MINNEAPOLIS – In a season full of impressive victories the No. 25-ranked Bethel University (8-1) football team put together their most impressive performance yet, rolling Augsburg University (2-7) 75-0. The Royals scored touchdowns on their first nine possessions and 11 of their 14 total possessions in the game. Bethel put up 675 yards of total offense, averaging over 10 yards per play. The Royals defense held the Auggies to 155 yards of total offense in recording their fourth shutout of the season. The 75 points eclipsed the previous program record of 74 in a 74-0 victory over Macalester in 1999.
 




Bethel held a 26-0 lead after the first quarter and upped the margin to 47-0 at the half before scoring 28 more points in the second half, just seven in the fourth quarter. The lone touchdown in the fourth quarter came from freshman running back Sid Boros when the Becker, Minnesota native took a handoff and bounced the run outside, outpacing the entire Auggie defense to the endzone for an 82-yard touchdown run.

Eight different Royals scored touchdowns on the day with Sam Gibas, Brady Bomsta and Drew Larsen scoring twice each. Of the Royals 11 touchdowns, eight came on the ground for Bethel. Jaran Roste was 11-17 for a career high 225 yards and three touchdowns. Drew Larsen caught three passes for 64 total yards and two scores. Senior tight end Mathias Durie caught the Royals other touchdown pass as seven different Royals had a reception, including junior cornerback Riley McCann who had a 28-yard reception from fellow cornerback Trey Anderson on a fake punt during Bethel's second possession of the game. Both players were former offensive players early in their Bethel careers, McCann at running back and Anderson at quarterback.
 
Nine different Royals carried the ball on the day as Bethel racked up 422 yards on the ground on 47 carries, an average of nine yards per carry. Sam Gibas totaled 124 yards on just six carries. Gibas popped touchdown runs of 60 and 17 yards, both in the first quarter. Bethel's second leading gainer on the ground was the freshman Boros who needed just two carries to total 84 yards, including his 82-yard fourth quarter romp. Senior Brady Bomsta had the most carries with nine, totaling 58 yards and two scores. Gideon Erhabor had seven carries for 57 yards and a touchdown. Roste ran five times for 39 yards and his team leading 13^th rushing touchdown.
 
On defense, one week after racking up 10 sacks, the Royals secondary stole the show with four interceptions and freshman defensive back Matt Feldick had a team high eight tackles. While the defense totaled just one sack, they did have eight tackles for loss. Drew Ragsdale also totaled eight tackles on the day to go along with a solo tackle for loss and an interception. Cale Ferrin, Trent Substad and John Sfire had the Royals other three interceptions. Augsburg's senior wideout Nick Heenie caught seven passes for 82 yards on the day, which is actually just half of his catch average per game and 45 yards below his season yardage average coming into the contest. After the first two extra points were missed and blocked, freshman defensive lineman Matthew Stone came on and went 9-for-9 the rest of the way on PAT's.
 
The win sets up the showdown in Arden Hills next Saturday as the Royals will take on No. 7-ranked St. Thomas (8-1) at 1:10 p.m. at Royal Stadium. The Tommies scored two late fourth quarter touchdowns to pull out a 14-13 victory over Gustavus to keep the game with Bethel as essentially a play-in game for an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs. Bethel is ranked No. 4 and St. Thomas No. 7 in the latest NCAA West Region rankings. Bethel has beaten UST two of the previous three times the Tommies have visited Arden Hills.