The Game: Johns Hopkins (4-1, 3-1 Centennial) hits the road for the third time this season as the Blue Jays head north to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to take on Franklin & Marshall (4-1, 3-1 CC).

A Look Back:  Johns Hopkins made it three straight in the win column as the Blue Jays topped previously unbeaten Ursinus, 52-6, at Homewood Field last Saturday.

Poll Position:  Johns Hopkins jumped to #25 in this week's AFCA Division III Poll.  The Blue Jays had been listed as receiving votes in the first two AFCA Polls of the 2018 season.  Dating back to the start of the 2012 season, Johns Hopkins has now appeared in the top 25 of the AFCA Poll 71 times in 73 weeks.

In addition to the #25 ranking from the AFCA, Johns Hopkins is also receiving votes in this week's D3football.com Poll.  The Blue Jays had debuted at #19 in the D3football.com Preseason Poll and were ranked 18th in the first regular season poll before the narrow loss at Susquehanna on September 8; since then, the Blue Jays have been listed as receiving votes.

Before the Bye:  Johns Hopkins will hit its bye week after this week's game at Franklin & Marshall.  Since 2011, Johns Hopkins is 39-2 in the 41 combined games played before its week bye.  Included were perfect 5-0 marks each year from 2011-2016.

October Has Been Good of Late:  The calendar flips to October for this week's game against F&M and the second month of the season has been kind to the Blue Jays of late.  Johns Hopkins has won 26 consecutive games in the month of October dating back to a 26-17 loss at Ursinus on October 16, 2010.

Ironically, the Blue Jays were just 10-8 in their previous 18 games in the month of October before jump-starting the current 26-game run with a 49-24 win at Susquehanna on October 23, 2010.

Showdown Saturday:  The eyes of the Centennial Conference were on Baltimore and Allentown last weekend as the four teams at the top of the league standings squared off.

In Baltimore, Johns Hopkins topped previously unbeaten Ursinus, 52-6, and in a battle of unbeatens, it was Muhlenberg taking F&M, 42-21.

After the dust settled, the standings in the Centennial found Muhlenberg alone in first place with a 4-0 league record, while Johns Hopkins, F&M and Ursinus sit one game back at 3-1.

Showdown Saturday, 2.0:  The four teams at the top of the standings will swap dance partners this week as Johns Hopkins will travel to F&M and Muhlenberg will head to Ursinus.

259 in First Five:  Johns Hopkins has scored 259 points through five games - that marks the most points the Blue Jays have ever scored through the first five games of a season.  In fact, only twice has Johns Hopkins scored more than 259 points in the first six games of a season (280 in 2015 and 266 in 2013).

Chart Toppers:  Johns Hopkins leads the Centennial Conference in scoring offense (51.8 ppg), total offense (581.8 ypg.), passing yards per game (365.6 ypg.) and rushing offense (216.2).  The Blue Jays are also first in third-down percentage (.565) and first downs per game (28.6).

Among the National Leaders:  Entering this week's game against Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins ranks third in the nation in total offense (581.8), fifth in passing offense (365.6) and fifth in scoring offense (51.8).  The Blue Jays also rank third in third-down percentage (.565) and the 143 first downs JHU has accumulated are the most of any team in the nation.

Record-Tying:  Johns Hopkins rolled up 665 yards of total offense in last week's 52-6 win over Ursinus.  That ranks as the fourth-best single-game total in school history and ties the school record for most 600-yard games in one season (3 / 680 @ Moravian, 606 vs. Randolph-Macon).  JHU also had three 600-yard games in 2017.

Six in 132, Six in 16:  In the first 132 seasons of Johns Hopkins football, the Blue Jays had six games of 600+ yards of total offense.  In the last 16 games, the Blue Jays have topped the 600-yard mark six times.

A Program First, Twice:  The Blue Jays rolled up 428 yards passing and 252 yards rushing in the win at Moravian.  That marked the first time in school history that the Blue Jays have totaled more than 400 yards passing and 250 yards rushing in the same game.  

So, after never having turned the 400/250 trick in 133 seasons (plus two games), the Blue Jays have now done it twice in three weeks as they followed up the effort at Moravian with a 405-yard passing, 262-yard rushing performance against Ursinus.

Amazingly, only once prior to the last three weeks had JHU had even 250+ rushing yards and 350+ passing yards  in one game (vs. Juniata in 2017).

Big Plays: Through five games, the Johns Hopkins offense has 40 plays of 20 yards or longer (an average of 8 such plays per game) and 112 plays of 10 yards or longer (22.4 such plays per game).  Note that this includes offensive plays only (rushing and passing plays).

Defense Steps Up:  The Johns Hopkins defense enjoyed its strongest outing of the season in the 47-3 win at Moravian.  The Blue Jays held the Greyhounds to just 216 yards of total offense, including just 70 in the first half, limited MC to a 2-of-14 showing on third-down chances, recorded two takeaways, two sacks and nine tackles for losses.

It's Been a While:  The three points the Blue Jays allowed at Moravian are the fewest points Johns Hopkins has allowed in a road game since October 13, 2012, when JHU topped Dickinson, 49-0.

Seven or Less Under Rehring:  Since Mickey Rehring took over as the Blue Jay defensive coordinator in 2013, Johns Hopkins has now held the opposition to seven points or less 14 times - including the three-point performance by Moravian on September 15 and the six-point effort by Ursinus last Saturday.

23 in 3:  After allowing an average of 34 points per game in the first two games, the Blue Jay defense has worked its way into form and has allowed a total of just 23 points in the last three games - all Blue Jay victories.

The 23 points Johns Hopkins has allowed over the last three games are the fewest in a three-game span since the Blue Jays allowed just 19 in a three-game span midway through the 2015 season.

At Home at Homewood:  Johns Hopkins has parlayed its home field advantage into victories in recent years.  In fact, the Blue Jays are 46-5 (.902) in the home blacks since the start of the 2010 season.

More Homewood:  Including the 52-6 win against Ursinus, Johns Hopkins has now won 41 straight regular season home games.  The Blue Jays last dropped a home game in the regular season on October 2, 2010 when Muhlenberg topped JHU, 30-27.

On a Roll:  Johns Hopkins is 76-3 in its last 79 regular season games dating back to late in the 2010 season and 80-10 in its last 90 games overall since late in the 2010 season.

Sustained Success:  Since the start of the 2002 season, the Blue Jays sport a 147-38 (.795) record.  Taking it back farther, the Blue Jays are 153-41 (.789) since the start of the 2001 season and 158-46 (.775) since the beginning of the 2000 season.

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