By: Joseph Watkins, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University football team hosted Rose-Hulman on a cool Saturday, Oct. 12 afternoon. The balanced run/pass attack by the Engineers was all too much for the Beavers as RHIT spoiled Bluffton's Homecoming with a 28-14 victory over the Beavers.
After a scoreless first quarter, Rose-Hulman would get on the board first in the second period when Garrett Wright shoved it in for a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 Engineers with 3:04 left in the first half. The Beavers responded right before the break when Darian Greeley (Belleville, MI/Chippewa Valley) went in from one-yard out, making it a 7-7 game at halftime.
The Beavers were looking to build on the momentum from the touchdown going into the second half. However, Bluffton coughed the ball up on the ensuing kickoff. Rose-Hulman recovered and needed just six plays to go 33 yards as another Wight score made it 14-7 with 12:22 left in the third. The Fightin' Engineers tacked on two more touchdowns before Greeley hit paydirt for his second time of the day as Rose-Hulman polished off its 28-14 victory.
Bluffton totaled 260 yards of offense with 150 yards passing and 110 yards in the rushing attack. Samuel Coleman (Troy/Wilmington) went 10-of-22 for 150 yards and an interception on the day. Greeley drove the rushing attack with 133 yards on 18 carries for the day.
Rose-Hulman put up 485 yards of total offense, including 299 through the air and 186 on the ground. Bluffton struggled with just 4-of-12 on third down conversions, while the Engineers went 9-of-19. The visitors dominated the time of possession battle as they controlled the ball for nearly 37 minutes.
Dylan Shaffer (Shelby) led the defense with 18 tackles on the day. Junior Stephan Kosakowski (Cleveland/Benedictine) checked in with 14 stops of his own.
Bluffton will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 19, when the Beavers travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to take on the Mount St. Joseph Lions in another Heartland Conference matchup. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
