WashU QB Matt Rush looks for someone to throw to during Saturday’s CCIW game against North Park. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

NCAA Football – Sept. 30, 2023	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
North Park (2-2, 1-2)	7	0	0	0	7
WashU (4-0, 3-0)	14	10	14	3	41

Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer

CLAYTON, MO — The Washington University football team picked off five interceptions and broke the school record for longest kickoff return for a touchdown, Saturday afternoon, on its way to a 41-7 win over North Park in a CCIW league game at Francis Olympic Field.

The Bears put up 400 yards of total offense, powered mostly by 228 rushing yards, and didn’t allow North Park to score any points after the first quarter, to dominate its way to what proved to be a blowout victory over the Vikings.

WashU is now 4-0 on the season, with a 3-0 record in CCIW play. North Park fell to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

The game began as a back and forth battle, as both teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter. WashU got the scoring started with a 36-yard touchdown pass from QB Matt Rush to WR Collin Hoyhta. Then North Park answered with a 15-play, 9-minute long drive that was capped by a 13-yard pass from Matt Eck to Jereme Ombogo that tied the score at 7.

But that only lasted a few seconds, as WashU’s Collin Goldberg ran the ensuing kickoff back 97 yards — the longest kickoff return for a touchdown in WashU history — to give the Bears the lead again at 14-7. WashU never trailed again.

And a big reason why the Bears never trailed again was its defense kept forcing turnovers, particular interceptions. WashU got its first INT on the first play of the game, when freshman cornerback Emmanuel Jenkins picked off a tipped pass for his first collegiate interception.

Sophomore safety Ryan Schmadtke got the second interception in the second quarter, when he nabbed an Eck pass that was tipped by Jenkins at the WashU 11 and returned it to the 32. That set up a seven-play drive for the Bears that was almost all run plays, which was capped by a 6-yard touchdown run by Kenneth Hamilton. That put the Bears up 21-7.

WashU got the ball back one more time just before halftime, and added a Ross Muchnick field goal to go into halftime ahead 24-7.

The Bears went ahead 31-7, when Kenvorris Campbell scored on a 12-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.

Sophomore corner Bradley Hamilton got WashU’s third interception of the day on North Park’s next possession. That didn’t lead to points for WashU, but the fourth interception of the day, hauled in by junior safety Andrew Dotson, did lead to points, as Dotson returned it 21 yards for a touchdown.

Junior defensive lineman Nate Light made WashU’s fifth interception when he grabbed a screen pass intended for Ombogo. North Park had driven to WashU’s 4-yard line, but once again the Bears’ kept the Vikings from putting points on the board by picking off one of Eck’s passes.

Muchnick added a 45-yard field goal midway through the fourth to finish off the scoring, as WashU ended up cruising to its fourth straight win to begin the 2023 season.

The Bears will go for win No. 5 next week, when they’ll travel to Bloomington, Ill., for another CCIW game against Illinois Wesleyan. Kickoff on Saturday is set for 1 p.m.

WashU’s next home game will be in two weeks, when the Bears will host Augustana College, on October 14. Kickoff at Francis Olympic Field that day will also be at 1 p.m.

Qtr	Time	Scoring Play	NP	WASHU
1st	10:50	WASHU – Hoyhtya, Collin 36 yd pass from Rush, Matt (Muchnick, Ross kick) 8 plays, 79 yards, TOP 04:02	0	7
1st	01:52	NP – Ombogo, Jereme 13 yd pass from Eck, Matt (Messersmith, Michael kick) 16 plays, 74 yards, TOP 08:58	7	7
1st	01:39	WASHU – Goldberg, Collin 97 yd kickoff return (Muchnick,Ross kick)	7	14
2nd	04:32	WASHU – Hamilton, Kenneth 6 yd run (Muchnick, Ross kick), 7 plays, 68 yards, TOP 02:45	7	21
2nd	00:10	WASHU – Muchnick, Ross 39 yd field goal – 10 plays, 55 yards, TOP 02:55	7	24
3rd	09:42	WASHU – Campbell, Kenvorris 12 yd run (Muchnick, Ross kick), 5 plays, 68 yards, TOP 03:03	7	31
3rd	03:29	WASHU – Dotson, Andrew 21 yd interception return (Muchnick, Ross kick)	7	38
4th	07:17	WASHU – Muchnick, Ross 45 yd field goal – 15 plays, 58 yards, TOP 08:57	7	41

2023 WashU Bears Football Schedule

Date	Time	At	Opponent	Location
October 7, 2023	1 p.m.	Away	Illinois Wesleyan University	Bloomington, Ill.
October 14, 2023	1 p.m.	Home	Augustana College	Francis Olympic Field
October 21, 2023	1 p.m.	Away	North Central College	Naperville, Ill.
October 28, 2023	1 p.m.	Home	Elmhurst University	Francis Olympic Field
November 4, 2023	1 p.m.	Away	Wheaton College	Wheaton, Ill.
November 11, 2023	12 p.m.	Home	Carroll University	Francis Olympic Field