St. John's (Minnesota) coach John Gagliardi capped a banner year with his team's 24-6 win over defending Division III champion Mount Union December 20 in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Virginia.

Gagliardi, who earlier in the season passed Eddie Robinson in career victories among college coaches, saw his team topple the Purple Raiders, who were aiming for their fourth consecutive championship. Mount Union had won 109 of its last 110 games and ended this season 13-1.

The Johnnies' victory also avenged a 10-7 loss to the Purple Raiders in the 2000 Stagg Bowl.

"Maybe it's my year," Gagliardi, 77, told The Associated Press after the win, which marked his fourth national championship in 55 years of coaching. "The thing about these playoffs is only one team wins it all, and we've been losing a ton of times to the eventual champion. It's going to be kind of nice to see how this is."

The Johnnies ended their season undefeated at 14-0.

"We got outplayed today," said Raider head coach Larry Kehres. "This is a great conclusion to a terrific season for both Saint John's and coach Gagliardi. But I'm also extremely proud of what our football team has accomplished -- especially the seniors in our program."

The teams were scoreless in the first quarter, marking the first time all season the Purple Raiders were kept off the scoreboard in the first quarter.

Mount Union put the first points on the board in the first play of the second quarter on a 74-yard drive that was capped with Rick Ciccone's 1-yard run for a touchdown. The extra point was blocked.

St. John's answered Ciccone's touchdown with one of its own on the final play of the half -- a 14-yard run by Jake Theis. A good kick by Brandon Keller had the Johnnies leading, 7-6, going into the half.

St. John's was dominant in the second half, scoring 17 points while shutting out the Purple Raiders.

The Johnnies' only score in the third quarter came on a 22-yard field goal by Keller. In the fourth quarter, St. John's scored on a 51-yard run by Blake Elliott with 13:34 left in the game.

The final score came with 9:02 left on an interception by Mike Zauhar, which he returned 100 yards for a touchdown.

"They've been the king of the hill for a long time," Elliott said after the game. "They've been pushing teams off and throwing teams off, but we got them today. All it took was 52 guys believing."

Semifinals

Mount Union, 66, Bridgewater (Va.) 0; St. John's (Minn.) 38, Rensselaer 10.

Championship

Second quarter

MTU ­ Rick Ciccone 1 run (George Wilders kick blocked) (14:57); SJU ­ Jake Theis 14 run (Brandon Keller kick) (00:00).

Third quarter

SJU ­ Keller 22 field goal (1:58).

Fourth quarter

SJU ­ Blake Elliott 51 run (Keller kick) (13:34); SJU ­ Mike Zauhar 100 yard interception return (Keller kick) (9:02).

Team statistics

SJU MTU

Attendance ­ 5,073

Individual statistics

Rushing: St. John's ­ Elliott 11-110, Josh Nelson 14-69, Theis 14-69, Good 1-7, team 1-(minus 1), Ryan Keating 7-(minus 7); Mount Union ­ Jeff Strauch 10-38, Brian Miller 4-16, Zac Bruney 6-13, Ciccone 8-12, Jesse Burghardt 9-12.

Passing: St. John's ­ Keating 10-16-0-91, Nelson 0-1-0-0; Mount Union ­ Burghardt 13-23-167-2, Bruney 3-12-2-28.

Receiving: St. John's ­ Elliott 5-51, Issac Flenner 2-15, Nelson 2-9, Lee Clintsman 1-16. Mount Union ­ Nick Sirianni 8-106, John Healy 3-52, Miller 2-15, Drew Hanley 1-12, Randell Knapp 1-8, Strauch 1-2.