ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - Bethel University and its football fans continued to witness beautiful fall weather for outdoor football Saturday afternoon, as it hosted 0-8 (0-6 MIAC) Hamline Univeristy. The Royals contributed to the overall fan experience by defeating the Pipers 33-6, improving BU's season total to 7-2 (5-2 MIAC). Hamline opened the game on top with a defensive touchdown on a rare BU fumble, giving the Pipers the early 6-0 lead. From then on Bethel displayed why they have won this matchup 16 consecutive years, churning out five unanswered touchdowns and allowing zero offensive scores.

Hamline University's sideline was excited early on when Nate Sarrazin recovered the Royals only turnover of the game and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown at the seven-minute mark in the first quarter. A missed extra point kept the game at 6-0. The Royals were unfazed though, storming back two drives later with a five-play, 83-yard drive in which Josh Aakre (Sr., Dawson, Minn.) found Reese Walker (Jr., Independence, Minn.) for a 62-yard touchdown. After a converted extra point Bethel led 7-6 with 2:17 left to play in the first frame.

The Royals never looked back from there, pouring on additional points on its very next drive. Josh Aakre recorded his second touchdown of the day, rushing from nine yards out to make the game 13-6 in favor of the home team.

Bethel widened the gap between the two teams on its second drive of the second half when Aakre finished a nine-play, 55-yard drive, by weaving his way through the Piper defense on the ground, scoring a 16-yard touchdown. Matt Wetherell (Sr., Glen Ellyn, Ill.) added an extra point giving BU a 20-6 lead with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter. Bethel's defense handed the ball back to Aakre and the Royal offense soon after the score, and the "O" did not disappoint. Aakre took the ball on the first play of the next drive around the far side of the field, behind several lead blockers for a 78-yard score with 7:51 remaining in the fourth quarter, giving Aakre his third rushing touchdown of the game and BU the 26-6 advantage.

The Royals capped the game off with another rushing touchdown with 2:57 to play in the fourth. Jesse Phenow (So., Richfield, Minn.) finished a six-play, 55-yard drive by bulldozing through the HU defense from one-yard out, increasing BU's lead to 33-6.

With a strong wind and a confident running game the Royals spent most of the afternoon grinding out its yards on the ground. Bethel recorded 476 yards of total offense throughout the competition, which included 378 rushing yards. Leading BU was quarterback Josh Aakre, who tallied three rushing touchdowns and 216 yards on 19 carries. Aakre's 11.4 yards-per-carry puts him in the top five rushers throughout the MIAC in yards-per-carry. Jesse Phenow followed up last weeks 24-carry, 163-yard performance with a 124 yards on 22 carries. Kelson Carr (Sr., North Bend, Wash.) also added seven carries for 49 yards.

In the air Aakre completed five-of-13 pass attempts for 98 yards and one touchdown, including the 62-yard bomb to Reese Walker. Today's touchdown was Walker's second consecutive touchdown of at least 60 yards and third touchdown in as many games. The throw to Walker was Josh Aakre's 14th passing touchdown of the season, and 27th overall.

The defense was perfect Saturday allowing zero points and only allowing 126 yards on 61 plays. The Pipers rushed the ball 38 times against BU, but were awarded just 33 yards. Much of the Royals success can be attributed to linebackers Billy Morgan (Sr., Rosemount, Minn.), who captured his second MIAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week against Concordia-Moorhead last week, and Seth Mathis (So., Anoka, Minn.). Morgan racked up seven solo tackles with nine tackle assists, while fellow linebacker Seth Mathis (Anoka, Minn.) had an equally impressive day with four solo tackles and seven tackle assists, including two for loss. Luke Buttenhoff (Watertown, Minn.) recorded five solo tackles, three tackle assists, two for loss, and one sack.

Next Saturday the Royals take on Augsburg College, who holds a 6-3 (4-3 MIAC) record. Bethel looks to prove that they belong in the NCAA Division III tournament as they cap off the season against the Auggies in the Metrodome.