WashU’s Matthew Kinoshita tries to break free from a Carthage defender during Saturday’s NCAA Division III football game in Kenosha, Wis. (Photo courtesy: Carthage Athletics)
| NCAA Football | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT1 | OT2 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WashU (4-1, 3-1) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 31 |
| Carthage (2-3, 1-3) | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
KENOSHA, WI — The Washington University football team earned itself a double-overtime win, 31-23, over Carthage College, in a CCIW league game, Saturday afternoon at Art Keller Field.
The Bears trailed until the fourth quarter, then saw Carthage score with 31 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Both teams kicked a field goal in the first overtime, which forced the game to go into a second OT.
In that final stanza, WashU scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion, then stopped Carthage on 4th down from the 8-yard line to close out the game.
Members of the WashU Bears celebrate winning Saturday’s double overtime thriller over Carthage. (Photo: Ellie Parker)
Quarterback Levi Moore provided almost all of the scoring for WashU. The junior from Nashville, Tenn., threw two touchdown passes and ran for two others to help the Bears pull out the win.
Both defenses dominated the action for most of the first half. But Carthage did get two touchdown runs to go ahead 13-0 late in the second quarter.
Moore and the Bears responded with an eight-play, 63-yard drive that ended with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Bienstock that sent the game into halftime with the Firebirds ahead 13-7.
WashU took its first lead of the game early in the fourth, when Moore broke free for a 4-yard touchdown run that put the Bears ahead 14-13.
Linebacker Brady Willmer, who also had two quarterback sacks in the game, made one of the key defensive plays of the game moments later, when he intercepted a Carthage pass and returned it into Firebirds’ territory.
WashU converted that turnover into points 12 plays later, when Moore hit Makael Carter for a 2-yard touchdown pass. Kicker Matias Adrogue, who had made the first two, missed the point-after attempt, so the Bears went into the final minutes of regulation leading 20-13.
That left the door open for Carthage to tie the game with 31 seconds left, when the Firebirds scored on a touchdown pass from Easton Heafner to Dylan Salisbury.
The WashU Bears are 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the CCIW, following their double-overtime win over Carthage on Saturday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Carthage got the ball first in the first overtime and eventually settled for a 30-yard field goal to take the lead. WashU answered with a 38-yard field goal by Adrogue that tied the score at 23.
The second overtime began with WashU in possession of the ball. This time, the Bears converted with a 3-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion pass by Moore.
That forced Carthage to go into its final possession needing a touchdown and two-point conversion to force a third OT.
But WashU wouldn’t allow it. Carthage did get one first down, but the Bears wouldn’t allow another and left Wisconsin with a hard fought win.
WashU is now 4-1 on the season and 3-1 in the CCIW. Carthage fell to 2-3 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
The Bears will be back home next Saturday, October 18, when they’ll host another CCIW game against Elmhurst University. Kickoff at Francis Olympic Field is set for 1 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Qtr | Time | Scoring Play | WASHU | CAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 08:49 | CAR – Frank, Bryce 3 yd run (PAT no good), 15 plays, 88 yards, TOP 09:04 | 0 | 6 |
| 2nd | 04:01 | CAR – Frank, Bryce 52 yd run (Grzyb, Matt kick), 2 plays, 72 yards, TOP 00:59 | 0 | 13 |
| 2nd | 00:38 | WASHU- Bienstock, Ryan 17 yd pass from Moore, Levi (Adrogue, Matias kick), 8 plays, 63 yards, TOP 03:23 | 7 | 13 |
| 4th | 13:29 | WASHU – Moore, Levi 4 yd run (Adrogue, Matias kick), 10 plays, 61 yards, TOP 05:37 | 14 | 13 |
| 4th | 04:28 | WASHU – Carter, Makael 2 yd pass from Moore, Levi (PAT no good), 12 plays, 62 yards, TOP 06:11 | 20 | 13 |
| 4th | 00:31 | CAR – Salisbury, Dylan 14 yd pass from Heafner, Easton (Kreho, Mugdim kick), 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 03:49 | 20 | 20 |
| OT1 | 00:00 | CAR – Kreho, Mugdim 30 yd field goal, 6 plays, 22 yards, TOP 00:00 | 20 | 23 |
| OT1 | 00:00 | WASHU – Adrogue, Matias 38 yd field goal, 6 plays, 14 yards, TOP 00:00 | 23 | 23 |
| OT2 | 00:00 | WASHU – Moore, Levi 3 yd run (Moore, Levi 2-pt pass good), 7 plays, 25 yards, TOP 00:00 | 31 | 23 |
CCIW FOOTBALL STANDINGS
| Team | CCIW | CCIW Pct. | Overall | Overall Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 North Central | 4-0 | 1.000 | 5-0 | 1.000 |
 Augustana | 3-1 | .750 | 4-1 | .800 |
 WashU | 3-1 | .750 | 4-1 | .800 |
 Wheaton | 3-1 | .750 | 3-2 | .600 |
 Carroll | 2-2 | .500 | 2-3 | .400 |
 Illinois Wesleyan | 2-2 | .500 | 2-3 | .400 |
 Carthage | 1-3 | .250 | 2-3 | .400 |
 Millikin | 1-3 | .250 | 2-3 | .400 |
 North Park | 1-3 | .250 | 2-3 | .400 |
 Elmhurst | 0-4 | .000 | 1-4 | .200 |
WASHU BEARS 2025 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 6 | 7 pm | Home | Rhodes College | Francis Olympic Field | W, 49-0 (1-0) |
| September 20 | 1 pm | Away | Carroll University | Waukesha, Wis. / Schneider Stadium | W, 41-29 (2-0) |
| September 27 | 1 pm | Home | #1 North Central | Francis Olympic Field | L, 44-14 (2-1) |
| October 4 | 6 pm | Home | Illinois Wesleyan | Francis Olympic Field | W. 42-40 (3-1) |
| October 11 | 1 pm | Away | Carthage | Kenosha, Wis. / Keller Field | W, 31-23 2OT (4-1) |
| October 18 | 1 pm | Home | Elmhurst | Francis Olympic Field | |
| October 25 | 1 pm | Away | Wheaton | Wheaton, Ill. / McCully Stadium | |
| November 1 | 1 p.m. | Away | Millikin | Decatur, Ill. / Lindsay Field | |
| November 8 | 12 pm | Home | North Park | Francis Olympic Field | |
| November 15 | 12 p.m. | Away | Augustana | Rock Island, Ill. / Lindberg Stadium |