ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The No. 1 ranked Mount Union football team opened the 2016 season with a 45-10 win at North Carolina Wesleyan Saturday at Rocky Mount Stadium.

Senior running back Bradley Mitchell (Detroit, Mich./South Lake) ran for 146 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown to pace an offense that ran 91 plays and generated 595 yards for Mount Union (1-0).

Three freshman quarterbacks all saw action for the Purple Raiders – as Luke Poorman (Orlando, Fla./University School) started and went 7-for-12 for 82 yards, D'Angelo Fulford (Cooper City, Fla./Mirmar) threw for two scores on 12-of-18 passing for 198 yards while Dom Davis (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary) played in the fourth quarter.

Poorman was the first freshman to start a season opener at quarterback for Mount Union since Bill Borchert in 1994.

Jordan Hargrove (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary) had seven catches for 82 yards while Jared Ruth (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) had four catches for 91 yards as Mount Union's top receivers.

NC Wesleyan (0-2) quarterback Nathan Gardner was 20-of-42 for 224 yards with a TD pass to Malik Adams, who had 113 yards receiving.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Raiders scored rushing touchdowns three drives late in the first quarter as Poorman, Fulford and Mitchell all had scores to make it 21-0.

NC Wesleyan hit a 34-yard field goal from Chris Richardson as it was 21-3 Mount Union at the half.

The Raiders tacked on two more scores late in the third quarter as Dwayne Aaron (Cleveland/Lakewood St. Edward) had a two-yard run and Fulford tossed a screen to Jawanza Evans-Morris (Coral Springs, Fla./Taravella) who turned it into a 15-yard score that extended the lead to 35-3.

Fulford tossed his second TD pass of the game early in the fourth to Cole Moxie (Mirmar, Fla./Cypress Bay) to push the score to 42-3.

NC Wesleyan found the end zone as Gardner on a third straight try of a fade pass to Adams finally connected from 14 yards which made it 42-10 with nine minutes to go.

Alex Louthan (Loganville, Ga./Grayson) finished the scoring with a 44-yard field goal and the 45-10 final.

Mount Union comes home next week to host Marietta in the Ohio Athletic Conference and home opener Saturday, Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m. at Mount Union Stadium.