ALLIANCE, Ohio — The Mount Union football program has become synonymous with winning at the highest of levels, and when the Purple Raiders fall short of a national championship, it comes almost as a surprise to fans and players alike.
For 11 months, the Purple Raiders (10-0) have felt the sting of last year’s Stagg Bowl loss, and now, they have a chance to do something about it, as they host Hanover College in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Division III Football Playoffs at Mount Union Stadium Saturday.
“There’s always a little bit more motivation, maybe a little bit more incentive when you lose that last game,” Mount Union coach Vince Kehres told WKYC.com in an exclusive interview earlier this week. “That’s the situation that we’re in this year, having lost that last football game.
“It motivated our guys throughout the offseason, all the way through the start of camp, and I think there’s just a sense of urgency getting into the playoffs, knowing that there’s little margin for air. I see a lot of focus on the preparation at hand and taking this thing one day at a time, but our guys don’t want to leave any stones unturned in terms of preparing to try to make a run at this thing.”
Winners of 28 of the last 29 Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season championships and 13 national titles since 1993, the Purple Raiders were on a mission to atone for their only loss of the season last year from the first offseason meeting.
When the season came around, Mount Union rolled its way to an automatic postseason berth by averaging 54.5 points and 556.9 yards of total offense per game. The closest game of the season was a 27-point win at Heidelberg, and in seven games, Mount Union scored more than 51 points.
Overall, Mount Union had five 60-point games this season.
“I think it just becomes part of the mindset here,” Kehres said. “Some people call it culture, but the older players extend it to the younger players, year in and year out. We’ve just been fortunate to keep that going.
“It becomes an expectation on how you approach your business and your preparation day in and day out. In a nutshell, we call it, ‘Grinding out good days,’ and the players have just bought into it. They feel that that’s what’s allowed this program to have past success, and that’s what we’ve got to do to keep it going and move it forward.”
In the first round, the Purple Raiders drew a Hanover team that has tasted defeat just once this year, and it came in an opening-week game against Centre College. Since then, the Panthers have rattled off nine straight victories, including a perfect 7-0 slate in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Although Kehres sees “a lot of skill” when he looks at Hanover’s game film, the seventh-year coach believes his team is up to the challenge.
“This time of year is an exciting time of year, and anytime you get a chance to extend your season into Week 11, you’re grateful and look forward to the opportunity,” Kehres said. “There’s no margin for error now. You lose, and you’re out. I think our guys are excited about getting into the second season and trying to make a run at this thing.”