TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Bluffton University football team fell 52-28 at Rose-Hulman despite an otherworldy performance from Kainan Stoner (Belle Center/Benjamin Logan) who rushed 38 times for a 295 yards! Bluffton fell to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Heartland Conference, while Rose improved to 4-2 with a spotless 3-0 mark in the HCAC.

Stoner's 295 yards is 3rd all-time on the single-game list and he also hit paydirt three times on Saturday afternoon. The junior averaged nearly eight yards a carry and he finished with a long run of 40 yards.

He put Bluffton up 7-0 when his two-yard scoring plunge capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive to open the game! The home team fired back with three touchdowns in the first quarter, but Stoner made it 21-14 following his 15-yard run to the end zone early in period two. His second two-yard scoring run made the score 42-21 in the third quarter.

The Engineers were up 52-21 when Darnell Thomas (Toledo/Springfield) connected with Niegel Payne (Detroit, Mich./River Rouge) for a 73-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, making the final score 52-28.

Stoner's 295 yards has him behind just Mike Goings (314 yards in 1962) and Darian Greeley (297 yards in 2020)! His three touchdowns were the most scored by a Beaver since Jack Tomlinson hauled in four TD receptions in 2014.

Thomas completed 4-of-10 passes for 98 yards. Todd King added 71 rushing yards on 15 carries as Bluffton finished with a whopping 372 yards on the ground.

The Beavers outgained RHIT 511-445 and they churned out nine more first downs (29-20). The visitors converted 10-of-21 third down opportunities, compared to 5-of-12 for the Engineers.

Karl Foster (Detroit, Mich./Denby) and Josh Neuberger (Norwalk) led the defense with six stops apiece.

Bluffton will be at Salzman Stadium for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 21, when Manchester University comes to town. Kickoff at Alumni Field is slated for 1:30 p.m.

-BEAVERS-