2001 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

Mount Union, the defending Division III football National Champion, opened the 2001 season with a 52-7 victory over visiting Allegheny on Sept.1. The Gators took an early 7-3 lead before the Raiders responded by scoring 49 unanswered points. Quarterback Rob Adamson, making his first collegiate start, finished 13-of-21 for 275 yards and four TDs. Wide receiver Jason Candle had five receptions for 166 yards and two scores while running back Chuck Moore scored twice while totaling 177 yards on 16 carries. Defensive end Matt Campbell had a 15-yard interception return for a TD in the second quarter.

The Purple Raiders opened Ohio Athletic Conference play with a 48-10 victory over visiting Otterbein on Oct. 15. Adamson was 16-of-23 for 275 yards and four TDs while the Raider defense held the Cardinals to 143 yards of total offense.

In week #3, the Purple Raiders rallied from three points down with just 2:13 remaining to play in the game to defeat John Carroll, 33-30, in Bedford Stadium on Sept. 22. Mount Union's final touchdown capped an eleven-play/68-yard drive. Moore, who scored three touchdowns in the contest, became the OAC's all-time career leader in points (366) and touchdowns (61). The game featured eight turnovers, five by the Purple Raiders and three for the Blue Streaks. The five turnovers were the most by a Mount Union team since Nov. 26, 1994 when the Raiders lost 34-33 in a quarterfinal playoff game at Albion. Wide receiver Jason Candle posted a career best 10 receptions for 96 yards and one touchdown.

The Purple Raiders took sole possession of first place in the OAC with a 31-3 victory over Ohio Northern on Sept. 29. The Raider back tandem of Chuck Moore and Dan Pugh both eclipsed the 100-yard mark. Moore, who scored twice, totaled 128 yards on 21 carries, while Pugh scored once and had 110 yards rushing on 19 carries. Defensively, Mount Union was led by end Todd Braden, who had a pair of sacks and nine total tackles. Overall, Mount Union totaled 431 yards of offense compared to 225 for Northern. The Raiders held the visitors to just 67 yards passing in the contest.

Chuck Moore set a Raider career rushing record, surpassing Russ Kring's mark of 3,295 yards, in Mount Union's 47-0 win at Marietta on Oct. 6. Moore also had a regular-season single-game career-best 202 yards rushing on just nine first half carries. The contest also featured a season-best 94-yard TD pass from Rob Adamson to wideout Derrick Leach. Mount Union amassed a season-high 674 yards of offense while the Raider defense pitched its first shutout of the year while holding the Pioneers to 183 total yards of offense.

Chuck Moore returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown highlighting a 54-6 road win at Wilmington on Oct. 13. The Raider defense forced five turnovers and held the Quakers to just 129 yards of offense, including just 18 passing yards. End Matt Campbell had two sacks, tackle Jeff Knoblauch had three tackles for losses and a fumble recovery, and free safety Matt Sotcan had a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The Purple Raider running back combination of Chuck Moore and Dan Pugh combined for 298 yards rushing in Mount Union's 52-13 win versus visiting Capital on Oct. 20. Moore totaled a game-high 165 yards while Pugh had a career-best 133 yards. This was the second time this season both runners went over the 100 yard mark in the same game. Defensively, safety Alex Grinch finished with a team-high seven tackles to go along with three pass deflections, end Matt Campbell had five tackles and two passes deflected while cornerback Chris Kern had a game-best four passes broken up.

Mount Union scored on its first six possessions en route to a 48-7 win at Muskingum on Oct. 27. Rob Adamson finished 12-of-13 for 269 yards and one touchdown in one half of play. Chuck Moore also became the Raiders' first three-time 1,000 yard back in the contest.

A season-best home crowd of 6,783 fans witnessed Mount Union clinch at least a share of its 10th consecutive OAC Championship ('92-'01) with a 17-3 win over Baldwin-Wallace on November 3. Chuck Moore set a new Raider single-season record for touchdowns scored (24) while tight end Josh Liddell posted a personal-best seven reception/97 yard receiving game.

Defensively, the Raiders held the Jackets to 167 yards of total offense. This was the third straight week Mount Union held an opponent under 200 yards of offense. End Todd Braden set a Raider single-game mark with four sacks.

