Capital University’s football team came within one blocked kick of a famous home win on Saturday afternoon in Bexley, falling 38-32 in double overtime to Heidelberg after the Student Princes’ Drew Miller scored on a 25-yard run on the first play of Heidelberg’s second-overtime possession, according to Capital University Athletics.
Heidelberg improved to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference with the win at Bernlohr Stadium, while Capital dropped to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in conference play. Miller finished the afternoon with 391 rushing yards and four touchdowns, a performance Heidelberg University Athletics described as historic for its program.
The game swung back and forth from the opening quarter. Capital struck first on a 64-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Love to Wesley Armstead with 8:29 left in the first quarter, and Ethan Graham’s extra point made it 7-0, Capital Athletics reported. Heidelberg answered on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Miller, but Capital defensive lineman Robbie Hatcher blocked the extra point — the first of three kick blocks Hatcher would record on the day.
Heidelberg moved in front 13-7 early in the second quarter on a touchdown pass from Alex Arledge to Aiden Bradshaw, before Capital reclaimed the lead at 14-13 on a one-yard scoring run by Zion Solomon. Miller’s short touchdown run just before halftime, with the extra point again blocked by Hatcher, sent Heidelberg into the break ahead 19-14.
Capital trimmed the margin to 19-17 in the third quarter on a Graham field goal set up by Morgan Godwin’s blocked punt. Miller pushed Heidelberg’s lead back to 26-17, but Capital answered two plays later, after a long kickoff return by Xavier Rodriguez, on a Love touchdown pass to Preston Hannika that made it 26-24.
Miller then broke an 89-yard touchdown run to put Heidelberg up 32-24, but Hatcher’s third blocked kick of the game kept the margin at one possession. According to Capital Athletics, Hatcher’s three blocks broke a Capital record that had stood since 1937, when Harry Campbell blocked two kicks in a game against Marietta on October 9 of that year.
That record-setting block proved decisive in keeping Capital alive. With the score still a one-possession game, Love found Hannika on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 56 seconds left in regulation. Down two points, Capital went for the tie and converted, with Love connecting with Armstead in the corner of the end zone to level the score at 32-32 and force overtime.
In the first overtime, Capital’s defense gave its offense a chance to win: AJ Conti broke up a pass in the end zone and the ball fell into the hands of Bryson Roberts for an interception. Capital drove into field-goal range, but a delay-of-game penalty proved costly and Graham’s kick hit the post, leaving the score tied.
Capital opened the second overtime with the ball and again settled for a field-goal try, but this time Graham’s 34-yard attempt was blocked by Heidelberg’s Trevor Robinson, according to Heidelberg University Athletics. On Heidelberg’s first play of the period, Miller burst through for the 25-yard game-winning touchdown.
Love threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns on 19 completions for Capital. Armstead caught five passes for 139 yards, a touchdown and the game-tying two-point conversion, while Hannika added five catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Rodriguez was Capital’s leading rusher with 90 yards on 17 carries and added 140 yards on four kickoff returns.
Capital’s defense was busy all afternoon: Marcus Young Jr. led the Comets with 17 tackles, followed by Olaoluwa Obayemi with 16, Jio Rodriguez with 12 and Diamonte Salley with 10. AJ Adams recorded the game’s only sack for Capital, Roberts had the Comets’ only interception, and Jio Rodriguez added a fumble recovery.
The loss came a week after one of the program’s brightest recent afternoons. Capital brought the Oar back to Bexley on October 31 with a 35-30 rivalry win at Otterbein, a result that gave the Comets their fifth win of the season and the program’s first five-win season since 2011, according to Capital Athletics. Saturday’s defeat does not erase that step forward, but it showed the distance still between Capital and the OAC’s top tier: Heidelberg arrived in Bexley receiving votes in the national polls, and needed every one of Miller’s 391 yards to escape.
What happens next: Capital closes its season at home next week, hosting Ohio Northern for senior day at Bernlohr Stadium, with kickoff slated for 1:30 p.m., according to Capital Athletics. Heidelberg, meanwhile, closes its regular season next Saturday at Wilmington, according to Heidelberg University Athletics.