A solid all-around effort by the Skyhawk football team resulted in a surprising 35-9 rout of NCAA Division II powerhouse Gardner-Webb on Saturday.

Senior kicker Taylor Brown set a new school record for most points scored in a game with 15 and Marcus Dawson rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries to help lead the Skyhawks to their second consecutive victory.

Freshman quarterbacks Greg Preston and Dexter Anoka combined to throw for 195 yards in the game as the Skyhawk offense accounted for a total of 485 yards. Nearly 300 of those yards came on the ground. Along with Dawson’s output, Anoka rushed for 54 yards and Glover ran for 50. Preston and T.J. Hamilton combined for an additional 32 yards.

The accomplishments of the ground game came as the result of outstanding play of the Skyhawks’ offensive line.

“Our offensive line was in better shape than they were last year. They came off the ball well and were more physical,” Simpson said. The Skyhawk ground attack did not appear to miss its usual leaders. Both Don and Josh Chapman missed the game due to an ankle injury and suspension, respectively.

The visitors left their mark on the scoreboard first when kicker Hunter Smith capped off the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ first drive of the game with a 26-yard field goal.

After gaining only five yards before punting the ball away on their first possession, the Skyhawks found paydirt the second time they held the ball. By keeping the ball on the ground, they moved consistently down the field and used the clock to their advantage. Dawson began the drive with a 12-yard run to midfield and added a 13-yarder later to total 25 on the drive. Those two plays along with an eight-yard run by Preston and a six-yarder by Taurean Stephens put the Skyhawks in good position to score. Glover then took the ball into the end zone from the 24-yard line on his only touch of the possession.

Once again, the Skyhawk defense made its presence known. Despite having a nationally-ranked offense, the Bulldogs managed only two first downs and 25 total yards of offense in the first half and finished the game with 198 yards of offense. They entered play averaging 39.5 points and 482.5 yards of offense per game. Saturday’s results represented a passing grade on a stiff test for the improved Skyhawk defense.

“We are getting accustomed to outstanding defensive play around here,” said UTM head coach Jason Simpson.

Through the first three games of the season, the Skyhawks are allowing an average of 12.7 points per game. That figure is skewed by the season-opening loss to Ohio in which the team allowed 29 points. In their last two games, the Skyhawks have allowed an average of 4.5 points per game.

After the Skyhawk defense recorded a safety on a Joel Kilpatrick sack of Bulldog quarterback Devin Campbell, Brown tacked on a field goal with 41 secons remaining in the opening quarter to give the Skyhawks a 12-3 lead.

After the ensuing Bulldog drive failed to produce a first down, the Skyhawks took over with good field position thanks to a 39-yard punt return by E. J. Daniel.

Once again, the Skyhawks moved the ball down the field and capitalized with a 20-yard kick by Brown.

The Skyhawks won the field position battle by repeatedly pinning the Bulldogs deep in their own territory.

With the exception of their first drive of the game, which began on the UTM 39-yard line, and a third-quarter drive that began on their own 35-yard line, the Bulldogs started inside their own 25 nine times.

“I was a bit surprised it wasn’t a shootout,” Simpson said.

“They struggled in the red zone and I’ve always said that if you play with passion and heart, good things will happen,” he continued. Next up for the Skyhawks is a matchup with nationally-ranked Jacksonville State at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Graham Stadium.\

The No. 25 Gamecocks are one of three OVC teams listed in the latest I-AA Top 25 poll released by The Sports Network on Monday. Also appearing in the poll are Eastern Illinois at No. 20 and Eastern Kentucky at No. 24. Both of those teams will visit the Skyhawks later this season.