By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University football team has put together six consecutive quarters of outstanding play, as the Bearcats rallied to defeat California Lutheran University, 28-24, and rolled past University of Puget Sound, 63-24. Both games were played on the road.
Willamette, now 2-2 on the season and 1-0 in the Northwest Conference, returns home to battle Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 8. Kickoff at McCulloch Stadium is set for 1 p.m. (PDT). The Bearcats hope to continue the momentum they gained against California Lutheran and Puget Sound.
The Bearcats trailed 21-0 in the second quarter against the Kingsmen, but a 68-yard interception return by Nick Brickous (Sr./Jr., SS, Mesa, AZ/Perry HS/U.S. Military Acad.) gave WU the ball at the CLU 1-yard line. On the next play, Taylor Wyman (Sr., RB, Bellevue, WA/Issaquah HS) ran into the end zone and Willamette's comeback was underway.
WU added 21 points in the second half to claim the four-point win. The Bearcat defense limited the Kingsmen to just three points in the final two quarters.
Following an open date on Sept. 24, the Bearcats returned to action at Puget Sound on Oct. 1. Willamette fell behind 6-0 following a blocked punt that the Loggers recovered for a touchdown, but the Bearcats controlled most of the game the rest of the way.
Touchdown runs by Jimmy Sharpe (Jr., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) and Wyman gave WU a 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Bearcats tacked on 27 points in the second quarter and held a 39-12 advantage at halftime. Puget Sound cut the the margin to 42-24 after the third quarter, but the Bearcats earned 21 points in the fourth quarter to pull away.
Against the Loggers, Willamette gained 575 total yards with 379 yards on the ground and 196 yards through the air. Wyman rushed for a career-high 214 yards on 29 carries. Sharpe carried the ball just eight times, but scored three touchdowns.
Jack Valencia (Sr., RB, Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS) ran 96 yards for the game's final touchdown. It was the second-longest run in Willamette history, trailing only the 98-yard touchdown scamper by Dylan Jones ('15) at Linfield College on Nov. 1, 2014.
In the last six quarters of action, the Bearcats have rushed for 436 yards on 67 carries (6.5 avg.), while scoring eight touchowns.
During the same six quarters, Willamette has gained 352 yards through the air, with Ryan Knowlton (Jr., QB, Puyallup, WA/Emerald Ridge HS) completing 33 of 60 passes for four touchdowns and just one interception. Knowlton threw for three touchdowns in the win at Puget Sound.
The net result is an impressive 788 yards of offense since the halftime break against California Lutheran. The Bearcats have run 127 plays during the six quarters and have recorded 36 first downs.
While the offense has been moving the ball, the WU defense has been very stingy against the run.
In the second half at CLU, the Bearcats limited the Kingsmen to 21 rushing yards on 16 carries (1.3 avg.). Puget Sound ran with the ball 34 times for 121 yards (3.6 avg.). The combined total by Willamette's opponents during the six quarters was 50 carries for 142 yards, an average of 2.8 yards per carry. Only one rushing touchdown was scored against the Bearcats.
For the season, Wyman has rushed 76 times for 458 yards and four touchdowns. He has averaged 114.5 yards per game and 6.0 yards per rush. Knowlton has connected on 84 of 151 passes (55.6%) for 843 yards and seven scores. The Bearcats are averaging 413.0 total yards per game, including 240 passing yards and 173 rushing yards per contest.
