BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Thomas Garlick will likely leave the Ursinus College football team as the program record-holder in almost every major statistical quarterback category. Saturday at Moravian, it was the senior's legs that made all the difference.
Garlick ran for over 100 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a game-sealing 67-yard sprint that sealed a comeback from a 7-point deficit and lifted the Bears to a 35-28 Centennial Conference victory. All three of the touchdowns that the co-captain was responsible for came in the second half as Ursinus (3-1, 2-1) overcame a slow start to grab a much-needed result ahead of next week's showdown with Johns Hopkins.
The first half was mostly a nightmare for the Bears, who could get little going offensively and trailed 14-0 after the Greyhounds (0-4, 0-3) returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown just 20 seconds into the second quarter. But the tide turned on an 11-play, 88-yard drive capped by Stacey Gardner's 8-yard touchdown run to pull Ursinus within 14-7 in the final minute of the half.
Moravian had a golden chance to wrest control back after recovering a Garlick fumble at the Bears' 33. Jacob McCain made sure the hosts were unable to capitalize on the short field, tipping a pass on 4th-and-goal from the 2 as Ursinus took over on downs.
Backed up to their own 2, the Bears needed just a few plays to cover the 98 yards needed to tie the game. On first down from the 32, Garlick lofted a pass down the left sideline for Octavious Carter, who came back for the ball and broke free for a 68-yard touchdown, the first of his career.
Down 21-14 after a long scoring drive by the Greyhounds, Ursinus pulled even again with 13:43 remaining on Samuel Ragland's 38-yard touchdown run off an option pitch from Garlick.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Bears went in front for the first time on Garlick's 6-yard keeper with 8:46 to go.
Another Moravian drive stalled out, and Garlick put the game to bed with an unbelievable run, faking a handoff to Ragland and bursting through a hole on the left side. Sixty-seven yards later, Garlick had the longest run of his career, and the Bears had a 35-21 lead with 3:29 left.
The Greyhounds, however, scored two plays after an 87-yard kickoff return, and Ursinus needed another first down to ice it. After the Bears recovered an onside kick, Ragland obliged with an 11-yard carry on 2nd-and-8 to seal the deal.
Garlick finished 14 of 22 for 223 yards and a touchdown while adding 125 yards on 15 carries. Ragland posted 91 yards on 12 rushes and added four catches for 36 yards. Carter tallied three receptions for 88 yards, with Matt Gallagher tacking on three catches for 53 yards.
Noah Thomas had the lone sack of the day for the defense, with Darren Sipf posting 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Bears come back home to take on Johns Hopkins next Saturday.