#10 HOFSTRA RUNS BY LIBERTY
LYNCHBURG, Virginia ?“ Sophomore running back Trevor Dimmie rushed for a career-high 240 yards as the 10th-ranked Pride of Hofstra ran by the Flames of Liberty (3-7), 40-3, at Williams Stadium. The Pride with a 9-2 overall mark and a 7-2 record in the Atlantic 10, more than likely secured a I-AA playoff bid with the victory.
Hofstra abandoned its normal passing attack for a ground game that accumulated a season-high 415 yards and a school record 26 first downs by rushing. The Pride finished with 486 total yards on the day, completing four of nine passs for 71 yards. The Hofstra defense also stood tall, holding Liberty to just 178 yards, a season low for the Pride defense.
Hofstra opened the scoring on its first possession, going 87 yards in 10 plays with quarterback Rocky Butler running the ball in from 2 yards out for the 7-0 lead with 7:18 to play in the first quarter. All 10 Hofstra plays were rushing plays.
On Liberty's next possession, the Flames moved the ball to the Hofstra 18-yard line. But Hofstra cornerback Jason Howard blocked Jay Kelley's 35-yard field goal attempt. After Trevor Dimmie fumbled the ball away at the Flames 46-yard line on Hofstra's next possession, Liberty moved the ball to the Hofstra 13-yard line before Kelley booted a 30-yard field goal.
Hofstra boosted the lead to 14-3 3:38 into the second quarter as Butler hit Erik Lundell with a 59-yard scoring strike. The Pride offensive line gave Butler all the time in the world to find Lundell, who was wide open down the Liberty sideline. The TD pass was the first pass of the game for Hofstra. Liberty fumbled the ball on its next possession on its own 12 and three plays later, Butler carried the ball over from 1 yard out to give the Pride a 21-3 lead with 9:34 to play.
The Pride started the second half like they did the first half as Butler engineered a 10-play, 65-yard drive with Dimmie scoring his second touchdown of the game on a 13-yard run to give Hofstra a 28-3 lead with 9:40 to play in the third quarter. Hofstra later sandwiched field goals of 23 and 25 yards by Chris Onorato around a Butler to Kahmal Roy 4-yard scoring pass. Roy, who struggled with the flu, caught just two passes for 15 yards. The touchdown reception by Roy was his 15th of the year, one shy of tying the school record. Quarterback Biff Parson led the Flames, completing 11 of 25 passes for 123 yards.
The Pride will now wait until next Sunday, November 25 at 12:30 p.m. when the NCAA reveals the 2001 I-AA Playoff bracket. Hofstra has made I-AA playoff appearances in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000.
Game Stats
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