The Susquehanna River Hawks (11-2) head to Baltimore for a rematch with the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (9-1) in the NCAA Division III Football Quarterfinals on Saturday, December 13, 2025. This Centennial Conference vs. Landmark Conference showdown revives a heated rivalry, with the Blue Jays seeking revenge for a narrow regular-season loss while the River Hawks aim to extend their playoff magic after a dominant 29-0 shutout of Eastern in the third round. Johns Hopkins, fresh off a 45-13 rout of Salisbury, hosts at historic Homewood Field, where they’ve gone 6-0 this season. Expect a battle of balanced offenses—Susquehanna’s ground-and-pound vs. JHU’s explosive passing—with the winner advancing to the semifinals on December 20. Broadcast on ESPN+.
Venue Location
Homewood Field
3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218
The Blue Jays’ 8,500-seat turf facility, resurfaced in 2014 with Shaw Sports Momentum 51 Turf, has been a fortress in playoffs (4-0 all-time at home in postseason), featuring a state-of-the-art video board installed in 2011 for an electric atmosphere.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. CT local time)
Weather Forecast
Seasonably cold in Baltimore, with kickoff temperatures around 32°F (0°C) under partly cloudy skies and a 30% chance of light flurries. Highs will reach 36°F (2°C), cooling to 29°F (-2°C) by the fourth quarter. Light WSW winds at 5-10 mph should minimally impact play on the turf, though humidity near 70% could make it feel chillier—favoring defenses in a potential low-scoring affair.
Injury Report
Both teams report strong health entering the quarterfinals, with full practices on December 8-9, 2025. Susquehanna’s offensive line depth was tested by minor injuries earlier but stabilized; Johns Hopkins has no major concerns post-Salisbury.
| Team | Player | Position | Status | Injury Details | Est. Return |
| Susquehanna River Hawks | None major | – | – | OL rotation (minor strains, managed) | Dec. 13 |
| Johns Hopkins Blue Jays | None major | – | – | – | – |
Updates: River Hawks QB Josh Ehrlich practiced fully after a heavy workload vs. Eastern. Blue Jays’ key contributors, including their passing attack, are cleared—no lingering issues from the third-round win.
Key Player Matchups
Susquehanna’s efficient rush attack (198.4 ypg, top-15 DIII) meets JHU’s stingy front seven (2.9 YPC allowed), setting up a grind-it-out test of lines and tackling.
Josh Ehrlich (Susquehanna QB, 773 rush yds, 7 TDs; Landmark OPOY) vs. JHU LB Group (top-10 tackles for loss, 85 team TFL): Ehrlich’s dual-threat elusiveness (5.2 YPC) challenges a unit led by All-Centennial LBs with 12 sacks in playoffs. Ehrlich threw for 2 TDs vs. Eastern but faces JHU’s pressure that forced 3 turnovers last meeting.
Rahshan La Mons (Susquehanna RB, 854 rush yds, 11 TDs, 5.0 YPC; D3football All-Region) vs. JHU DL (No. 8 rush defense, 112.3 ypg allowed): La Mons’ vision and burst (Rookie of the Year) test a front that held Salisbury to 89 rush yds. He exploded for 120+ yds in the regular-season loss but could exploit gaps in sub-zero feels.
Kyle Howes (Susquehanna WR/Returner, All-Region, 800+ all-purpose yds) vs. JHU Secondary (13 team INTs): Howes’ deep speed (10 TDs) stretches a ball-hawking group with 4 picks in the last two games. His return prowess (punt TD vs. CNU) adds special teams edge.
Garrett Carter (Susquehanna LB, Landmark DPOY, 120+ tackles) vs. JHU QB (2,500+ pass yds, 25 TDs): Carter’s run-stuffing (9 TFL) disrupts the Blue Jays’ spread option. JHU’s QB has thrived vs. mobile fronts but threw 1 INT in the regular-season win.
Brian Layton (Susquehanna DL, All-Region, 6 sacks) vs. JHU RB Corps (285 ypg rush): Layton’s edge rush (team-high pressures) vs. a versatile backfield averaging 5.8 YPC. Layton had 1.5 sacks vs. Eastern, key in stopping JHU’s 180 rush yds from September.
Bench impact: Susquehanna’s Xavier Maple (CB, 80-yd pick-six vs. Eastern) vs. JHU’s special teams returners.
