Box Score
FERRUM, Va. – The No. 5 nationally-ranked Mount Union football team won 55-6 in its season-opener at Ferrum College for its 37th-straight season-opening win to start its 127th season.
The Purple Raiders (1-0) outgained the Panthers 575 to 161 in total yards, including 304-54 through the air.
Junior quarterback
Noah Beaudrie (Monroe, MI/Erie-Mason) shined in his first collegiate start, accounting for five touchdowns – including three on the ground which tied the school record for most rushing touchdowns in a game by a quarterback (Kevin Burke did it three times with the last time in 2014). Beaudrie threw for 282 yards, to go along with a game-high 77 yards on the ground - both career-highs.
Ferrum (0-1) took an early 3-0 lead with a 26-yard field in the first quarter. Mount Union answered with an electrifying 41-yard punt return by senior
Darnell Williams (Cleveland, OH/John Adams) which set up its first touchdown drive as senior running back
Tyler Echeverry (Naples, FL/Barron Collier) ran it in from 32 yards out, capping a 4-play, 53-yard drive.
Beaudrie connected with senior
Tyrell Sanders (Indianapolis, IN/Pike) for an eight-yard touchdown pass, completing an impressive 11-play, 73-yard drive. Beaudrie showed off his wheels with two rushing touchdowns, of 12 yards and from one yard out, and the Raiders led 28-6 at halftime.
It was all Raiders in the second half, outscoring the Panthers 27-0.
Five different Mount Union wide receivers had multiple catches, led by Williams and junior
Nick Turner (Strongsville, OH/Strongsville) with four receptions each. Sanders and Turner each had a touchdown reception.
Echeverry added 61 rushing yards off seven carries (8.7 avg.) and had two touchdowns, while Williams had 52 yards on the ground off nine carries (5.8 avg.). Freshman running back
Shaun Thomas (Lima, OH/Lima Central Catholic) scored his first collegiate touchdown.
Senior
Rossy Moore (Lima, OH/Lima Central Catholic) and classmate
Manny Curtis (Twinsburg, OH/Twinsburg) led the Mount Union defense with seven tackles each. Senior
Von Factor (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven) and
Marcus Jackson (Dallas, TX/Richardson) each had a game-high three tackles for a loss.
Following its bye week, Mount Union will kick off its home and Ohio Athleitc Confernce (OAC) opener on Sept. 21 versus rival John Carroll at 1:30 p.m.