Mount Union posted its seventh consecutive undefeated regular season with a 54-7 victory at Heidelberg on Nov 10. Dan Pugh had a career best three touchdown performance. Chuck Moore finished with his eighth 100 yard performance this year - totaling 100 yards on just 11 carries. He also scored a nation's best 24th TD of the year. Defensively, Todd Braden recorded his 10th sack of the season - setting a new single-season Mount Union record. Braden and end Matt Campbell each had two tackles for losses - giving them each a Raider single-season record 18 tackles for losses in '01. The win gave Mount Union its 74th consecutive regular season win, 67th straight OAC victory and 104th regular season victory in the last 105 regular season contests dating back to the middle of the '91 season.

The Raiders finished the regular season second in the nation in total offense (518.1 ypg), seventh in scoring (43.6 ppg) and 12th in rushing (257.2 ypg). Mount Union's defense finished third in Div. III in points allowed (8.6 ppg), third in passing efficiency defense (69.5) and fourth in yards allowed (216.1 ypg).

The Purple Raiders advanced to the Division III Playoff Quarterfinals for the 10th consecutive year with a 32-7 win over visiting Augustana (IL) on Nov. 24. Mount Union led 13-7 at half but outscored the Vikings 19-0 in the second half of play. The Purple Raiders' Rob Adamson completed 16-of-25 for a career-best 326 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. Wide receiver Jason Candle finished with six receptions for a career-high 215 yards and two scores. The ground game was paced by All-American Chuck Moore, who scored twice, while totaling 146 yards on 25 carries. Defensively, the Purple & White's Rocky Coniglio, an inside linebacker, had a team-best 10 tackles. Safety Alex Grinch had nine hits and end Matt Campbell finished with eight hits, to go along with a sack and one interception.

Mount Union reached the Division III 'Final Four' for the seventh consecutive year with a 49-21 win over visiting Wittenberg on Dec. 1. A record-setting performance by Div. III Player of the Year Chuck Moore highlighted the game's action. Moore rushed for a Raider-record 346 yards on 32 carries to go along with four touchdowns. Defensively, the Raiders were paced by inside linebacker Rocky Coniglio's 10 tackles - including two tackles for losses and one sack.

The Raiders earned their fifth trip to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in the last six years with a 35-14 win over visiting Saint John's (MN) on Dec. 8. The Purple & White scored 21 first quarter points en route to a 28-0 half-time edge. Moore totaled 233 yards rushing on a career-high 47 carries for Mount Union. Defensively, Raider safety Alex Grinch had two interceptions while tackle Antoine Dillard had a pair of sacks.

Mount Union claimed its fifth National Championship in six years and sixth overall with a 30-27 win over Bridgewater (VA) in front of a standing room only crowd of 7,992 fans in Salem Stadium on Dec. 15. The contest featured five scoring plays of over 20 yards, six total turnovers and a record-setting performance by Raider running back Chuck Moore.

Bridgewater's first play from scrimmage was a 67-yard touchdown pass. Mount Union answered right away with a 6-play, 49-yard scoring drive. Rodney Chenos converted on a 27-yard field goal at the 11:43 mark of the second quarter, giving Mount Union a 10-7 lead.

The Eagles responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 7:05 remaining in the quarter. The PAT was blocked by Mount Union's Mike Miller, giving Bridgewater a 13-10 lead.

Mount Union would then score 20 unanswered points to go up
30-13.

Moore took a draw play 36 yards for a score against a blitzing defense with 5:38 remaining in the second quarter. The game's biggest turnover followed when Raider outside linebacker Jason Perkins returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown at the 3:39 mark of the second quarter. The PAT was blocked and Mount Union led 23-13 at the half.

The lone third quarter score came at the 5:50 mark when Moore broke off a school-record 95-yard touchdown run, giving the Raiders a 17-point lead. The Eagles would mount a fourth-quarter comeback, scoring twice in the final stanza but the Purple & White put the game away when wide receiver Jason Richards recovered an on-side kick and Moore picked up the game's final first down to run out the clock.

Moore set numerous Stagg Bowl records, including the mark for rushing yards (273) and attempts (34). His 95-yard run was also a championship game best. Moore's 12 tournament touchdowns, 998 yards rushing and 138 carries are all new Division III playoff marks. Defensively, the Purple & White was paced by Perkins' eight hits and end Matt Campbell's seven tackles. Mount Union totaled four interceptions in the contest, including picks from defensive backs Chris Kern, Matt Sotcan and Mike Miller.

Mount Union ran its Division III best playoff record to 33-7. The Raiders, who have won 82 of their last 83 games played and hold college football's longest current winning streak (28), are tied with Georgia Southern of Div. I-AA for most collegiate National Championships (6) among teams with a playoff format.