COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. -- John Gagliardi became college football's career victory leader when St. John's rallied to beat Bethel 29-26 on Saturday.
Gagliardi, in his 55th season and his 51st at the Division III liberal arts school in central Minnesota, got his 409th victory. He passed Eddie Robinson, who retired in 1997 after winning 408 games with Division I-AA Grambling State.
Ryan Keating's fourth touchdown pass, a 10-yard toss to Josh Nelson, gave the Johnnies the lead with 2:03 remaining. St. John's (9-0, 8-0) also clinched the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, its 10th in the past 13 years.
Quarterback Scott Kirchoff's 4-yard touchdown run with 4:57 left gave Bethel a 26-22 lead. Kirchoff, however, appeared to injure his shoulder on the collision and was taken away in an ambulance.
Blake Elliott, who had 15 receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns, returned the kickoff 50 yards to the Royals 40 to set up the winning score.
Keating completed 32 of 45 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns for the Johnnies. Kirchoff was 10-for-16 for 137 yards and two touchdowns for the Royals (9-1, 7-1) who finished second in the MIAC.
An estimated 13,107 fans clogged the stands and surrounding snow-covered hills at Clemens Stadium, the largest crowd to ever see a St. John's game.
Gagliardi, wearing a maroon parka with a huge hood pulled over his head to keep warm on an 18-degree afternoon, was mobbed by fans and cameras as he walked to the center of the field after the game was over.
Gagliardi, 77, has won three national titles at St. John's. The Johnnies gained an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs, their sixth straight appearance.
After Ross Muellenberg's 10-yard run put Bethel back in front 20-19 late in the third quarter, Brandon Keller kicked a 25-yard field goal early in the fourth to put St. John's up 22-20.
The Royals took nearly 7½ minutes off the clock, staying on the ground for 14 of their 15 plays and taking a 26-22 lead on Kirchoff's 4-yard run with 4:57 left.
The Johnnies turned the ball over twice in their territory during the first quarter, but Bethel couldn't capitalize. Weinandt sacked Kirchoff on third-and-goal at the 4 and blocked Paul Tschetter's field goal on the next play to end Bethel's first possession.
The Royals, aided by a 22-yard pass from A.J. Parnell to Kirby Carr on a fake punt that began the second quarter, took a 7-0 lead on a a 23-yard pass from Kirchoff to John Kilde.
Bethel led 14-6 on Kirchoff's 29-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ludvigson with 5:25 left before halftime, but Keating and Elliott brought St. John's back.
Keating found Jed Riegelman for an 11-yard TD to pull the Johnnies within 14-12, and the Royals turned the ball over on a failed fourth-and-2 conversion at their own 48 with 1:21 remaining.
Elliott beat three Bethel defenders on a crossing route at the goal line and hauled in a 4-yard score from Keating with 17 seconds left to give St. John's a 19-14 advantage.
The Associated Press News Service
Gagliardi, in his 55th season and his 51st at the Division III liberal arts school in central Minnesota, got his 409th victory. He passed Eddie Robinson, who retired in 1997 after winning 408 games with Division I-AA Grambling State.
Ryan Keating's fourth touchdown pass, a 10-yard toss to Josh Nelson, gave the Johnnies the lead with 2:03 remaining. St. John's (9-0, 8-0) also clinched the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, its 10th in the past 13 years.
Quarterback Scott Kirchoff's 4-yard touchdown run with 4:57 left gave Bethel a 26-22 lead. Kirchoff, however, appeared to injure his shoulder on the collision and was taken away in an ambulance.
Blake Elliott, who had 15 receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns, returned the kickoff 50 yards to the Royals 40 to set up the winning score.
Keating completed 32 of 45 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns for the Johnnies. Kirchoff was 10-for-16 for 137 yards and two touchdowns for the Royals (9-1, 7-1) who finished second in the MIAC.
An estimated 13,107 fans clogged the stands and surrounding snow-covered hills at Clemens Stadium, the largest crowd to ever see a St. John's game.
Gagliardi, wearing a maroon parka with a huge hood pulled over his head to keep warm on an 18-degree afternoon, was mobbed by fans and cameras as he walked to the center of the field after the game was over.
Gagliardi, 77, has won three national titles at St. John's. The Johnnies gained an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs, their sixth straight appearance.
After Ross Muellenberg's 10-yard run put Bethel back in front 20-19 late in the third quarter, Brandon Keller kicked a 25-yard field goal early in the fourth to put St. John's up 22-20.
The Royals took nearly 7½ minutes off the clock, staying on the ground for 14 of their 15 plays and taking a 26-22 lead on Kirchoff's 4-yard run with 4:57 left.
The Johnnies turned the ball over twice in their territory during the first quarter, but Bethel couldn't capitalize. Weinandt sacked Kirchoff on third-and-goal at the 4 and blocked Paul Tschetter's field goal on the next play to end Bethel's first possession.
The Royals, aided by a 22-yard pass from A.J. Parnell to Kirby Carr on a fake punt that began the second quarter, took a 7-0 lead on a a 23-yard pass from Kirchoff to John Kilde.
Bethel led 14-6 on Kirchoff's 29-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ludvigson with 5:25 left before halftime, but Keating and Elliott brought St. John's back.
Keating found Jed Riegelman for an 11-yard TD to pull the Johnnies within 14-12, and the Royals turned the ball over on a failed fourth-and-2 conversion at their own 48 with 1:21 remaining.
Elliott beat three Bethel defenders on a crossing route at the goal line and hauled in a 4-yard score from Keating with 17 seconds left to give St. John's a 19-14 advantage.
The Associated Press News Service
