The Stetson football team scored 28 second quarter points to take a commanding lead before halftime and cruised to a 48-7 victory over Point University in the 2018 season opener at Spec Martin Stadium on Saturday evening.

Stetson led 10-0 after the first quarter and then, after allowing the only Skyhawks (0-2) points early in the second quarter, scored five times before halftime to blow the game open.

The Hatters started the night with a 12-play, 64-yard drive that was capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Colin McGovern, the first of his two scoring runs in the game. Stetson scored again later in the quarter when sophomore kicker Jonny Messina booted a 34-yard field goal to cap a seven-play drive.

Point launched its lone scoring drive of the game came early in the second quarter when freshman running back Kylen Cross scampered for 20 yards around the left end for a touchdown to cap an eight-play drive covering 73 yards to make the score 10-7.

From there it was all Stetson. The Hatters out-gained their guests 459 yards to 163, including 247 rushing yards, a total that equaled almost half the team season total from 2017. Stetson also forced a pair of Skyhawks turnovers, turning both into scores.

Stetson’s second quarter scoring started with a 36-yard Jonny Messina field goal after a 10-play drive stalled out. The Hatters got right back to work, however, after the first takeaway by the Stetson defense resulted in a short field.

McGovern turned that turnover into points when he connected with junior Steven Burdette for a 24-yard touchdown pass. McGovern then threw to senior Donald Parham for a two-point conversion and a 21-7 lead.

The Hatters took advantage of another short field, this the result of a 24-yard punt, to strike again. This time it was freshman Jareem Westcott who did the damage, running for 18 and then 24 yards for a two-play scoring drive.

The Stetson defense forced a three-and-out, one of nine Point possessions in the game of three plays or less, to get the ball right back. The Hatters needed just 64 seconds to cover 54 yards for another touchdown, this one from junior quarterback Gaven DeFilippo to Burdette for 15 yards.

Point fumbled the ball away again on the first play after the score, and the Hatters took advantage with a 21-yard Messina field goal for a 38-7 lead at the half.

After a slow start in the second half, McGovern scored another touchdown on a five-yard run midway through the third quarter. Junior Matthew Sweeney rounded out the scoring with a 23-yard field goal in the final quarter.

McGovern led Stetson’s passing game by completing 15-of-22 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. Burdette caught six passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns, while Parham had five receptions for 74 yards. The five receptions make Parham the first in Stetson history with 100 career receptions.

As a unit, Stetson amassed 247 yards rushing, third most in team history in one game since the rebirth of the program in 2013. Senior Matt Taft led the way with 109 yards on 19 carries, while Westcott ran for 56 yards on six carries.

The Stetson defense limited Point to 163 yards in total offense, including 96 yards rushing and 67 yards passing. Redshirt junior linebacker Jamieson Craske had a team-high eight tackles and a half a sack, while junior defensive back Reggie Gantt made seven tackles, including one of 13 tackles for loss in the game. Gantt also recovered one of the two Point fumbles.

Stetson’s 38 points in the first half was 10 more than the Hatters scored in any game last season (28 against Davidson on Oct. 13, 2017), and the Hatters’ 48 point in the game was the most by them since scoring a 60-21 win over Ave Maria on November 14, 2015.

The Hatters return to action next Saturday, Sept. 8, with a home game against Waldorf University at Spec Martin Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

–GoHatters.com