Mount St. Joseph Football can be considered Cincinnati sports best kept secret. While the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Bearcats get more attention. Mount St. Joseph heads into this weekend nationally ranked and undefeated.

After a rough week for Cincinnati’s most prominent football teams. Through the Cincinnati Bengals losing to the Cleveland Browns last Monday. Plus, grappling with injuries to key playmakers Chidobe Awuzie and Ja’Marr Chase. The Cincinnati Bearcats lost to UCF last weekend and fell out of the AP Top 25. Meanwhile, Mount St. Joseph Football quietly holds the status of Cincinnati’s best team.

MSJ goes into this weekend ranked No.22 in the AFCA’s NCAA Division III rankings. The MSJ Lions will also go into this weekend with an 8-0 record. They are the lone unbeaten team in the Heartland Conference. They will play Franklin this Saturday in their road regular season finale. After one possession wins in their non-conference schedule to start the season. The MSJ Lions steamrolled over their Heartland Conference opponents in October. Scoring at least 44 points in each of their October games.

Mount St. Joseph beat Manchester University 55-20 on the road on October 1st. Scored 55 again hosting Defiance College a week later. Walloped Anderson University on the road 59-3 on October 15th. Marking the Lions largest margin of victory this season. MSJ beat Hanover College in Indiana 44-29 on October 22nd. Last weekend, MSJ celebrated homecoming with a 70-21-win hosting Bluffton University. Those 70 points are the most MSJ scored in a game so far this season.

Mount St. Joe’s success this season can be chalked up to a few things. The Lions have the Heartland Conference’s best offense. With a conference high 53 touchdowns and an average of 48.8 points per game. MSJ leads the conference in passing and rushing yards. With 1,694 rushing and 2,309 passing yards going into this weekend. Senior Cornell Beachem Jr. leads the team with 786 rushing yards and the conference with 13 touchdowns. Wide receiver Joey Newton has the team lead in receiving yards with 554.

The Lions have one of the best defensive units in their conference. Giving up 201 points this season, an average of 25.1 points per game. The Lions have given up a conference low of 326.8 yards per game. They also lead the conference with 26 sacks. Graduate defensive lineman Noah Hammond leads the team with 10.5 sacks. While Anthony Wright leads the team with 41 tackles. Junior defensive back Austin Price holds the team lead in interceptions with four.

No.22 Mount St. Joseph will host Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. In their regular season home finale on November 12th at 1:30 PM. If both teams win this weekend, they will go into the November 12th game with 6-0 conference records.