores while place-kicker Rod Chenos was a perfect 3-of-3 (27, 33, 21) on the day.

Defensive end Todd Braden had seven tackles - two for losses.

Week #3 featured the Raiders' biggest test of the regular season. Mount Union trailed 22-21 midway through the third quarter against #11 ranked John Carroll, before scoring on three straight possessions en route to a 41-31 win in front of a standing room only Homecoming Day crowd of 7,053 on Sept. 23. Wide receiver Adam Marino totaled 11 receptions for 154 yards and one TD while cornerback Chris Kern had 11 tackles and two passes broken up.

The Raider running back tandem of Chuck Moore (137 yds.) and Dan Pugh (127 yds.) combined for 264 yards rushing and six TDs in a 48-24 decision at Ohio Northern on Sept. 30.

Defensively, Mount Union was led by outside linebacker Jesse Pearson's 12 hits.

Chuck Moore became the College's all-time leader in points scored (288) in the Raiders' 54-14 win against visiting Marietta on Oct. 7. The victory also gave head coach Larry Kehres 155 victories - placing him first among OAC coaches in career wins.

Mount Union defeated visiting #23 ranked Wilmington, 42-7, on Oct. 14. Moore had 153 yards on 22 carries with two TDs while the defense posted a season-best five sacks. Pearson had eight hits, forced one fumble and recovered another.

Adam Marino became Mount Union's all-time leading receiver (179 rec.) in the Raiders' 58-17 win at Capital on Oct. 21. Inside linebacker Matt LaVerde had two INTs - including returning one pick 53 yards for a score.

Marino was at it again in Mount Union's 62-7 victory over visiting Muskingum on Oct. 28. He set a new Raider record for career TD receptions (36). The Purple Raider defense scored for the second straight week as cornerback Brooks Greenleaf returned an interception 39 yards for a score.

Mount Union clinched its ninth consecutive OAC crown with a 41-0 win at Baldwin-Wallace on Nov. 4. The Raider defense held the Yellow Jackets to 92 total yards of offense while scoring defensively for the third consecutive week. This time it was Chris Kern returning an INT 37 yards for a TD. Offensively, Chuck Moore set an NCAA Div. III record by scoring in 25 consecutive regular season games.

The Purple & White wrapped up its sixth straight undefeated regular season with a 60-7 victory over visiting Heidelberg on Nov. 11. Offensively, Adam Marino set a new Raider single-season record for receptions (77) while Gary Smeck went 18-of-21 with a career-best five TD passes in just one half of play. Mount Union also forced a season-high five INTs while scoring defensively for the fourth straight week. Matt LaVerde had two picks - including returning one 31 yards for a TD.

The Raiders finished the 2000 regular season leading all of Division III in yards per game (530.0 ypg) and scoring (49.1 ppg). Mount Union also led the OAC in total defense (272.8 ypg) and fewest points allowed (14.2 ppg). The Purple Raiders extended their regular season win streak to 64 and its OAC-best win streak to 58.

Mount Union broke open a 24-14 game with a pair of TDs in the final 15 seconds of the second quarter on the way to a 59-28 win against Ohio Northern in second round playoff action on Nov. 25. Dan Pugh scored twice and rushed for a career-best 152 yards on 25 carries.

Jesse Pearson had 10 hits while Chris Kern had one INT and a fumble recovery for the Raiders.

The Purple Raiders scored 26 consecutive points after trailing 6-0 early on their way to a 32-15 win over visiting Wittenberg in quarterfinal playoff action on Dec. 2. Momentum shifted when Jesse Pearson returned a fumble 34 yards for a score and end Matt Campbell's INT set up Chuck Moore's 29 yard TD run with :46 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Pearson had 12 hits in the contest while Campbell had six hits and three pass deflections.

Mount Union set a school record for points in a playoff game in a 70- 30 win over visiting Widener (PA) in semifinal action on Dec. 9. The Raiders led 35-23 at half before scoring 35 consecutive points led by Adam Marino's NCAA playoff record-tying 17-reception performance. He also had 239 yards receiving and three scores.

The Raiders won a Division III best fifth National Championship with a 10-7 win against Saint John's (MN) in the 28th annual Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, played in Salem, Virginia, on Dec. 16.

Tight end Adam Irgang caught an eight-yard TD pass from Gary Smeck, capping an 8-play/62 yard drive in the Raiders' first possession. Saint John's responded with an 8-play/49 yard scoring drive at the 3:01 mark of the second quarter. Rod Chenos' 20-yard field goal with :01 second remaining in the contest finished off a 65-yard/11-play march to a perfect 14-0 season for the Raiders. Chuck Moore earned game MVP honors rushing for 146 yards on 32 carries. Adam Marino had eight receptions - giving him a school record 110 on the year (including playoffs), surpassing the old mark of 102 set by Ed Bubonics in '93. Matt LaVerde led a terrific defensive effort with a team-best 12 hits against the Johnnies.

The victory over Saint John's gave the Raiders a Division III best 29-playoff wins. Using the Associated Press (AP) Poll as a guide for major college champions, only Oklahoma (7) and Alabama (6) had more National Titles than the Raiders (5), while Georgia Southern, at the

Div. I-AA level, and North Dakota State, at the Div. II level, had six and five NCAA crowns respectively at the end of the 2000 football season.