BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Mount St. Joseph University football team went to Bluffton, staring at what could have easily been viewed as a trap game before the big matchup with Rose-Hulman. Coach Hopperton and the Lions trailed early, but were able to overcome a sloppy start to defeat the Beavers 49-27.
Bluffton took the ball to open the game and the Lions defense quickly forced a punt. On the Lions first play from scrimmage
Josh Taylor threw and interception that gave Bluffton the ball back at the MSJ 6 yard-line. Defensively the Lions forced the Beavers to fourth down but a 1-yard rushing touchdown got the scoring started, they would fail to convert on a 2-point attempt.
Offensively the Lions would be forced to punt on their second drive of the game. After the defense forced another 3-and-out, the offense finally got on track. Taylor capped off an 8-play 49-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to
Dylan Novak. The TD catch was the first of Novak's career.
The Lions then forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and
Nicholas Paff forced it and TaShawn Brown recovered, giving the Lions a short field. On the first play of the drive Taylor found
Joey Newton in the back of the endzone from 20-yards out. From that point the offense was off and running.
In the end Taylor was 19 of 34 passing with 6 touchdown passes, with 5 different receivers catching a touchdown.
Austin Brock caught 5 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, Newton caught 5 passes for 51 yards and a pair of touchdowns. With
Kadin Pollard,
Eli LaFrange and Novak all catching a TD.
Mariano McKenzie broke the 100 yard mark rushing for the second time this season, carrying the ball 19 times for 108 yards.
Devon Donawerth led the defensive efforts with 8 total tackles, six solo efforts.
Brady Buller was outstanding on the defensive line, with 4 solo stops, a sack, a tackle for loss and and an interception.
UP NEXT: The Lions (8-1, 6-0 HCAC) will hit the road for the regular season finale. They will head to Terre Haute, Indiana to once again finish the season with a defacto HCAC Championship game. They will take on the Fightin' Engineers of Rose-Hulman (7-2, 6-0 HCAC), with the winner claiming the HCAC Title and the leagues automatic berth in the NCAA DIII Playoffs. The game promises to be a high scoring affair as the Fightin' Engineers are averaging 44.67 points per game and the Lions average 56.33.
