Holy Cross running back Peter Oliver of Auburn has been a driving force for the Crusaders

WORCESTER — On a wet and windy afternoon last Saturday at Fitton Field, Holy Cross senior running back Peter Oliver set the tone for the Crusaders, plowing through the middle of New Hampshire’s defense on the first two plays from scrimmage.

“That’s not what they wanted to see,” HC junior quarterback Matthew Sluka said before Tuesday’s practice at Kuzniewski Field.

Oliver was relentless, and his 30 carries for 175 yards, both career highs, and two touchdowns helped propel the undefeated Crusaders past the Wildcats, 35-19, in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Oliver scored on runs of 39 and 4 yards, and moved into third place on HC’s all-time rushing list.

Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney considered Oliver’s performance against UNH the best of his career.

“Yes,” Chesney said, “100%. In that spotlight, on that field, in those conditions against a very physical opponent. Just start with that first play of the game. He gets to the third level, (the UNH safety) comes up to tackle him, and he just buckles the kid. After that, it was one play after another after another.”

The eighth-seeded Crusaders, who became the program’s first 12-win team, advanced to the national quarterfinals, and they will play at No. 1 South Dakota State (11-1) at noon Saturday (ESPN).

The game will pit HC’s No. 6-ranked rushing offense (243.8 yards per game) against the Jackrabbits’ top-ranked rushing defense (70.8).

“Their defense is really good and they have really good personnel,” Oliver said.

Oliver, who grew up in Auburn and starred on the St. John’s High 2017 Division 3 state championship team, has blossomed in his five seasons at Holy Cross.

His first two years, he was primarily a short-yardage back while playing behind former HC star Dom Cozier. He was Holy Cross’ lead back in the spring COVID season and his role continued to expand last season. Oliver is a three-time All-Patriot League selection.

“The last couple years have definitely been different from my freshman and sophomore years,” Oliver said. “Now, I have the mentality of genuinely being in the moment, in that play, play, play as it goes, and not being worried about what happened or what could happen, just genuinely being so in it, not thinking or analyzing, just go.”

The 6-foot, 222-pound Oliver’s downhill, physical style was ideal in last weekend’s weather.

Oliver said the Crusaders planned to pass the ball more (Sluka was 6-16), but the elements dictated otherwise.

“It was so rainy,” Oliver said, “so we were just taking it play by play.”

Oliver exited HC’s last regular-season game at Fitton Field against Bryant after sustaining a concussion, and missed the regular-season finale at Georgetown.

Oliver said the Holy Cross medical staff cleared him during HC’s playoff bye week.

Against UNH, Oliver scored HC’s first touchdown, with 7:27 left in the first quarter. His second TD put the Crusaders up, 14-5, early in the third.

Holy Cross led, 21-11, late in the third, and faced a third-and-6 from its own 29 with seconds left in the quarter. Failure to convert meant HC would punt into the wind, but Sluka connected with senior receiver Ayir Asante for a 35-yard completion.

Oliver kept the drive going with a 4-yard gain on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the Crusaders went on to extend their lead on Sluka’s 3-yard touchdown run.

“That first play (of the fourth),” Chesney said, “once again, the push and the drive and the knee drive, and the whole offensive line and everybody in there blocking. That play and the first play of the game, to me, had a lot to do with Pete and a lot to do with our team and just the toughness. What you knew that game started as and to watch it end that way, I was really, really proud of our offense to manage that for four quarters.”

Sluka rushed for 103 yards and the Crusaders topped 300 rushing yards for the fifth time this season.

Upon watching the game, Oliver marveled at the work of HC’s offensive line.

“The O-line was just making gigantic holes,” Oliver said. “Some of them were just ridiculous. It made my job really easy, and I got a lot of carries, too.”

Oliver, who averages 6 yards per carry, needs 40 yards to reach the 1,000-yard milestone.

Oliver has 2,662 career rushing yards, and last Saturday’s performance helped him move past Jerome Fuller (2,447, 1988-91) and Steve Silva (2,646, 2001-05) on the all-time Holy Cross list. Gill Fenerty (3,680, 1983-85) and Joe Segreti (3,461, 1987-90) rank 1-2.

Jerome Fuller’s son, Jordan, a Holy Cross sophomore, is Oliver’s backfield mate.\

Oliver, who carries a 3.95 GPA in his chemistry/Spanish double major, was the 2021 Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

This year, Oliver was a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award, and he is a two-time finalist (2021, 2022) for the Doris Robinson Award, presented to the FCS student-athlete who excels on the field, in the classroom and community, and beyond.

When the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Oliver did not hesitate to take advantage. He is one of 14 fifth-year seniors on the Holy Cross roster, living up to their grand expectations to start the season and with another great opportunity ahead.

“It means everything,” Oliver said. “This is the reason so many guys came back this year. It’s really cool.”

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTolandTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross running back Peter Oliver of Auburn has been a driving force for the Crusaders