(December 6, 2008) -- The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team dominated in every phase of the game and the Cru rolled to a 63-7 victory over Washington & Jefferson in an NCAA Division III National Championships Quarterfinals game Saturday afternoon in Belton. UMHB improves to 12-1 overall with the victory and the Cru will advance to the NCAA Division III National Semifinals for the second straight season and the third time in the program’s history. Washington & Jefferson ends the season with an 11-2 overall record.

The Cru took the opening kickoff and marched 62 yards in five plays, capped by Bryson Tucker’s six-yard run for a 7-0 lead just 2:27 into the game. After forcing a three-an-out, UMHB went 51 yards in four plays and Josh Saenz hit Pi’Dadro Davis with a 35-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0. The Cru added an 18-yard Saenz TD run on the next possession to take a 21-0 lead before the Presidents scored a 21-yard touchdown pass from Bobby Swallow to Luke Espe to cut it to 21-7. It would be all UMHB from there. Matt Hurst scored on a two-yard run, Tucker added a 12-yard scoring run, Saenz plunged in from two yards out and added a 21-yard TD pass to Brian Scott to put the Cru up 49-7 at halftime. Kyle Noack threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Davis and Luke Howard added a four-yard TD pass to JocQuise Brown in the second half to provide the final margin.

The Cru rolled up 399 rushing yards and 545 yards of total offense in the game. The UMHB defense held the Presidents to -5 yards rushing and 222 yards of total offense and the Cru also forced the game’s only three turnovers. UMHB averaged 8.0 yards per offensive play and 6.7 yards per rushing attempt and the Cru defense also posted six sacks.

Tucker finished with 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Saenz ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns and went 3-5 passing for 90 yards and two more scores. Davis finished with 121 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The Cru complete five passes in the game and four of those went for touchdowns. Lee Munn led the UMHB defense with eight total tackles and Brenson Bristow added seven tackles and 3.0 sacks. Swallow was 20-32 passing for 227 yards and a touchdown. Curt Jones caught five passes for 72 yards but UMHB held him to just 38 rushing yards on 15 carries.

The Cru will now host Wisconsin-Whitewater in the National Semifinals next Saturday at 12:00 PM at Tiger Field in Belton. The Warhawks (12-1) are the defending national champion and the two teams will meet in the National Semifinals for the second straight season. Wisconsin-Whitewater advanced with a 34-17 victory over Wartburg today. The Cru is 0-3 all-time against UWW, including a 16-7 loss in last year’s semifinal match-up in Whitewater. The Cru and Warhawks have combined for four straight trips to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the NCAA Division III National Championship game.