In 1924, the Ashland College football team defeated the University of Findlay 33-0 on the gridiron at Redwood Stadium in Ashland.

The Ashland University football team held a 33-28 lead over Findlay with 14 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Saturday at Jack Miller Stadium.

While the game looked very different 91 years later, the Purple and Gold once again made the crucial plays they had to seal a 40-28 victory over Findlay.

After a Findlay touchdown pass from Rhys Gervais to Jason Moore cut the AU lead to just five with 14:57 left to go in the game, AU sophomore quarterback Travis Tarnowski orchestrated a 15 play, 92 yard drive that ate up almost nine minutes off the clock and resulted in a seven yard touchdown scamper by the second year starting quarterback.

“This is good bunch of guys, and there’s never any panic,” 12th year Head Coach Lee Owens told the Ashland Athletic Department. “We never lose our composure, and just keep with the plan. That [Findlay] is a good football team, a really good offensive football team.”

Tarnowski’s rushing touchdown gave the Eagles a 12-point edge they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the evening as the AU defense forced two stops in the final minutes to seal the victory.

“We took some time off the clock, gave our defense a chance to catch its breath,” Owens said of the touchdown drive to the Ashland Athletic Department.

AU trailed early. The Eagles twice entered the red zone in the first 16 minutes of the game but came away with only three points. After a Findlay 13 yard TD pass from Gervais to Moore, AU found themselves down 7-3 with 12:07 left in the first half.

The Eagles responded with 23 consecutive second quarter points. Terrance Burt broke free for a 75 yard touchdown catch to put Ashland in front 9-7 after a blocked extra point with 11:18 left in the second quarter.

On Findlay’s first offensive play after the touchdown, Daivon Barrow picked off a Gervais’ pass. Three plays later, junior tailback Vance Settlemire plunged into the end zone from five yards out. Settlemire’s big day was just getting started, as his first TD gave AU a 16-7 lead.

Ashland expanded their lead twice late in the second quarter. With 2:40 left in the half, fullback Aaron Weyer caught a six-yard touchdown from Tarnowski to increase the Ashland advantage to 23-3. Aidan Simenc capped the 23 unanswered with a 22 yard Field Goal. Eagles held a 26-7 lead with just 50 seconds left until halftime.

Findlay wouldn’t go away without a fight. AU’s longest current rival responded with a touchdown on the final play of the 1st half, as Anthony Federico caught a three-yard touchdown from Gervais. The Oilers cut their halftime deficit to 26-14.

Findlay pulled within five in the third quarter, as freshman halfback Marcus Jones finished a 6 play, 43-yard drive with a four yard touchdown run. The extra point was Findlay’s 14th consecutive point and the Oilers trailed by just five, 26-21 with 5:20 left in the third quarter.

The following AU looked to be stalled. After back-to-back first downs moved the Eagles into Findlay territory, an illegal man downfield penalty and then a personal foul set up a second and 29 at the Eagle 34 yard line.

That’s when Vance Settlemire put the game out of reach, catching a swing pass and outrunning everyone for a 66-yard touchdown catch. The junior tailback from Findlay, Ohio accounted for 276 yards on the evening, 210 on the ground and 66 through the air, to go along with a pair of scores, including the game winner.

“He’s such a dynamic player, such a total player,” Owens said. “He catches the ball out of the backfield, he blocks well. He’s good inside, he’s good outside. Vance brings so much to the table.”

With the win over their longtime rivals, Ashland improved to 4-0 on the season, with a one game lead over Tiffin in the southern division and remained number 13 in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll.

AU travels on the road to Malone and Saginaw Valley State before returning to Jack Miller Stadium for a homecoming visit from Hillsdale on October 17th.