GROVE CITY, Pa. – The No. 2 nationally ranked Mount Union Purple Raiders scored 49 unanswered points for a dominant, 49-14, win at No. 15 Grove City in a postseason atmosphere.
Grove City (1-1) scored first on the opening drive, then it was all Purple Raiders as the well-oiled machine responded with seven straight touchdowns and led 49-7 before the Wolverines scored late with 2:28 remaining in the game.
Mount Union (2-0) led 28-7 at halftime.
Graduate Darnell Williams (Cleveland, OH/John Adams) had a career day with a career-high three rushing touchdowns for his second career 100-yard game, including a career-long 67-yarder, which came on Mount Union's opening drive. Williams totaled 116 rushing yards off 10 carries (11.6 avg.).
Freshman QB Mikey Maloney (Concord Township, OH/Painesville Riverside) went 21 for 31 for 305 yards for his second-straight 300-yard game, to go along with two touchdowns through the air and a score on the ground.
Mount had a pair of receivers with 100 yards. Senior Nick Turner (Dallas, TX/Strongsville) had a career-high receiving yards with 144 off nine catches (both career highs), the second 100-yard game of his career, including a 29-yard touchdown grab. Senior Jacob Cockrell (Stockbridge, GA/Dutchtown) registered his second-straight 100-yard game with 114 yards from eight catches (14.3 avg), including a 49-yard touchdown.
Senior Shaun Thomas (Lima, OH/Lima Central Catholic) added 33 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
Mount Union held Grove City to 1 for 5 on fourth downs, including multiple 4th and short stops, led by senior Keenan Cruz (Lutz, FL/George M. Steinbrenner), who had a career-high eight tackles, including four solo. Senior Kaleb Brown (La Plata, MD/La Plata) had six tackles, including two for a loss.
Mount Union outgained Grove City 498-277 in total yards, including a 305-130 advantage through the air.
The Purple Raiders enter their bye week with back-to-back wins over nationally ranked opponents and will be back in action Saturday, September 27, for their Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) opener at Baldwin Wallace with a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
