Where to begin?

The Muhlenberg football team scored two touchdowns in 20 seconds in the third quarter to build a 24-point lead, then held off a furious TCNJ comeback effort to hang on for a 55-52 win in its home opener.

The game was the highest scoring in program history, breaking the record of 97 points set just last week at Salisbury. The two teams combined for 1,364 yards of total offense, with 978 of them coming through the air.

Muhlenberg's 679 yards of total offense fell just short of the school record of 690, set way back in 1946. The Mules (2-1) tied a school record, achieved twice previously, with 35 first downs, and ran 94 plays, three short of the school record.

Senior Joe Repetti completed 29 of 43 passes for a career-high 395 yards, tying for the sixth-highest single-game total in program history. He passed for three scores and ran for one more, moving past the century mark in career touchdowns with 102 (83 passing and 19 rushing).

Junior Amari Dunn had the first 100-yard game of his career, rushing for 131 yards and a pair of TDs to go along with a touchdown reception. Senior Matt McKenna also topped the 100-yard mark for the first time, hauling in seven passes for 117 yards.

Naturally, the game came down to a defensive play.

Following a Muhlenberg turnover on downs, the Lions (2-1) took over at their own 23 with 53 seconds remaining and drove to the Mule 21 in seven plays. TCNJ lined up to attempt a game-tying field goal with 8 ticks on the clock, but senior Matt Papa blocked the kick. The Lions holder recovered the ball and attempt to pass, but under pressure from the Mules, his try sailed way out of bounds.

Two touchdowns by Dunn and one by senior Timothy Buda (on a 2-yard reception) sent Muhlenberg into the locker room with a 21-14 lead.

A 1-yard run by senior Aaron Daniels and a TCNJ field goal made it 28-17 before sophomore Isaac Schaffer-Neitz scored his first career touchdown on a 2-yard run to extend the lead to 35-17.

On the first play after the kickoff, junior Marcus McClaine forced a fumble that was recovered by senior Connor Neith, and on the very next play, Repetti hit McKenna over the middle for a 32-yard touchdown pass and a 41-17 lead.

Short touchdown runs by Dunn in the third quarter and Repetti in the fourth gave the Mules the points they would need to hang on for the win.

Repetti completed passes to 11 different receivers, including senior Christopher Ardito (3-68), who went over 1,000 receiving yards for his career, and senior Andrew Darno, who also completed a 30-yard pass to McKenna on a trick play.

Junior Peyton Elliott (pictured above) picked off a pass and returned it for an apparent pick-six, only to have the touchdown taken away by a penalty.

Sophomore Christopher Short came within 4 yards of the school record for kickoff return yardage in a game, bringing back six kicks for 189 yards.