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Mount Unions 85-Game Winning Streak Ends as Wheaton Pulls Off 24-23 Victory
On Saturday, September 6, 2026, the Mount Union Purple Raiders fell 24‑23 to the Wheaton Thunder in a Division III showdown in Wheaton, Illinois. The loss snapped the Purple Raiders’ 85‑game regular‑season winning streak and ended a 38‑game run of season‑opening victories that had stretched back to 2005.
The game’s final seconds unfolded like a tense chess match. With 22 seconds left on the clock, Wheaton’s offensive lineman Aiden Byrne leapt onto the field and blocked a Mount Union extra‑point attempt that could have tied the score. The block preserved Wheaton’s one‑point advantage and sealed the win.
Mount Union had clawed back from a 17‑7 halftime deficit late in the third quarter. Kayden Minner’s 1‑yard touchdown run brought the Purple Raiders within a point, but Byrne’s block thwarted the subsequent extra‑point attempt. The Raiders had been relentless in the early part of the game, but the Thunder’s defense tightened as the clock wound down.
The decisive blow came earlier in the fourth quarter. With 5:28 remaining, Wheaton’s quarterback Mark Forcucci delivered a 5‑yard pass to Malachi Jones. The catch capped a 10‑play, 96‑yard drive that moved the Thunder from their own side of the field to the Mount Union 5‑yard line, giving Wheaton a 24‑23 edge that would prove insurmountable.
Mount Union’s season‑long dominance is reflected in its impressive record. The program has captured 13 NCAA Division III championships and reached at least the semifinals in 29 of the last 33 seasons. Its most recent national title came in 2017. From 2005 to 2016, the Purple Raiders compiled a 112‑game winning streak—the longest in NCAA history.
The loss also ended a 38‑game streak of opening‑game victories that had spanned more than a decade. Beginning in 2005, Mount Union had won every season opener through 2025, a testament to the program’s consistency and depth.
For Wheaton, the victory is a historic moment. It is the first regular‑season win over Mount Union since 2019, providing a significant morale boost for the Thunder program and marking a rare upset against a historically dominant Division III opponent.
The outcome will reverberate through the Ohio Athletic Conference standings and could influence playoff seeding. Mount Union will look to regroup in its next matchup, while Wheaton will aim to build on the momentum from this high‑stakes win.
In summary, Mount Union’s 85‑game regular‑season winning streak ended Saturday when Aiden Byrne blocked an extra‑point attempt with 22 seconds left in a 24‑23 loss to Wheaton. The game also snapped Mount Union’s 38‑game season‑opening streak and highlighted Wheaton’s ability to compete with a historically successful program.
The game’s final seconds unfolded like a tense chess match. With 22 seconds left on the clock, Wheaton’s offensive lineman Aiden Byrne leapt onto the field and blocked a Mount Union extra‑point attempt that could have tied the score. The block preserved Wheaton’s one‑point advantage and sealed the win.
Mount Union had clawed back from a 17‑7 halftime deficit late in the third quarter. Kayden Minner’s 1‑yard touchdown run brought the Purple Raiders within a point, but Byrne’s block thwarted the subsequent extra‑point attempt. The Raiders had been relentless in the early part of the game, but the Thunder’s defense tightened as the clock wound down.
The decisive blow came earlier in the fourth quarter. With 5:28 remaining, Wheaton’s quarterback Mark Forcucci delivered a 5‑yard pass to Malachi Jones. The catch capped a 10‑play, 96‑yard drive that moved the Thunder from their own side of the field to the Mount Union 5‑yard line, giving Wheaton a 24‑23 edge that would prove insurmountable.
Mount Union’s season‑long dominance is reflected in its impressive record. The program has captured 13 NCAA Division III championships and reached at least the semifinals in 29 of the last 33 seasons. Its most recent national title came in 2017. From 2005 to 2016, the Purple Raiders compiled a 112‑game winning streak—the longest in NCAA history.
The loss also ended a 38‑game streak of opening‑game victories that had spanned more than a decade. Beginning in 2005, Mount Union had won every season opener through 2025, a testament to the program’s consistency and depth.
For Wheaton, the victory is a historic moment. It is the first regular‑season win over Mount Union since 2019, providing a significant morale boost for the Thunder program and marking a rare upset against a historically dominant Division III opponent.
The outcome will reverberate through the Ohio Athletic Conference standings and could influence playoff seeding. Mount Union will look to regroup in its next matchup, while Wheaton will aim to build on the momentum from this high‑stakes win.
In summary, Mount Union’s 85‑game regular‑season winning streak ended Saturday when Aiden Byrne blocked an extra‑point attempt with 22 seconds left in a 24‑23 loss to Wheaton. The game also snapped Mount Union’s 38‑game season‑opening streak and highlighted Wheaton’s ability to compete with a historically successful program.
