NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Bethel University football team used a balanced offensive attack and did not turn the ball over while the Royals defense forced three turnovers and seven punts to roll to a 56-8 victory over the Carleton College Knights at Laird Stadium. On a brisk but calm day the Royals scored touchdowns on eight of their 12 offensive possessions, rushing for five scores and throwing for three more. Bethel totaled 241 yards on the ground and 292 through the air while making Carleton one-dimensional. Carleton rushed for just 52 yards on 25 attempts as they did all of their damage through the air for 224 yards but the Royals defense was able to pick off three passes of the Knights.
 
 
Bethel set the tone early forcing a quick three-and-out, then going 64 yards on seven plays capped by a successful two-point conversion. Senior tight end Drew Neuville was found streaking down the middle of the field by freshman quarterback Jake Marsh for the 35 yard touchdown. Marsh ran in the two-point conversion himself. Bethel then forced another three-and-out and Dawson Brown blocked the ensuing Carleton punt to set the Royals up at the Knights 22-yard line. Five plays later Gunnar Bloom ran the ball in from six yards out and Luke Veenstra booted the extra point to give the Royals a 15-0 lead halfway through the first quarter.
 
The Knights showed some life with a 10 play, 68 yard drive that took over five minutes as they converted their lone touchdown of the day on a 10-yard pass. Carleton missed the extra point. Bethel wasted little time in responding to the Knights score. Following a seven-yard run by Gunnar Bloom, Marsh found wideout Bryce Marquardt behind the Knights defense and lofted a beautiful pass that the speedy receiver ran underneath and took in stride to the end zone for the 60-yard touchdown.
 
Carleton was forced to punt again but the Royals had trouble with the kick and covered up their fumble on their own four yard line. On the second play of the drive, a high snap was not handled by Marsh who was forced to fall on the ball in the end zone for the safety, making the score 22-8 early in the second quarter. Following the pair of mistakes the Royals responded in a big way, forcing another quick three-and-out and putting together a 13 play, 87 yard scoring drive as Gunnar Bloom took it in from a yard out. Veenstra again converted the PAT to make it 29-8. The Knights punted and threw an interception on their final two drives of the first half while the Royals also punted and time ran out on their final drive.
 
Both teams punted on their opening drives of the second half before the Royals really began to pour it on as they scored on a four play, 61 yard drive. Bloom and Marquardt kick-started the drive with a 14-yard run and a 26-yard reception. Marquardt then took a pass from Marsh and turned it up the sideline for a score but the play was called back on a hold by Bethel. Bloom then scored on a nifty 27-yard run on the next play with Veenstra converting the kick.
 
Carleton went on a nine-play drive but on fourth and nine Cale Ferrin picked off a Carleton pass and returned it 55 yards to the Carleton 40 yard line. Sophomore Trey Anderson was inserted at quarterback and led the Royals quickly down the field, finding Marquardt for a 19-yard strike on a post pattern in the back of the endzone to extend the lead to 42-8. For the fifth time in the game Bethel forced Carleton to punt after a three-and-out and once again the Royals responded with a score. Marsh led the Royals down the field with the big pass play of the drive coming on a 28-yard connection with Jackson Canfield down to the two-yard line on the final play of the third quarter. Bloom punched it in for his fourth score of the day.
 
The Royals defense then picked off their third pass of the game on the next possession. Junior Philip Amundson grabbed his first career interception at the Bethel 15-yard line. All three Bethel interceptions on the day where the first of the careers of Amundson, Brendan Whalen and Cale Ferrin.
 
Bethel's final possession was an impressive 12 play, 85 yard drive led by Trey Anderson who showed off his speed and vision on a great 30-yard touchdown run as he finished the run by diving through a pair of Knights and into the pylon for the score. Veenstra's kick was again good for the 56-8 score. Bethel capped the game off by stopping Carleton at the one-yard line as time expired.
 
Bethel's pair of quarterbacks finished the day with impressive numbers and perhaps most importantly, no turnovers. Marsh was 16-23 for 256 yards and two touchdowns in his second career start. Anderson was 3-4 with 36 yards through the air and another 40 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Gunnar Bloom led the Royals rushers with 111 yard on 16 carries and four touchdowns. Josh Werness and Brady Bomsta combined for 70 yards on 15 carries as well. Marquardt caught three passes, a season low, but two went for scores and he totaled 105 yards for an average of 35 yards per catch. Drew Neuville added four catches for 76 yards and a touchdown. Jon Pytlak led Bethel with five receptions, totaling 38 yards while Jackson Canfield had four for 47 yards.
 
Bethel's leading tackler on the day was Andrew Ragsdale who totaled eight solo tackles and one assist while cornerback Allen Wollenberg had four solo and four assisted tackles. Dawson Brown was his normal disruptive-self as he blocked his third punt of the year, had a sack and two pass breakups while totaling four tackles.
 
The victory improves Bethel to 2-4 on the season and 2-2 in the MIAC. The Royals next contest will take place at Royal Stadium next Saturday when Bethel welcomes the Golden Gusties from Gustavus Adolphus College to Arden Hills. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.