It was a festive environment at the opening home game of the Cougars’ football season Sept. 13, both on the field and in the Henry Science Lot, with fans enjoying the pregame tailgating as well as the dismantling of Albright 42-21.
It was the first career win for first-year head coach Steve Cushing, who graduated from the university in 2018 and played on the football team during his four-year tenure as a student. Cushing previously held the defensive coordinator position at SUNY Cortland, where his defense helped win a Division III national championship in 2023.
It was a dominating performance for the Cougars on offense, defense and special teams, but Cushing’s defense certainly stood out with its jarring hits on ball carriers, arriving fast and physical to the ball for most of the game. It was a big improvement from their first outing against Endicott, in which they allowed 394 yards of total offense in a 31-21 loss. The Cougars’ defense allowed 331 yards of total offense against Albright, but they also forced four turnovers with a pair of fumbles and interceptions.
Physicality was also a noticeable theme for the Cougars’ offense, which dominated the line of scrimmage on its way to amassing 168 rushing yards on 32 attempts, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. Junior quarterback Jacob Hunter, who attended Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre, had 105 of the 168 rushing yards and averaged 8.7 yards per attempt. Hunter didn’t just beat Albright with his legs, as he accumulated 188 yards through the air, threw four touchdowns and finished with a 68% completion rate.
Special teams also shone, particularly during a highlight play in the second quarter when sophomore Jordan Chmielewski blocked and recovered an Albright punt and returned it for a Misericordia touchdown. The play came as Misericordia was leading a close 14-7 game. The blocked punt sent the Cougar sideline and bleachers into a frenzy and helped propel them to 42 unanswered points, resulting in a 42-7 lead with just over six minutes remaining.
The 42-21 final score doesn’t accurately tell the story of just how dominant the Cougars were, as Albright scored two late touchdowns to pad the stats. The Cougars controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball for most of the game, and they played with far more effort and intensity than Albright.
In addition to watching their Cougars secure an impressive victory in their 2025 home debut, fans in the stands witnessed President Myers hyping up the crowd in his bib overalls, as well as Jennifer Black, Associate Professor and Chair of History, signing her own rendition of the national anthem.
The Cougars won 21-7 Sept. 20 on the road against Widener, and their record currently sits at 2-1. Their next game is the homecoming game, which kicks off at noon Sept. 27 at Mangelsdorf Field.
