College Football Final – Hampden-Sydney 63, Guilford 49

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Kirk Rohle compiled 232 all-purpose yards and scored five touchdowns in Hampden-Sydney College’s 63-49 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football win at Guilford College Saturday.

Rohle, a senior running back, rushed 22 times for 139 yards and four touchdowns and added five receptions for 93 yards and a score. He ran for three touchdowns in the decisive second quarter, which saw Hampden-Sydney (7-1, 4-0 ODAC) rally from a 14-0 deficit with five touchdowns in six possessions. Rohle’s two-yard score with 6:51 left before halftime broke a 21-21 tie and gave the Tigers the lead for good.

Hampden-Sydney overcame a sluggish start and a career-high seven touchdown tosses by the Quakers’ Zac Halbert. The sophomore southpaw completed 30-of-60 passes for 396 yards in the 11th-best passing day in school history. His seven touchdown passes rank second all-time at Guilford (1-7, 0-4 ODAC). Ben King caught three of the scores, which also stands second in school history.

Guilford made early statements on both sides of the ball. The Quakers opened the game with an on-side kick, which the Tigers recovered, but forced recovered a Hampden-Sydney fumble on the Tigers’ first offensive play. On Guilford’s first offensive play, Halbert hit King from 41 yards out and the hosts had a 7-0 lead 20 seconds into the game. Halbert’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Blake (9 rec., 77 yds., 2 TD)later in the quarter capped a 17-play, 86-yard drive and opened a 14-0 edge. At the end of the first quarter, Guilford had limited the Tigers to three first downs and 18 total offensive yards.

The bulk of Hampden-Sydney’s first-quarter offense came on its final drive of the period, which marked the start of its recovery. Senior quarterback Travis Lane righted the Tigers’ ship in the second quarter, during which time Hampden-Sydney outscored Guilford, 35-7. Lane crisply directed five scoring drives in the period, none lasting more than five plays or 92 seconds. He threw for 165 of his 303 passing yards in the frame and scored on a 22-yard keeper early in the period.

For the game, Lane completed 20-of-37 passes and did not throw an interception. Kyle Vance (8 receptions, 133 yards, 1 TD) was his favorite target among five receivers.
The teams traded touchdowns for most of the second half, before Guilford’s defense held on a fourth-down play from the Quakers’ 32-yard line. Guilford took over trailing 56-42, but Hampden-Sydney’s Mark Poydence ended any comeback hopes by collecting a batted pass at the line of scrimmage and returning it 48 yards for a clinching touchdown.

Hampden-Sydney’s win sets up a showdown next Saturday (11/5) when Washington and Lee University (8-1, 5-0 ODAC) visits the Tigers for a meeting of ODAC unbeatens. Guilford visits league-rival Catholic University at 1:00 p.m.

NOTE: The 112 points scored by the two teams rank second in Guilford history. Clemson defeated Guilford, 122-0, in 1901, which marks the highest combined point total in school history.