NEW CONCORD, Ohio – No. 3 ranked Mount Union opened up Ohio Athletic Conference football action with a 62-6 victory at Muskingum Saturday at McGonagha Stadium in New Concord.

All-American senior quarterback Kevin Burke (Westlake/Lakewood St. Edward) completed 17-of-21 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns in the first half as the Purple Raiders (2-0, 1-0 OAC) scored on all seven of its first half possessions to run out to a 42-0 lead.

Burke hit seven different receivers with four of them each catching one touchdown pass.  He had a 56-yarder to junior Roman Namdar (Southlake, Texas/Carroll), 11 yards to Taurice Scott (Alliance/Alliance), 20 yards to sophomore Zach Herrington (Wintersville/Steubenville Catholic Central) and 26 yards to senior Luc Meacham (Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic). 

Namdar was the leading receiver on the day with three catches for 76 yards.

Sophomore running back Bradley Mitchell (Detroit, Mich./South Lake) had nine rushes for 73 yards and had a 14 yard rushing touchdown while junior Brandon Williams (Oakland, Calif./Livermore) had five carries for 70 yards including a 48-yard touchdown run.

The Mount Union defense got a pair of interceptions on Muskingum's first two drives – one from junior Will Hiteshue (Medina/Medina) and one from junior Hank Spencer (Greencastle, Ind./North Putnam), a pair of sacks and held the Muskies' to 94 total yards in the first half.

Muskingum (0-2, 0-1) quarterback Cody Williams was 6-of-18 passing for 67 yards and two interceptions and had 20 yards rushing with a touchdown.

Mount Union got the opening kickoff and went 90 yards in seven plays as Burke hit Namdar on a 56-yard TD pass.  Hiteshue had an interception on the Muskies first possession and five plays later Mitchell ran in from 11 yards to put the Raiders up 14-0.

Spencer then intercepted a Williams pass and Burke hit Scott on an 11-yard touchdown pass as Mount Union took a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Burke hit Herrington on a 20-yard scoring strike that increased the margin to 28-0.  On the Raiders next possession, Burke found Meacham on a 26-yard touchdown pass to increase the lead to 35-0.

Mount Union got the ball back again and Williams got loose on a 48-yard run for his first career touchdown before senior Edward Ruhnke (Bayville, N.J./Central Regional) finished the scoring in the first half with a 29-yard field goal.

Williams then got Muskingum on the board midway through the third quarter with a five-yard touchdown run.  The extra point was no good and it was 45-6 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, freshman Jamal Johnson (New Philadelphia/New Philadelphia) found the end zone on a 31 yard run, sophomore Jake Antel (Lakewood/Lakewood) kicked a 25 yard field goal and freshman Braeden Friss (Avon/Avon) had a 45-yard punt return for the 62-6 final.