BEXLEY, Ohio – Behind a historic performance from tailback Drew Miller and a clutch special teams play in the second overtime, the Heidelberg University Football team escaped Bernlohr Stadium with a thrilling 38-32 victory over Capital University on Saturday.
Drew rushed for a staggering 391 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winning 25-yard score in the second overtime. He also caught four passes for 60 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 451 all-purpose yards and five total touchdowns.
The win improved the Student Princes to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in Ohio Athletic Conference play. Capital dropped to 5-4, 3-4.
Heidelberg piled up 689 yards of total offense, including 406 on the ground, and held a commanding 35-16 advantage in first downs.
How it happened
Capital struck first on a 64-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Love to Wesley Armstead midway through the opening quarter.
The Student Princes responded with a methodical 12-play, 92-yard drive, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Alex Arledge to Miller. A blocked extra point – a major theme for the day – left Heidelberg trailing, 7-6.
Heidelberg took its first lead early in the second quarter when Arledge found Aiden Bradshaw for a four-yard touchdown, putting the visitors ahead, 13-7.
Capital answered with a one-yard touchdown run from Zion Solomon, but the Student Princes regained the lead late in the half. Miller capped a nine-play, 82-yard march with a two-yard touchdown run, sending Heidelberg into the locker room with a 19-14 advantage.
After Capital trimmed the deficit to 19-17 with a third-quarter field goal, Heidelberg answered with a 70-yard touchdown drive. Miller's second two-yard scoring run pushed the lead to 26-17.
The Comets responded quickly, scoring on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Love to Preston Hannika.
Miller needed just one play to answer.
Taking a second-down handoff from Arledge, Miller broke free for an electrifying 89-yard touchdown run, giving Heidelberg a 32-24 lead with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter.
Neither team scored for much of the fourth quarter, as the Heidelberg defense limited Capital to just three minutes of possession. The Student Princes were stymied inside the red zone and turned it over on downs twice in the final stanza.
Capital, however, mounted a late rally. Taking over at its own 12-yard line with 2:07 remaining, the Comets covered 88 yards in seven plays. Love connected with Hannika for a desperation 21-yard touchdown with 56 seconds left, then found Armstead for the game-tying two-point conversion.
Heidelberg moved into Capital territory on its final possession of regulation, but was unable to score, sending the contest into overtime tied at 32.
In the first extra session, Capital intercepted a deflected pass in the end zone, giving the Comets an opportunity to win. The Heidelberg defense held, however, and Ethan Graham missed a 32-yard field goal attempt – doinking it off the left upright.
Capital opened the second overtime with the ball and advanced inside the Heidelberg 20. Once again, the Student Princes held firm. On fourth down, Trevor Robinson blocked Graham's 34-yard field goal attempt, giving Heidelberg an opportunity to win with any score.
Miller took care of the rest.
On Heidelberg's first play of the second overtime, Miller burst through the Capital defense for a 25-yard touchdown, setting off a celebration on the Student Princes' sideline and sealing the 38-32 victory.
Inside the box score: A monster game
Miller carried the ball 46 times for 391 yards, averaging 8.5 yards per attempt. His four rushing and one receiving touchdowns accounted for five of Heidelberg's six touchdowns … Arledge finished 25-of-37 through the air for 283 yards and two touchdowns … Bradshaw led the receiving corps with seven catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. Mason Mossbarger added five receptions for 61 yards, while Tyreese Clerveau caught four passes for 41 yards.
Defensively, Mason Villarreal led the Student Princes with nine tackles, followed by Thomas Zacharko with eight and Kareem Caldwell with seven … Caldwell also recorded a sack … Tommie McDonald came away with an interception and three pass breakups, while Robinson's blocked field goal proved to be one of the game's decisive plays.
Heidelberg outgained Capital, 689-390, and controlled possession for nearly 37 minutes.
Beyond the box score: Making history
Miller's 391 yards rushing is second in 'Berg history, trailing Cartel Brooks' then-NCAA All-Divisions record 465-yard outburst at Baldwin Wallace in 2013. The mark sits fifth in OAC history … Miller is the first Student Prince with five touchdowns in a game since Montavious Yearby racked up a quintet at Hiram in 2023 … The 89-yard scamper was the program's longest since Cameron Vocke had a 91-yarder in a win over Ohio Northern in 2017 … Heidelberg's last walk-off win was at Muskingum in 2023, when Branden Steckel drilled a 20-yard field goal at the end of regulation.
Up next
Heidelberg (7-2, 5-2 OAC) closes out the regular season next Saturday at Wilmington. Kickoff with the Quakers is slated for 1:30 p.m.