Linfield Wins Division III Title, 28-21

Riley Jenkins turned a swing pass into a go-ahead touchdown with 5:51 to play Saturday as Linfield won its first NCAA Division III national championship, beating Mary Hardin-Baylor, 28-21, at Salem, Va.

The 10-yard score came one play after Zach Fleming disrupted Crusader punter Hunter Hamrick, causing Hamrick to fumble the ball and fall on it on his 10.

One play later, Brett Elliott hit Jenkins out of the backfield. He made a one-handed grab, eluded two defenders down the sideline and dived into the end zone, capping a perfect season for the Wildcats (13-0), from McMinnville, Ore.

Elliott completed 20 of 34 passes for 282 yards with two interceptions and two touchdowns passes. The Utah transfer finished the season with an NCAA-record 61 touchdown passes.

Mary Hardin-Baylor (13-2) had tied the score with 9:01 remaining on Freddie Rollins’ 18-yard run and then his two-point conversion run.

The Crusaders, from Belton, Texas, moved to the Linfield 19 on their last possession on a 55-yard pass from Josh Welsh to P.J. Williams. But Welsh was sacked on a fourth down and Linfield’s victory was assured.

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Marcus Miller kicked a 32-yard field goal with 10 seconds left to give Carroll a 15-13 victory over St. Francis (Ind.) at Savannah, Tenn., for its third consecutive NAIA championship.

Carroll, of Helena, Mont., finished with a 12-2 record. St. Francis was 13-1.