Tucked away in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, not too far from Pittsburgh in the western part of the state, one of this year’s most dominant single-season performances in all of college football is unfolding largely outside the public eye.
At Division-III Geneva College, junior quarterback Caleb Romano has led the Golden Tornadoes to a 5-3 record while passing for more yards (2,941) than anyone in the nation, at any level of competition. He’s also accumulated 29 passing touchdowns against 12 interceptions, with five more touchdowns coming on the ground.
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Romano threw for 475 yards and six touchdowns in Saturday’s 75-28 win against Bethany College. What’s more — he didn’t play any of the final quarter. During Geneva’s three-game winning streak (including Saturday’s blowout), the Golden Tornadoes have averaged 62.67 points per game.
Yet, his best game of the season came on Sept. 20 against Saint Vincent College, as Romano threw for seven scores and 484 yards, both season highs. He is a mere 185 yards from breaking the school’s single-season record for passing yards.
Caleb Romano not only leads all of Division III in passing yardage, he's also had more passing yards than any quarterback in college football, including Division I, Division II or NAIA! His 29 passing TDs also leads all of Division III! @GenevaCollegeFB pic.twitter.com/JsKmjOvV8C
— Geneva Athletics (@GenevaAthletics) October 27, 2025
“The key to any of this success comes from Colossians 3:17 — glorifying God in everything I do,” Romano told Sports Spectrum via email about his on-field accomplishments. “I look at football as my opportunity to worship the Lord. He’s given me these gifts and talents, and being able to display that is honestly just a blessing.”
Romano is in his second season at Geneva, a private Christian college founded in 1848. According to the school’s website, Geneva “provides a comprehensive education to equip students for faithful and fruitful service to God and neighbor.”
His time with the Golden Tornadoes has certainly helped Romano develop as a football player, but Beaver Falls has also been a place of tremendous spiritual growth.
“This year, I have been learning how to really rest in the Lord’s presence,” he wrote. “Football season is a busy time, adding school and other responsibilities on top of that can make for a crazy time. However, in the midst of that, God has been the constant. Knowing Him as my source of rest and strength has drawn me to a deeper level of intimacy, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
He continued, “Jesus is Lord and Savior, but He is also Friend. Being able to take everything to Jesus, not only the big things but the little things too, is one of my favorite things about Him.”
Romano has been known to wear eye black in the shape of a cross during games. In his Instagram bio, he cites the Bible verse Psalm 37:23, which says, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”
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Romano and his team are in the midst of a bye week, and they will seek to extend their win streak to four on Nov. 8 at home against Washington and Jefferson College. Geneva’s regular season will come to a close the following week at Case Western Reserve University.
The Golden Tornadoes are 5-1 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and will capture the conference title if they win their two remaining games. A conference championship would be a fitting ending for Geneva’s legendary head coach, Geno DeMarco, who is in his 33rd season with the program. DeMarco is tied for the longest-tenured active head coach at any level of college football.
Still, for players like Romano and countless others through the years, DeMarco is much more than a football coach.
“Coach Geno has been an answer to prayer,” Romano wrote. “His commitment to excellence both on the field and off makes it easy to follow him. The way he incorporates the Lord into everything is so admirable, and he touches so many lives by the way he leads. He lets the Lord lead him in the way he coaches, and I know God is looking down smiling at him.”
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