Turnovers Propel #18 Tartans to a 10-0 Win Over Westminster

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team, ranked 18th nationally, hosted the Titans of Westminster College Saturday night at Gesling Stadium. The Tartans forced five turnovers to propel to a 10-0 win in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play.

 Game Information
#18 Carnegie Mellon 10, Westminster 0
Records: Carnegie Mellon (5-0, 3-0 PAC), Westminster (2-2, 1-1 PAC)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Gesling Stadium)

How it Happened

• Sophomore Nolan Pitsenberger intercepted Cole Konieczka with 1:40 to play in the first quarter and returned the ball 64 yards for the Tartan touchdown. The score gave the Tartans the early 7-0 lead.
• The score remained the same until three minutes remaining in the contest when graduate student Cole Hanna converted his first field goal as a Tartan. The placekicker connected on a 38-yard field goal to make the score 10-0.

 Stats

• The Tartans forced five Westminster turnovers, four interceptions, while the Titans managed only one.
• Westminster totaled 212 yards of total offense, as Carnegie Mellon end the game with 105 yards.
• Senior Ben Coyne recorded a career-high 11 tackles while recording is nation leading eighth sack of the season.
• Senior Aryan Hegde also finished the game with a career-high 10 tackles.
• Pitsenberger recorded two interceptions, the first two of his career, with junior Logan Young and junior Adrian Williams recording the Tartans other two.
• Sophomore Mitchell Stokey tabbed six tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2.0 tackles for loss, forced and recovered a fumble and added a pass breakup in the win.
• Freshman running back Cole Franklin rushed for 52 yards to lead the ground attack for Carnegie Mellon.
• Senior punter Casey Jaeb played a huge factor in field position as he recorded 10 punts for an average 37.1 yards and placed four inside the Titans' 20-yard line.
• Westminster's Ryan Gomes led the Titans ground game with 60 yards.

 Game Notes

• The Tartans extend their winning streak to 12 straight games, the longest active in Division III.
• The shutout is the fourth for the Tartans in the last 15 years.
• Carnegie Mellon has won eight straight games at Gesling Stadium.
• The Tartans have won the last six meetings with Westminster at Gesling Stadium.
• The Tartans' 5-0 start is the first time the program has won its first five games of the season since 2017. It marks the 14th time in program history that a Tartan team has started the season with five straight wins.
• The 105 yards of total offense by the Tartans is the lowest output in a victory since the 2006 season when Carnegie Mellon had 145 yards in a 10-7 overtime win at WashU.
• The Tartans have now won 24 straight games when leading after three quarters of play.
• The Tartans have won now won 14 straight when the first to put points on the scoreboard.

Thoughts From Head Coach Ryan Larsen

• "I'm incredibly proud of our team! That was a team win and yet again a credit to our culture and how hard our young men play for each other."

Up Next

• Carnegie Mellon will travel to Waynesburg University on Saturday, October 8. Kick against the Yellow Jackets is set for 1:00 p.m.