When FCS schools Georgetown and Howard meet, it’s all about defense. On Saturday the teams played another of their throwback, middle-of-the-field punt-fests that wasn’t decided until, predictably enough, a big defensive play was made.

When Georgetown defensive end Dave Schaetzke tipped a pass, allowing junior linebacker Robert McCabe to make an interception and run 38 yards, it set up the clinching score in a 21-3 Mayor’s Cup victory at Greene Stadium before 1,891.

It was the first time since September of 2006 that Georgetown held an opponent without a touchdown. The Hoyas’ defense, led by disruptive senior Schaetzke (two tackles for loss, two tipped passes) and junior McCabe (eight tackles), limited Howard (3-4) to 241 yards and 13 first downs.

“In my opinion Schaetzke is the best player in the Patriot League,” Georgetown coach Kevin Kelly said. “He’s a big, impact, dynamic football player. A lot of folks have to scheme to block him. He still makes big plays for us.”

In three meetings over the last four years the teams have never scored more than a combined 25 points.

“I think on both sides, a little tentative,” Kelly said. “That’s what we talked about as coaches at halftime. We just gotta let it loose.”

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Schaetzke did just that, pounding one more nail into the coffin of Howard, recovering a fourth-quarter fumble forced by junior defensive end Andrew Maliska.

“The D-line of Georgetown just had a great scheme,” said Howard freshman quarterback Greg McGhee (17 of 31, 115 yards). “They weren’t pressuring too much. They were just sitting back and jumping – a lot of tipped balls.”

Georgetown (5-2) did just enough on offense as junior quarterback Isaiah Kempf guided a low-risk offense that put together touchdown drives in both halves. In the second period with no score, Kempf pitched out on an end-around to sophomore Zach Wilke who raced 41 yards to set up a six-yard touchdown run by sophomore Nick Campanella (17 carries, 54 yards), which gave GU the lead for good.

In the second half, the Hoyas drove 80 yards to take a 14-3 lead. Kempf (11 of 23, 97 yards) threw for three first downs and rushed for another. On an end-around, junior wideout Jeffrey Burke capped the drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide open senior tight end Tucker Stafford.

Howard hoped to duplicate its miraculous 29-28 victory the previous week at Florida A&M when it scored all of its points in the fourth quarter, including 16 in the final 87 seconds. But the Bison got only two first downs on its final six possessions.

“There’s no doubt about it, we came out flat,” Howard coach Gary “The Flea” Harrell said. “We didn’t come out with a lot of energy, a lot of pride from the start.”

The Howard defense limited GU to 296 yards behind linebacker Keith Pough (13.5 tackles, two hurries) and senior defensive end Sackie Kerkulah (nine tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, three quarterback hurries). But nine Bison penalties for 92 yards were costly.

“The fouls we had were guys trying to make a play,” Harrell said. “They’re not doing anything where they’re showing they’re undisciplined.”

Notes: With another victory, Georgetown will clinch its first winning season since 1999. The Hoyas are just two years removed from going winless … Schaetzke is fourth on the school’s all-time sacks list with 23.5 … Georgetown has scored on 24 of 25 trips to the red zone.

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