Marietta College’s Jonah Asebrook (8) breaks up a pass intended for Muskingum’s Cade Searls (10) during Saturday’s game at Don Drumm Stadium. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

For the first time since 2016, the Shrine Trophy is in the hands of the Muskingum Muskies.

Muskingum scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes to overcome a 10-point deficit and claim a 35-31 win over Marietta College Saturday at Don Drumm Stadium, spoiling homecoming for the Pioneers.

Quarterback Garrett Gurney, who accounted for all five of Muskingum’s touchdowns, rushed for an 8-yard score with 4:15 left on the clock to cut Marietta’s lead to 31-28.

The Pioneers, who fell to 3-3 with a trip to Baldwin Wallace slated for next week, went three-and-out and had to punt. Aidan Bailey booted a 59-yarder to pin Muskingum back at its own 1-yard line with 3:04 remaining.

A 30-yard pass from Gurney to John Christopher Gore got Muskingum going. On fourth-and-3 from the 38, Gurney found Jeremy Smith for a 51-yard gain to Marietta’s 11. Two plays later, Riley Woodie was left wide open in the flat and caught a 9-yard TD pass from Gurney to give the visitors a 35-31 lead with 1:05 left. The Muskies went 99 yards on eight plays in less than two minutes.

Marietta College’s Vante’ Hodges (21) stiff-arms a Muskingum defender during Saturday’s game at Don Drumm Stadium. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

On the first play of Marietta’s ensuing possession, QB Joe Tenta was picked off by Lee Burkett to ensure the victory for Muskingum.

It’s the second week in a row the Pioneers lost a game in which they held a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Marietta had beaten Muskingum every year from 2017 to 2024.

“There’s something special in our locker room,” said first-year Muskingum head coach Matt Nardo. “There’s something special about the way they play together, the way they hang together, and it’s been tested. We’ve lost games like this twice. We’ve gotten run off the darn field against ONU. They stay together. We say it’s family over everything, and they believe it. They love it, and they can do special things because of that.”

Nardo was an assistant coach for the Pioneers under head coach Jeff Filkovski in 2011 and 2012.

“I’ve got two alums on this staff. Obviously, I’ve been at both places. I’m blessed to be back home with those guys up there,” Nardo said. “It’s huge for the family. It’s huge for the program. It’s huge for our alumni that didn’t get a chance — from 2016 to now, there’s some classes that didn’t (beat Marietta). So for all those guys who didn’t get a chance to, they get a piece of this one, and that part’s special.”

Marietta College’s Benny Lewis takes a handoff from teammate Vante’ Hodges against Muskingum during Saturday’s game at Don Drumm Stadium. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

The Muskies took an early 7-0 lead when Gurney threw the first of three TD passes, a 4-yarder to Gore, just two-and-a-half minutes into the game.

The Pioneers answered at the 7:13 mark when Benny Lewis ran for a 3-yard score. They took a 10-7 lead early in the second on Nathaniel Demuth’s 36-yard field goal. Demuth also missed field goals from 48 and 39 yards out.

Gurney ran for a 15-yard touchdown at the 9:05 mark to put Muskingum back in front and later found David Westrick for a 27-yard TD strike to make it 21-10 just 1:03 before halftime.

Marietta put together a critical response, driving down to the 1 to set up a Vante’ Hodges rushing TD to make it 21-17 going into the locker room.

Early in the third, Marietta’s Justin Marcum blocked a punt to give the Pioneers the ball at Muskingum’s 10. Lewis cashed in one play later with a 10-yard touchdown run to put MC back in front, 24-21.

Marietta College’s John Sierputowski (6) celebrates with teammate Dalton Miller (11) after catching a 10-yard touchdown pass against Muskingum during Saturday’s game at Don Drumm Stadium. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Marietta’s defense forced another punt, allowing the Pios to stretch the lead to 10 on Tenta’s 10-yard touchdown pass to John Sierputowski. Tenta went 7 for 7 on the drive for 78 yards, including a 25-yard completion to Chrys Taylor to get the drive started.

The Muskies pushed the ball inside Marietta’s 10 but had to settle for a 34-yard field goal try by Aron Ortega, who pushed it wide left.

Looking to put the game away, Marietta kept its foot on the gas and drove right down the field again. Back-to-back pass interference calls on the Muskies put the ball at the 22. Tenta completed a pass to Dalton Miller, who raced to the goal line, but when he extended the ball at the 1-yard line, Muskingum’s Jacques Marcellus jarred the ball loose. The ball rolled out of the back of the end zone for a touchback to give the Muskies life. That miscue opened the door for a late-game comeback.

A 17-play, 80-yard drive got Muskingum right back in the ballgame, and the Muskies carried that momentum on defense as they forced a three-and-out to set up the game-winning drive.

Muskingum out-gained Marietta 500-409 in the contest. Turnovers were even at 2-2 — Drew Neal and Brady McManaway both had interceptions for Marietta.

Hodges returned from an injury, but MC struggled to get the ground game going. The Pioneers were held to 87 yards on 32 carries. Hodges led the way with 59 yards on 20 attempts. Tenta finished 22 for 34 for 322 yards, a TD and a pick. Sierputowski and Kenyon Franklin both had 95 yards on six catches, while Miller added 77 yards on four receptions.

Woodie paced the Muskingum ground game with 79 yards on 20 rushes. Gurney finished 31 for 51 for 390 yards, three TDs and two INTs. He also ran for 30 yards and two scores. Gore led all receivers with nine catches for 119 yards. Westrick added 104 yards one five receptions while Jeremy Smith chipped in 90 yards on five snags.

Contact Jordan Holland at jholland@mariettatimes.com.