On a day when it struggled on offense, the Muhlenberg football team turned to its special teams and defense to mount a comeback effort against five-time defending champion Johns Hopkins.

The Mules cut an early 21-point deficit to five, but the Blue Jays held on for a 42-26 win in a matchup of two nationally ranked Centennial Conference teams.

The win gave the 12th-ranked Blue Jays (4-0, 3-0) an early leg up on the CC race (Ursinus is also 4-0). Since 2002, the winner of the Johns Hopkins-Muhlenberg game has represented the CC in the NCAA Tournament every year but one.

Overshadowed in the loss were milestones for Mule seniors Michael Long and Connor Winter.

Long caught six passes for 43 yards to break the CC record for career receptions by a tight end. He has 93, topping the mark of 89 that had stood since 1996.

Winter tied a school record (achieved twice previously) by kicking four field goals. Two of his three-pointers were from over 40 yards, including a career-best 47-yarder.

Muhlenberg hadn't allowed a first-quarter touchdown in the regular season since it hosted Johns Hopkins two years ago, but that streak ended when the Blue Jays marched 75 yards in six plays on their first drive of the game. Another TD in the closing seconds of the quarter and one five minutes into the second quarter made it 21-0.

The Mules dipped into their bag of tricks to help them get on the scoreboard, as senior wide receiver Cody Geyer took a handoff and passed back to sophomore quarterback Nick Palladino for a 20-yard gain on third-and-13. That set up a 28-yard field goal by Winter with 2:52 left in the half.

After a Hopkins three-and-out, Muhlenberg got the ball back with 1:32 left in the half and had just enough time to set up for Winter's 37-yard field goal, making it 21-6 at the half.

Any momentum the Mules had going into halftime was quieted when the Blue Jays needed only six plays to score on the first drive of the second half, extending their lead to 28-6.

Muhlenberg looked to be in trouble when a fake punt on its next drive failed near midfield, but the defense held, and on fourth down freshman Josh Messina blocked a punt, picked up the loose ball (pictured right) and raced 41 yards for his first career touchdown.

The special teams made another big play when junior Dillon Minnaker recovered the ensuing onside kick, but three plays later the Mules lost a fumble. This time it was the defense stepping up, as senior Jeremey Thomas intercepted a pass tipped by sophomore Mike Luby and returned it 66 yards for his first career touchdown.

Later in the quarter, Luby forced a fumble that Muhlenberg recovered. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Winter booted a 47-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced over. All of a sudden the Mules were within five points at 28-23.

Muhlenberg had one possession with a chance to take the lead, but a fourth-down run near midfield was stopped inches short of a first down. Hopkins put the game away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, the last on a 56-yard pass play with just over two minutes to play.

Palladino set career high for passing attempts and completions, finishing 28-of-51 for 235 yards. He was the first Mule to complete 25 passes since 2000 and the first to attempt 50 since 1997. Geyer caught seven passes for 92 yards and also amassed 86 yards on kick returns.

Sophomore John Feaster made a career-high 12 tackles for the defense, and junior Stephen Szelong blocked a field goal (pictured left) for his second blocked kick of the season.