Wolverines defeat country’s tenth-ranked team
By Mia Gallagher · Sports Editor
While the sports world over-uses the cliché “defense wins championships,” it has merit in describing how Grove City College began the 2025 season.
No. 23 Grove City forced seven turnovers to propel the Wolverines to a 31-14 victory over No. 10 Cortland on Saturday at Grady Field in Cortland, N.Y.
This highly anticipated Top 25 contest was a rematch of the second round of the 2023 NCAA Division III playoffs, which saw the Wolverines fall to the Red Dragons, 25-24, and was the second meeting between the D-III powerhouses.
“We were up here two years ago and lost a hard-fought game. And they (Cortland) went on to win the national title. So it was just great to get to come up here and face them again,” Coach Andrew DiDonatosaid in a postgame interview with Grove City Athletics.
“We graduated a lot of guys last year, and with it being week one, you don’t really know what to expect. It was just so good to see our team live in the identity of Grove City College football. The defense and all those turnovers – it was just such an unbelievable performance,” DiDonato said.
The game, which featured game-changing plays from the offenses and defenses of both teams, proved to be the challenge the young offense of Grove City (1-0) needed to match the skill of its seasoned defense.
“This win really shows how we have been able to start meshing as a team. We lost a lot of guys from last season, so to be able to have this many new guys live in their vision at a high level is a huge testament to the preparation our team has been putting in,” junior quarterback Sutton Ellis said.
After Cortland (0-1) jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, the Wolverines’ offense battled back with a nine-play scoring drive, which ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Ellis to wide receiver Breck Peacock. Peacock led Grove City in the air with seven catches for 105 yards.
Capitalizing on a Ryan Montgomery interception – the first of three turnovers the senior safety forced in the game – the Wolverines’ offense punched in another touchdown, courtesy of senior running back Ian Demeri, to secure a 14-7 advantage. Cortland’s offense answered to end the first half, locking the scoreboard in a 14-14 tie.
“I know everyone has been working very hard and looking forward to the matchup against Cortland,” Montgomery said. “When we found out they were our Week One game this year, we all wanted to get a win after losing two years ago.”
The second half featured a defensive masterclass from the Wolverines, opening with a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown from junior cornerback Noah Wheeler. and closing with the Wolverines holding the Red Dragons scoreless to secure the win.
“It is nice to see that everyone’s hard work paid off for this game, but there is still a lot of work that we need to do if we want to reach our ultimate goal of a PAC and national championship,” Montgomery said.
With this win, the Wolverines jumped to No. 15 in the D3football.com Top 25 poll – just in time for another monumental matchup against the second-ranked Mount Union Purple Raiders at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Robert E. Thorn Field. This game will open Grove City’s home schedule and be its final non-conference test before the Wolverines begin PAC play at home against Washington and Jefferson on Sept. 27.
“Mount Union is the standard in Division III NCAA football. They have won 15 national championships for a reason,” Grove City athletic director Todd Gibson said. “Our team seeks to glorify God in pursuit of winning PAC and NCAA Championships, so we are excited about the opportunity to see how we stack up against one of the truly elite college programs in the nation.”
“I am confident that our team will prepare the right way and will give Mount their best shot. We look forward to an amazing atmosphere and lots of national attention. It will be a fun day.”
