Date: Saturday, November 22, 2008
Contact: Chris Kilcoyne, Sports Information Director
(804) 752-7387, christopherkilcoyne@rmc.edu

No. 1 Mount Union Knocks Off Randolph-Macon Football 56-0 in NCAA First-Round Game
(Box Score)

ALLIANCE, OHIO - Fueled by a 28 point first-half and 290 yards on the ground by Nate Kmic, No. 1 Mount Union topped visiting Randolph-Macon 56-0 in the first-round of the 2008 NCAA Division III Football Tournament.

The Yellow Jackets finish their season a with a 6-5 record, securing the school's first back-to-back winning seasons since the 1996 & 1997 campaigns. The top-ranked and nine-time national champion Purple Raiders advance to the second-round of the tournament to be played next Saturday.

Kmic rushed for 209 yards in the first-half on 12 carries, including 67-yard scamper with 8:47 left in the first quarter to make the 14-0 On its ensuing possession, R-MC turned the ball over on an interception that Daryl Ely returned 62 yards to put Mount Union up 21-0 with 6:19 to go in the opening frame.

Kmic ran for three scores on Mount Union's first three drives of the second-half, upping the Raiders advantage to 49-0 on the first-play of the fourth quarter.

Mount Union rolled up 676 yards of total offense and held R-MC to just 207 yards for the game. MUC quarterback Greg Micheli completed 11-of-13 passes for 218 yards and one TD.  

R-MC's Austin Faulkner was 14-of-31 for 154 yards and connected with Alex Ramirez and Brandon Braner four times each.  Steve Matthews ran for 50 yards on 35 carries for the Jackets.  Eric Dardozzi led R-MC with eight tackles, while Gabe Jones had six stops and a forced fumble.

- Yellow Jackets -