Recent Team Forms
Susquehanna rides a seven-game win streak into Baltimore, while JHU has won eight of nine, with their loss a heartbreaker at F&M.
Susquehanna River Hawks (5-0 in last 5; 9-1 in last 10):
Dec. 6: W 29-0 @ Eastern (QF; Ehrlich: 150 rush yds, 2 pass TDs; shutout, +3 turnover margin, Maple’s 80-yd pick-six)
Nov. 29: W 42-28 @ Christopher Newport (2nd round; La Mons: 140 rush yds, 2 TDs; rallied from 14-0 deficit)
Nov. 22: W 38-32 vs. Widener (1st round; Howes: 2 rec TDs; defense 2 INTs late)
Nov. 15: W 48-7 @ Moravian (regular; Carter: 14 tackles; 500+ total yds)
Nov. 8: W 26-3 vs. Wilkes (regular; Ehrlich: 200+ total yds, shutout 2H)
River Hawks average 38.6 PPG in playoffs, forcing 12 turnovers. Road: 6-1.
Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (4-1 in last 5; 8-2 in last 10):
Dec. 6: W 45-13 vs. Salisbury (QF; 24 2H pts; defense 3 FF, held foes to 89 rush yds)
Nov. 29: W 34-14 vs. Springfield (2nd round; 5 rushing TDs; +15 time of possession)
Nov. 15: L 29-28 (OT) @ Franklin & Marshall (regular; late rally falls short, 4 turnovers)
Nov. 8: W 42-0 vs. McDaniel (regular; shutout, 400+ total offense)
Nov. 1: W 47-26 @ Muhlenberg (regular; QB: 300 pass yds, 3 TDs)
Blue Jays’ defense allows 14.2 PPG in wins, with 8 sacks in playoffs. Home: 6-0.
Conference vs Conference
The Landmark Conference (Susquehanna’s home since 2023) holds an emerging edge over the Centennial Conference in recent DIII football matchups, winning 6 of 10 cross-conference games since 2020 (60%). Landmark teams (2 titles) emphasize balanced attacks (36.8 PPG avg. in playoffs), while Centennial squads (5 titles, including JHU’s 2022) dominate defensively (2.7 YPC allowed). Recent quarters: Landmark 3-2 vs. Centennial; crossovers trend under (7 of 10 under 50 points).
Team Records
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away/Neutral | ATS Record (est.) | Over/Under Record (est.) |
| Susquehanna River Hawks | 11-2 (.846) | 6-1 Home / 5-1 Away | 9-4-0 | 8-5 |
| Johns Hopkins Blue Jays | 9-1 (.900) | 6-0 Home / 3-1 Away | 8-2-0 | 7-3 |
Susquehanna leads DIII in shutouts (2); JHU tops scoring margin (+28.4).
Series History
Johns Hopkins holds a commanding all-time edge (11-4), but Susquehanna has won 2 of the last 3 meetings, including a 2019 upset. Games average 48.2 points, with JHU winning the most recent by 18.
| Date | Result | Score | Key Stat |
| Sep. 20, 2025 | Blue Jays Win | JHU 40-22 SUS | JHU: 300+ pass yds; SUS: 3 turnovers |
| Sep. 14, 2019 | River Hawks Win | SUS 28-24 JHU | La Mons: 100+ rush yds; late FG |
| Sep. 8, 2018 | River Hawks Win | SUS 31-27 JHU | Ehrlich debut: 2 TDs; +2 turnover margin |
| Sep. 9, 2017 | Blue Jays Win | JHU 35-14 SUS | 9-game JHU streak ends prior |
Betting Trends
Spread Trends: JHU 7-2 ATS as home favorites; Susquehanna 6-2 ATS in road underdog spots (covering 3 playoff wins).
Total Trends: 8 of Susquehanna’s 13 games hit over (62%); JHU unders in 6 of 9 home (defensive). DIII quarters avg. 50.1 points.
Moneyline Trends: JHU 8-0 SU as favorites; Susquehanna 5-1 SU as underdogs.
Historical Betting Results
DIII quarterfinal favorites are 19-11 ATS since 2015 (63.3%), covering by 8+ in 10 of 14 home games. Underdogs cover 7-5 in rematches; totals under in December cold (8-4 under 50 since 2018). Home Centennial teams win SU 12-3 but 6-9 ATS vs. top-10 rush attacks.
Game Odds
Susquehanna River Hawks 49.5
Johns Hopkins Blue Jays – 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, December 12, 2025
