Mount Union quarterback T.J. DeShields signals touchdown as John Carroll’s Davon Badley looks on Saturday. (Photo by Ron Firth)

ALLIANCE — Although the wind chill was 8 degrees Saturday, Mount Union’s Tyler Echeverry and T.J. DeShields had the hot hand.

Echeverry scored three touchdowns in the first half and DeShields passed for two scores as the Purple Raiders dominated John Carroll, 42-7, in a Division III second-round playoff in front of 1,858 fans at Kehres Stadium.

Echeverry equaled his career high with 176 yards rushing — both times against John Carroll this season — and two touchdowns on 25 carries, while DeShields — a West Branch High School graduate — was 17 of 25 passing in his second Mount Union start with touchdown passes to running back Echeverry and Darnell Williams.

The Purple Raiders had 219 yards rushing and 378 total yards.

Mount Union’s defense was just as impressive, holding the Blue Steaks to 233 yards, including 94 yards in the second half.

Starting safety Brandon Yanssens — a Crestview High School graduate — had a career-high 10 tackles with eight solos, including one for a 12-yard loss, and forced a fumble.

Rossy Moore had a 31-yard fumble return for a touchdown to give the Purple Raiders a 14-0 lead with 6:21 to play in the first quarter.

It came three plays after Mount Union opened the game with a 14-play, 75-yard drive capped by Echeverry’s fourth-down rushing touchdown.

Following a Blue Streaks touchdown, Echeverry scored twice more on an 8-yard run and a 1-yard catch from DeShields on the final play of the second quarter for a 28-7 lead.

DeShields engineered the 11-play, 97-yard drive in the final four minutes of the first half. On a third-and-7 play from the Mount Union 6-yard line, DeShields delivered one of his best passes of the day with a 12-yard strike to Tyrell Sanders across the middle to the Purple Raider 18.

The Purple Raiders (11-0) will host Carnegie Mellon (10-1) at noon Saturday at Kehres Stadium.

It’s been more than century since the teams met with Mount Union winning 17-0 in 1907 and 42-0 in 1912.

Carnegie Mellon advanced with a 24-15 win over Centre (Ky.) Saturday at Gesling Stadium in Pittsburgh.

The Tartans set a school record by holding Center to minus-33 yards rushing. It marks the 10th opponent this season that the Tartans have held under 100 yards on the ground.