Oct. 15, 2003
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The Game: The last two undefeated teams in the Centennial Conference clash as 15th-ranked Johns Hopkins (6-0, 2-0 Centennial Conference) hosts Gettysburg (4-1, 1-0 CC) in the only Friday night game of the season at JHU.
The Teams: Johns Hopkins ran its school-record winning streak to 10 games with a 37-14 victory over Franklin & Marshall last Saturday. Gettysburg jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back in a 30-20 win over McDaniel.
It's a Record: The nine wins for the Blue Jays last season are a school record. Johns Hopkins broke the school record for wins in a season with its eighth of the year with the win over McDaniel. The previous school record of seven victories had been set eight times previously (1998, 1997, 1996, 1981, 1968, 1959, 1948, 1891). Jim Margraff coached the Blue Jays to three of the seven-win seasons before breaking the record in 2002.
It's Another Record: The current 10-game winning streak is the longest in the history of the Johns Hopkins football program. JHU had four, seven-game winning streaks prior to the current 10-game run. The most recent seven-game winning streak for JHU prior to the current 10-game streak bridged the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Blue Jays Break School Record: With the 37-14 victory over F&M last Saturday, the Blue Jays broke the school record for longest unbeaten streak. JHU's 10-game winning streak surpassed the nine-game unbeaten streaks JHU built in 1904-05 and 1907-08.
It's a First: Johns Hopkins shared the 2002 Centennial Conference title with Muhlenberg and McDaniel. This was the first Centennial championship for Johns Hopkins.
More Firsts: The ECAC Southwest Championship Game victory over Frostburg last season marked several program firsts. This was the first post-season game in the history of Johns Hopkins football and, obviously, it was also the first post-season victory in the history of Johns Hopkins football.
In the Rankings: Johns Hopkins is ranked 15th in this week's AFCA Poll after being ranked 19th last week. The #15 national ranking is the highest in school history and this is the first time JHU has ever been ranked in the top 20 in football.
Prior to this season, the highest Johns Hopkins had ever been ranked was 26th on October 15, 2002. JHU was ranked 32nd in the final 2002 poll This week's complete poll can be found on page 5 and JHU's week-by-week ranking is listed below:
Poll Date JHU Rank
9-16-03 RV (27th)
9-23-03 23rd
9-30-03 24th
10-7-03 19th
10-14-03 15th
Quick Starts: JHU's 6-0 start this season is the best for Hopkins since 1931. The only 7-0 start in Hopkins history came in 1892.
Streaking: JHU's 10-game winning streak is the longest active winning streak in the Centennial Conference and the longest active winning streak in the state of Maryland.
More Streaking: Johns Hopkins is 15-2 since the beginning of the 2002 season, 17-2 in its last 19 games dating back to the end of the 2001 season and 21-5 since the beginning of the 2001 season. The 15 wins in the last two years ties the school record for most wins in a two-year period, while the 21 wins in the last three years ties the school record for most in a three-year period. JHU also needs just one win to tie the school record for most wins in a four-year period (27).
Friday Night Lights: Hopkins has been playing games on Friday night at Homewood Field for years and the results have been very favorable for the Blue Jays. JHU is 19-7-1 (.722) under head coach Jim Margraff under the lights at home on Friday night.
The Coaches: Johns Hopkins is coached by Jim Margraff (JHU `82), who is in his 14th season as the head coach at Homewood. With the season-opening win over Washington & Lee in 2001, Margraff became the all-time winningest coach in school history and he now sports an overall record of 81-52-3 (.607). The previous record for wins by a Johns Hopkins football coach was 60 by Ray Van Orman (1920-35).
Margraff guided the Blue Jays to a then-school-record-tying seven wins in 1996, 1997 and 1998 before leading the Blue Jays to their first-ever playoff appearance (and victory), first-ever Centennial Conference title and a school-record nine wins in 2002. Margraff's .607 winning percentage is second among JHU coaches who have coached 30 or more games and the Blue Jays are 57-28-1 (.669) since the beginning of the 1995 season.
Barry Streeter, the dean of Centennial Conference coaches, ranks as the all-time winningest head coach in Gettysburg history and is the 13th-winningest active NCAA Division III football coach as he sports a 131-122-5 (.517) record. He led the Bullets to three straight Centennial titles from 1983-85 and the Bullets advanced to the NCAA Semifinals in 1985.
Margraff's Resurrection: Since taking over as the head coach prior to the 1990 season, Jim Margraff has guided JHU to nine winning seasons and 81 wins. The 81 wins are four more than Hopkins accumulated in the previous 20 years combined (1970-89). During that time, Hopkins posted nine winning seasons and won 77 games.
