The Blue Raiders defense recorded its fourth shutout of the season while the Lindsey Wilson offense exploded for 602 total yards of offense -- its second straight game of at least 600 offensive yards.
In addition to the shutout -- the fifth time this season the Blue Raiders defense has not surrendered a point -- Lindsey Wilson (10-0, 7-0 in the Mid-South Conference Bluegrass Division)held the vaulted Cumberlands running attack to just 35 rushing yards on 35 attempts. The Patriots entered the game averaging 214.4 rushing yards per game which ranked 12th best in the NAIA.
Lindsey Wilson also forced the Patriots (6-4, 3-4) into three turnovers while not allowing a three-down conversion in 13 attempts. Cumberlands finished the game with 162 total yards in the game.
While the Lindsey Wilson defense was pitching a shutout, the Blue Raider offense boasted a balanced attack. Cameron Dukes and Ethan Cash combined to throw for 346 yards and Jaylen Boyd led a running attack that produced 256 yards. Boyd finished the game with 115 rushing yards in the win -- his third straight 100-yard rushing game.
The Lindsey Wilson defense made the first big play of the game with the first takeaway on Cumberlands' first drive. After the Patriots marched 41 yards on the opening drive into Lindsey Wilson territory, Darius Hylick intercepted Cumberlands quarterback Ben Nixon at the LWC 19-yard line to end the Patriots threat.
The interception kept Cumberlands from scoring, maintaining Lindsey Wilson's streak of not trailing this season intact.
The Lindsey Wilson offense used the next nine plays to cover 79 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Dukes hit Kaine Yates for a nine-yard score and the lead. For Dukes, it was the first of three touchdown throws on the afternoon and the first of the season for Yates.
Dukes finished the game 17-of-26 for 182 yards in just over two-quarters of play.
The first and last offensive play of the second quarter yielded a pair of touchdowns to give Lindsey Wilson a 21-0 lead at the half.
Darius Clark scored on a five-yard touchdown run on the first play of the quarter to cap an 11-play, 96-yard drive. In perhaps the biggest momentum play of the day, Dukes found Jaleel Warren for a 19-yard touchdown with 0.6 seconds left in the half to extend the Blue Raider lead to three scores.
Any hopes for a Cumberlands comeback quickly ended in the early stages of the third quarter.
The Blue Raiders took the opening possession of the second half 75 yards in nine plays to push the lead to 28-0. Dukes hit Logan Collier for a 12-yard score to tie Branden Cresap for the program's all-time lead with 106 touchdown passes.
On the ensuing drive, the Lindsey Wilson defense forced a three-and-out setting up a Cumberlands punt. On the next play, a high snap over the punter's head resulted in the Blue Raiders taking possession of the ball at the Cumberlands' two-yard line.
Kobe Belcher needed just one play to power into the end zone from two yards out to extend the lead to 35-0.
Lindsey Wilson -- who entered the game allowing an NAIA-low 8.3 points per game -- continued to stymie the Patriots throughout the game. The Blue Raiders ended the day with seven sacks while allowing just 2.6 yards per play. Robert Carter joined Hylick with an interception in the game -- his team-leading seventh of the season. His seven picks rank fourth in the NAIA, one off the NAIA lead.
The three takeaways mark the sixth time in 10 games this season the Lindsey Wilson defense has forced at least three turnovers.
While the Blue Raider defense controlled the line of scrimmage, the Lindsey Wilson offensive line was just as impressive. Lindsey Wilson did not give up a sack in the game while the Blue Raider run game average 5.4 yards per carry.
Cash and Quantae Hicks -- who finished with his first 100-yard receiving day -- connected on a 66-yard touchdown and Jbias Dawson scored a five-yard touchdown run to close out the scoring. Hicks finished the game with two catches for 117 yards.
Luke Bowman led the Blue Raiders with nine tackles in the win. Brandon Fields, Cameron Thurman, and Roman McDonald combined for 12 tackles, three sacks, and six tackles for a loss to lead the Blue Raider defense.
Lindsey Wilson returns to action on Saturday, November 20, as the Blue Raiders host the opening round of the NAIA Football Championship Series at Parnell Family Stadium. Lindsey Wilson finds out who will be traveling to Columbia when the NAIA announces the 16-team playoff field at 6 p.m. CT on Sunday.