Sep 20, 2025
(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team ranked 22nd nationally, entertained 20th-ranked Berry College Saturday afternoon and came away with a 17-9 victory to move to 2-1 on the season. Berry is now 2-1.
Game Information
#22 Carnegie Mellon 17, #20 Berry 9
Records: Carnegie Mellon (2-1, Berry (2-1)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Richard M. Lackner Field at Gesling Stadium)
How it Happened
- The Tartans struck first with a 33-yard field goal off the foot of senior placekicker Justin Caputo with 6:18 to play in the first quarter. The capped off a six-play, 79-yard drive that featured a 73-yard run by senior quarterback Joey McGinnis IV.
- The Vikings answered with a field goal of their own. With 14:16 to play in the half Trey Richards connected on a 27-yard field goal which finished a 12-play, 65-yard drive that took seven minutes off the clock.
- A 38-yard touchdown strike from McGinnis IV to junior Reece Kolke with 5:12 to play in the second quarter gave the Tartans a 10-3 lead.
- On the Tartans opening drive of the second half, they extended the lead to 17-3 when McGinnis connected with freshman Nick McCullough on a 45-yard touchdown strike.
- With 53 ticks left in the contest, Berry found the endzone when Andrew Hunter connected with Brendan Gray for a 19-yard touchdown. The failed two-point conversion left the score at 17-9.
Stats
- Carnegie Mellon total 343 yards of offense with 193 coming on the ground while Berry finished the game with 298 yards of total offense.
- McGinnis led the ground attack with 14 carries for career-high 118 yards. The senior signal caller also passed for 150 yards and two touchdowns on 8-of-18 passing.
- Senior Willem Bouma rushed for 67 yards on 20 carries.
- Kolke led the Tartan receivers with two catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. Nick McCullough ended with two receptions as well for 45 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.
- Junior Brendan McCullough had four receptions for 44 yards.
- Defensively, senior Connor Warren and Jacob Franze along with Jack Lawson each had eight tackles.
- Graduate student Mitchell Stokey, senior Bennett Grace and junior Amani Tchamwa each recorded a sack for the Tartans.
- Hunter passed for 173 yards and a touchdown on 17-of-31 for Berry.
Game Notes
- This was the first meeting between the two schools.
- The Tartans are 9-18 all-time against ranked opponents since D3football.com started a Top 25 poll in 2003.
- The Tartans have won 48 straight games when leading after three quarters of play.
- The Tartans have won 28 straight games when holding their opponents to
- 14 points or less.
- Caputo now has 99 point-after-attempts for his career and moved into second all-time in program history. He needs 10 to become the all-time leader.
- Brendan McCullough moved into 10th on the school's all-time receiving list with 1,307 yards for his career.
Thoughts From Head Coach Ryan Larsen
- "I'm incredibly proud of how our team responded to a tough loss last week as we welcomed a nationally ranked Berry College squad to Gesling Stadium today. That was an incredibly hard fought win, and I have to tip my cap to how well prepared Barry was for this game. There's no question in my mind playing games like this will make both programs better. We will focus on ourselves during the week as we prepare for Centennial conference play opening up with McDaniel College in two weeks."
Up Next
- Carnegie Mellon will be idle next week before hosting McDaniel College on Saturday, October 4 in its first Centennial Conference contest. Kick is set for 2:00 p.m. on the turf of Richard M. Lackner Field. The game will be the 13th Annual Cindy Lackner Game.