CARLISLE, Pa. – No. 23 Randolph-Macon forced two turnovers and blocked a punt for a touchdown to open the 2026 season at Dickinson.
The Basics
Score: Dickinson 27, Randolph-Macon 14
Venue: Carlisle, Pa. / Dickinson College / Biddle Field Complex
Records: Randolph-Macon (0-1, 0-0 ODAC); Dickinson (1-0, 0-0 CC)
How it Happened
- Dickinson started the game forcing a Yellow Jacket three-and-out. The Red Devils used the momentum to drive 76 yards in 15 plays and scored a touchdown. Ben Klassen capped off the drive with a third down scramble into the endzone. Randolph-Macon blocked the extra point and with 6:22 left in the opening quarter, Dickinson would hold a 6-0 lead.
- The Lemon and Black answered on the offensive end following the kickoff. In the final minute of the first quarter, the Yellow Jackets had the ball inside the Red Devil 10-yard line. Sean Couvertiere came up big for Dickinson with an interception off of Jake Mulhern (Nokesville, Va./Kettle Run) in the endzone.
- Randolph-Macon started to come alive to start the second quarter, as Matthew MacNichol (Roanoke Rapids, N.C./Roanoke Rapids) picked off Klassen and returned the ball into the redzone. Mulhern turned defense into offense, tossing a bullet into the endzone for a touchdown to Basit Qadri (Ashburn, Va./Rock Ridge). RMC took the lead 7-6 with 13:14 left in the half.
- Dickinson kept consistency on offense and drove 74 yards down the field to total a 7:26 minute drive. Dane Sorensen capped off the drive with a one yard touchdown run. The Red Devils would retake the lead 13-7 with 5:42 left in the half.
- In the final minute of the half, Randolph-Macon drove into the DC red zone and had to settle for a field goal attempt. Trever Luther (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Senior) just missed a 25-yard field goal attempt. The Red Devils would go into halftime with a 13-7 lead.
- The Red Devils struck lightning to begin the second half, as Sorensen took the handoff 75 yards for a touchdown. Dickinson used the touchdown to extend its lead to 20-7 with 13:42 in the third quarter.
- Randolph-Macon received a spark on the ensuing kickoff with Christian Daniel (Willow Springs, N.C./Overhills) netting a 36-yard return to midfield. Dickinson held tough and forced the Lemon and Black into a three and out.
- Dickinson kept its offense firing on all cylinders into the mid-point of the third quarter. Klassen commanded the Red Devil offense and completed a 27-yard touchdown strike to Kevin Schmidt. The lead extended to 27-7 for DC with 4:37 left in the third.
- In the early stages of the fourth quarter the RMC defense forced another turnover, as Zach Tyler (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover) recovered a Colin Sullivan fumble with 12:17 on the clock.
- The Red Devils were forced to punt with 3:54 left in regulation. Randolph-Macon blocked the punt into the endzone and recovered the ball for a touchdown.
- Dickinson ended up running out the clock in the final three minutes and won the season opener by a score of 27-14.
By The Numbers
- Dickinson outrushed the Yellow Jackets 275-to-92 in the game.
- Randolph-Macon forced two turnovers on the night.
- Mulhern was 9-of-16 for 68 yards, tossed a touchdown and an interception.
- Mitchell Johnson (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) rushed for 49 yards on nine carries and Devin Bryant (Manchester, Va./Midlothian) added 29 yards on seven carries.
- Qadri led the receiving core with 66 yards on six receptions. The senior also caught a touchdown pass and fell on the blocked punt in the endzone.
- Jacob Kyger (Reston, Va./South Lakes), Jabril Dashiell (Leland, N.C./North Brunswick) and MacNichol all ended the night with double-digit tackles and combined for 33 tackles.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will open up at home against #4 Johns Hopkins on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m.
