Box Score NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Marcus Merkelbach's 30-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining was the difference as the Carleton College football team claimed a come-from-behind 33-31 Homecoming victory over cross-town rival St Olaf College. The result keeps the famed Goat Trophy in Knight control for another year. Carleton (5-0, 3-0 MIAC) raced out to a 13-0 lead, led 23-10 at halftime, and was still in front 30-17 with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter. St. Olaf (3-2. 2-1 MIAC) responded with back-to-back touchdown drives sandwiched around a defensive fourth-and-goal stop to earn a 31-30 advantage. Carleton held on fourth down with less than two minutes remaining, and Jack Curtis guided the Knights' last possession into the red zone. Merkelbach was called upon and drilled the field goal. Carleton's defense held on the final two plays, giving the home team the win.
 
Despite Carleton playing without its two best wide receivers, Curtis finished with 287 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Ntense Obono had a career-best 13 grabs for 112 yards and a touchdown.
 
Theo Doran threw for 319 yards and a touchdown and ran 12 times for 23 yards and two 1-yard scoring plunges for St. Olaf.
 
"I'm so proud of the many players who stepped up today. This was a total team win in front of an amazing homecoming crowd, one of the largest in history, said Carleton head coach Tom Journell. "Give St. Olaf credit for battling back in the second half. We found a way to win and I couldn't be happier for our program and all Carleton College Football Alumni."
 
The Knights lit up the scoreboard first, marching down the field on an 11-play drive in just under four minutes on their first possession of the game. Curtis found Obono in double coverage for an 11-yard strike on the right side of the end zone to make the score 7-0.
 
The Oles began the next drive on their own 24-yard line. On the third play of the drive the Knights' defense came up with a key play as Michael Carey battled his way through two linemen to get to the quarterback and force a fumble which was recovered by teammate Luke Sugalski.
 
Following the St. Olaf turnover, the Knights needed just six plays to find the end zone on a two-yard rush up the middle by backup QB Nick Toole. The extra point was unsuccessful, making the score 13-0.
 
St. Olaf put together a 17-play drive that took nearly eight minutes off the clock. With 12:57 left in the first half, Theo Doran found receiver Payton Schott in the end zone from four yards out, making the score 13-7 in favor of the home team.
 
Carleton answered with a lengthy 16-play drive of their own. To end the drive, Marcus Merkelbach snuck a 31-yard field goal through the uprights to increase the Knights' lead to 16-7 with 7:41 to go in the first half. 
 
The Oles found themselves in position to score after a 30-yard run from running back Ralph Naimah, which put them on the Carleton 22-yard line. After gaining only three yards on the next three plays, the Oles resorted to a 24-yard field goal kick from Collin Swan.
 
Late in the second quarter Knights started their drive on their own 36-yard line with under three minutes remaining in the half. The offense was able to move down the field efficiently including a third-and-five play when Curtis avoided a sack and found Rye Storrs across midfield for 10 yards and a first down. Four plays later the Knights were facing fourth-and-one on the Ole's 30-yard line with 23 seconds remaining in the half. Going for it on fourth down, Curtis scrambled for five yards and another key first down. On the next play, Curtis hit Jack Huffman for a 25-yard touchdown, the first of his career, with five seconds left on the clock. The Knights went into halftime with a 23-20 lead.
 
After stopping the Knights to open the second half, St. Olaf was able to bring the score back within one possession. The Oles converted on two fourth down plays, one of them a 23-yard strike from Doran to Evan Hammonds moving the Oles down to the two-yard line. Two plays later, backup QB Asher Zubich ran up the middle for the touchdown, making the score 23-17.
 
Carleton's offense came back with a mix of passing and running plays covering 63-yards ending with another Curtis passing touchdown, this time a 14-yard throw to Rye Storrs, the first of his career. The Knights led 30-17 until the Oles answered with their second scoring drive of the quarter finding the end zone on a one-yard rush up the middle by Theo Doran to bring them back within six points with 3:57 remaining in the third quarter.

Carleton started their next drive on their 33-yard line. The Knights would be forced to punt after three plays, but following a penalty, they were given new life and marched all the way down inside the five following a 22-yard strike to Garrett Siff. In the first minute of the final quarter on a fourth-and-goal play from the two-yard line, Curtis was hit from behind in his attempt to find a receiver in the end zone. The incomplete pass gave the ball back to the Oles with 13:36 to go in the game.
 
St. Olaf put together a 21-play drive that took nearly 10 minutes off the clock. After a pass to Evan Hammonds, which put the Oles on the one-yard line, Doran found the end zone on a rush three plays later, giving the Oles the 31-30 lead, their first of the game with 3:55 to go.
 
The Knights were not able to get a first down in the first three plays of their possession, and were forced to punt. The Oles started with the ball at their own 27 and 3:20 on the game clock. Rather than punting on a fourth-and-two play at their own 46-yard line, the Oles chose to go for it. Picking up the first down would ensure the victory for St. Olaf, but as Doran rushed up the middle, he was met by Rider McCormick and Owen Detmer stopping him short of the sticks. The defensive stand gave the Knights a final chance at a comeback with 1:45 to play.
 
Following three complete passes, a seven-yard scamper by Curtis, and well-organized clock management, the Knights had fourth-and-three at the 12-yard line with 23 seconds on the clock. Down by one point, Marcus Merkelbach nailed a 30-yard field goal giving the Knights the lead and the victory, 33-31.
 
The defense now has 13 takeaways on the season following the fumble recovery by Luke Sugalski. The team was led by the trio of Blake Neithart, Owen Detmer and Cooper Long who each had 10 tackles on the day.
 
The Knights are on the road next week in a matchup against No. 7 Saint John's on Saturday, Oct. 14. Kickoff in Collegeville is set for 1 p.m.