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Ohio Northern University

Did You Know?: Football Playoffs started with a long bomb

Did You Know?: Football Playoffs started with a long bomb
April 17, 2020

| Klondike's Did You Know? page | Box Score (.pdf) |

The Ohio Northern football team made the NCAA Division III Playoffs for the first time in program history on Nov. 29, 1999, and its first game was at undefeated and No. 7-ranked Hanover (Ind.)

On the first play from scrimmage that day, All-American Steve Vagedes caught a 79-yard touchdown pass over the top from Shane Franzer, setting the tone for a 56-14 blowout victory by the Polar Bears.

Vagedes caught six passes for 237 yards and Franzer finished the day completing 22-of-36 passes for a school-record 452 yards and three touchdowns.

All-American Jamal Robertson ran 28 times for 146 yards and three scores as Ohio Northern rolled up 722 yards of total offense.

The next week, the Ohio Northern offense again exploded in a 58-24 win at No. 4 Wittenberg, giving ONU back-to-back road wins over top-10 ranked teams for the first time in school history.