And They Shall Lead Us: The Blue Jays selected two players to serve as team captains for the 2003 season: senior DL Paul Smith (Lafayette, NJ/Sparta) and senior LB Paul Longo (Kensington, MD/Bethesda-Chevy Chase). Smith and Longo were two of JHU's four Verizon District II Academic All-Americans last season.
It's All Academic: Johns Hopkins had four players earn Verizon District II Academic All-America honors (current senior captains Paul Smith and Paul Longo and the now-graduated Brian Williams and John Tiberi). The four selections were one more than the rest of the Centennial Conference teams had combined and no other school in the district had more than two players named to the team.
Home Sweet Home: Since the beginning of the 1996 season, Hopkins is 29-9 (.763) at home and won 10 straight at Homewood from 1996-97. Under head coach Jim Margraff, the Blue Jays are 49-17-2 (.735) at Homewood Field and JHU has won 11 of its last 13 at home.
The Road Most Traveled: Johns Hopkins is 11-3 in its last 14 road games and has won eight of its last nine away from home.
Comeback Kids: The Blue Jays trailed 7-0 after the first series against F&M last week. Of Hopkins' last 16 wins (dating back to the 2001 season-finale), seven have been of the come-from-behind variety.
Blue Jays Post Three Straight Shutouts: The Johns Hopkins defense posted its third straight shutout with the 30-0 victory over Dickinson earlier this season. This is the first time Johns Hopkins has posted three straight shutouts since the final three games of the 1959 season. The three straight shutouts also ties the Centennial Conference record for most consecutive shutouts (Dickinson / 1998).
Top This: Johns Hopkins reached new heights with the effort against Dickinson. The Devils rushed 45 times for 91 yards and completed two passes for 14 yards for a total of just 105 yards of offense. JHU also forced five turnovers in the victory. The 105 yards the Blue Jays allowed against DC are the fewest Johns Hopkins has allowed since head coach Jim Margraff arrived prior to the 1990 season.
A Cumulative Look: Johns Hopkins leads the Centennial Conference in scoring defense (5.0 points/game), rushing defense (84.8 yards/game), total defense (213.5 yards/game) and pass efficiency defense (59.45 efficiency rating). The Blue Jays also have a league-high 17 interceptions on the year. JHU currently leads the nation in pass efficiency defense, is third in scoring defense and sixth in total defense.
The Unknown Streak: With all of the focus on JHU's winning streak and the impressive numbers being put up by the defense, the Blue Jay offense is quietly putting together an impressive season of its own. Of note, the 37-point effort for the Blue Jays last Saturday against F&M marked the ninth consecutive game that JHU has scored 20 or more points. This is the first time in school history JHU has scored 20 or more points in nine straight games. The previous record of seven had been set twice previously. The first time came in 1998 (the first seven games) and the other bridged the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Going the Distance: Last season, JHU had 28 scoring drives that covered 51 yards or more. In six games this season, the Blue Jays have 17 scoring drives that have covered 51 yards or more.
Quick Strike Attack: In six games, the Blue Jays have 18 scoring drives that have taken less than 2:50 off the clock. Against F&M, the Blue Jays had three touchdown drives that were longer than 50 yards that took less than two minutes.
Plus-Minus: In the first two games of the season Johns Hopkins was minus two in turnover ratio. In the last four games, the Blue Jays are plus eight and the defense has forced 15 turnovers in those four games.
Offense Reaches the Half-Century Mark: Johns Hopkins out-gained Washington & Lee, 508-174 in the 36-7 win earlier this season. This marked the first time the Blue Jays have amassed 500 or more yards of total offense since November 3, 2001, when JHU had 511 in a 41-0 win over F&M.
Cook, Nesbitt Top 100: Adam Cook and freshman Mark Nesbitt both rushed for over 100 yards in the win over F&M as Cook had 149 and Nesbitt added a career-high 101. This marks the first time two JHU players have rushed for over 100 yards in the same game since October 24, 1997, when Adam Gentile (138) and Don Zajick (100) both topped the 100-yard mark against Bridgewater. Amazingly, Gentile and Zajick turned the trick three times in 1997.
Team Notes of Interest: Johns Hopkins is an impressive 51-4 (.927) under Margraff when scoring 24 or more points...currently, the Blue Jays have won 38 of their last 40 when scoring 24 or more...at the same time, Hopkins is 57-8-2 (.866) when holding the opposition to 14 points or less since Margraff arrived for the 1990 season...the last time JHU lost a game when it held the opposition to 14 points or less was on October 31, 1997, when the Blue Jays dropped a 13-7 triple-overtime decision against Dickinson... currently, the Blue Jays have won 23 straight games when holding the opposition to 14 points or less.
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Player Notes of Interest Included in PDF Version
