Once again, St. Olaf defeated its crosstown rival Carleton College on Oct. 17 in the annual Cereal Bowl, winning with a final score of 34-27. St. Olaf leads the series against the Carls with a record of 51-43-1.
The Oles put together one of their most impressive performances of the year, especially on the offensive side. The Oles had 493 total yards, with 225 coming from the rushing game alone. The offense was led by J.J. Strnad ’16, who scored a staggering five touchdowns along with 226 rushing yards and 78 recieving yards. Strnad’s strong performance was enough to earn him the title of MIAC Player of the Week. Quaterback Nate Penz ’16 also had an impressive game, throwing for 268 yards and a touchdown to help the Oles close out the Cereal Bowl.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Oles found themselves struggling in the first half of the game to contain the speed of Carleton quarterback Zach Creighton, who ran for146 yards and passed for another 127 yards. Carleton’s running game also caused trouble for the Oles, as ball carrier Andy Gustafson scored two touchdowns to keep the Carls in the game. The Oles were leading the game with a little under two minutes left when Carleton’s offense marched down the field, but defensive back Kyle Keenan ’15 intercepted Creighton’s pass to seal the Ole victory.
Although both teams still sit at the bottom of the MIAC, this game was a huge boost for a struggling St. Olaf team. There is nothing sweeter than humiliating Carleton on the gridiron, something that is sure to continue year after year. The Oles’ next game will be against Augsburg College on Oct. 24.
