BALTIMORE, Md. – The Ursinus College football team inserted itself into an early battle at No. 25 Johns Hopkins on Saturday, but high-powered Blue Jays scored 28 unanswered points in the second quarter to leave the visitors behind in a 49-21 Centennial Conference decision.
The Bears (1-1) gave Hopkins an immediate scare, driving 90 yards in 15 plays on the opening drive, which featured a pair of third-down conversions and ended in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jack Psenicska to Kevin DePrince on a 4th-and-1.
The Blue Jays (2-0) came right back with a long touchdown march of their own and cashed in on a short field after snuffing out a fake punt attempt, going ahead 14-7 on a short scoring pass from Ryan Stevens to Ryan Hubley.
Psenicska brought the offense back down the field, finding Billy Cook in the back of the end zone for a toe-dragging touchdown catch that made it a 14-14 game at the 8:51 mark of the second quarter.
The Blue Jays proved unstoppable in the first half, scoring on all six of their possessions. Danny Wolf's 27-yard touchdown run gave the hosts the lead for good, and Stevens hit Quinn Revere for a 60-yard strike following a sack of Psenicska on third down.
Hopkins tacked on two more touchdowns in the final minute of the second quarter, the latter set up by a strip-sack.
Marc Clayton recovered a muffed punt in the end zone for the Bears' final touchdown of the day with 4:39 to go in the fourth quarter.
Stevens was nearly perfect in the first half, completing 15 of his 16 attempts for 256 yards and five touchdowns. He finished 22-of-25 for 364 yards and six touchdowns, also throwing an interception to Ursinus' Brett Gross.
Ryan Hubley caught six passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns, while Harrison Wellmann produced three touchdown receptions and Revere had six catches for 115 yards.
Psenicska was 26-of-45 for 242 yards and the two touchdowns to go with one pick. Sam Ragland finished with 129 yards of total offense, posting 69 yards on 13 carries and adding seven receptions for 60 yards.
DePrince led Ursinus with 82 receiving yards on seven catches and his first career touchdown. Octavious Carter racked up eight receptions for 77 yards, while Cook hauled in a touchdown for the second straight game.
Ethan Belville notched two sacks to lead the Bears' defense.
The road gets no easier for Ursinus, which travels to No. 8 Muhlenberg on Saturday.