Fighting Muskies Battle Wire-to-Wire in Narrow 35–28 Senior Day Setback vs. #22 Baldwin Wallace
Muskingum football delivered a gritty performance on Senior Day at the Bullock Health and Wellness Complex on Saturday, going toe-to-toe with the 22nd-ranked Baldwin Wallace before falling 35-28.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
7 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
|
|
7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
Team Stats
Baldwin Wallace
| Game Statistics | Baldwin Wallace | Muskingum |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 237 | 229 |
| Rushing Yards | 166 | 99 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of Poss. | 36:10 | 23:50 |
Muskingum football delivered a gritty performance on Senior Day at the Bullock Health and Wellness Complex on Saturday, going toe-to-toe with the 22nd-ranked Baldwin Wallace before falling 35-28.
The Muskies (3–5, 3–3 OAC) matched Baldwin Wallace score-for-score throughout a competitive first half, leaning on strong ground production from sophomore running back Riley Woodie, who struck twice rushing to level the game at 14–14. Senior quarterback Garrett Gurney kept the offense in rhythm with efficient short-game passing while extending plays with his legs and pocket movement.
Defensively, Muskingum stood tall in critical moments, forcing three fourth-down stops and recording two sacks and four tackles for loss against the explosive Yellow Jacket offense.
Baldwin Wallace (7–1, 5–1 OAC) used extended drives and a fourth-quarter push to create separation, but the Muskies refused to quit. Gurney connected with senior receiver David Westrick twice in the final six minutes, including a six-yard touchdown with 1:01 remaining, to pull back within seven and give Muskingum one final chance.
Notables
- Muskingum recognized 19 football seniors today - Tylen Rose, Samaar Scott, James Salchli, Malik Pegram, Luciano Vecchiarelli, Kenny Page, David Westrick, Kolby Masloski, Grant Wright, Foster Wertz, Caleb Sparks-Matthews, Cornelius Walls, Logan Crozier, Joey Brown, Antwan Murphy, Martavious Johnson, AJ Sumpter, Garrett Gurney, and Conner Gurney. The Muskies also recognized senior cheerleaders Gillian Smith, Katelyn Bailey, Tayler Wolford, and Kelley Masloski.
- Muskingum recognized student-athletes at halftime for their academic and athletic accomplishments from the 2024-25 campaign.
- Senior quarterback Garrett Gurney now ranks tied for fourth for passing yards in a season with 2,026. He's tied with Brody Hahn (2017). Gurney also ranks sixth for career passing yards with 3,497. His 31 career touchdown passes rank second all-time at Muskingum, and his 19 touchdown passes this season are just short of the record of 21 held by Jordan Garrett (2022). Garrett's 2,235 yards of total offense this season rank sixth in a season, and his 3,940 yards of total offense rank seventh for a career.
- Junior receiver Cade Searls ranks 10th for a season with 690 receiving yards.
- Sophomore receiver John Christopher Gore ranks 11th for a season with 689 receiving yards.
Offense
- Senior quarterback Garrett Gurney: 26–39 for 229 yards and 2 TDs passing; added 33 rushing yards
- Sophomore running back Riley Woodie: 99 all-purpose yards (66 rushing / 3 receiving) and 2 rushing TDs, including a 22-yard score
- Senior receiver David Westrick: 7 receptions, 59 yards, and 2 TDs, both in the fourth quarter
- Sophomore receiver John Christopher Gore: 6 receptions for a team-high 105 yards, including a 37-yard strike to spark a long drive
Special Teams
- Junior receiver Christopher Singleton electrified the return game with 124 kickoff return yards, a long of 49
- Sophomore kicker Aaron Ortega was a perfect 4-for-4 on PATs
Defense
- Senior linebacker Conner Gurney: 12 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and 2 QB hurries
- Sophomore defensive lineman Nathan Thomas and senior linebacker Martavious Johnson each recorded a sack, combining for 17 negative yards
- Five total QB hurries and four tackles for loss from the Muskies front seven
Up Next
Muskingum next travels to Capital on Saturday, November 8. The game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
