OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Junior quarterback Dan Williams set program records for touchdown passes (6) and passing yards (338) as the No. 21 Stevenson University football team cruised to a 54-15 win over FDU-Florham in Middle Atlantic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Mustang Stadium.
With the win, Stevenson (4-0, 3-0 MAC) stands as the only 3-0 team in the conference, as No. 14 Delaware Valley, the other 2-0 team entering the day, was edged 20-17 by Albright. The Mustangs have won six straight dating back to last season and improved to 15-1 in September since 2013. Stevenson is off to a 4-0 start for the third straight season.
Stevenson also improved to 6-0 all-time against FDU-Florham (0-3, 0-2 MAC).
Williams finished 21-33 passing for 338 yards and six touchdowns, throwing touchdown strikes of 49, 37, 29, 26,20 and six yards. His 338 passing yards surpassed the previous mark of 307 set by Jeff Farrah against Lycoming last season, while the six TD passes bettered the mark of five established by C.J. Hopson in the program's inaugural home game against Christopher Newport in 2011.
Junior Devin Salisbury and sophomore Preston Addo each hauled in three touchdown passes on the afternoon. Salisbury finished with a program-record 11 catches for 149 yards, while Addo hauled in six balls for 150 yards. Addo had the longest reception of the day, a 49-yard completion down the middle with 9:04 left in the third that gave Stevenson a 37-15 lead.
Stevenson took a 7-0 lead with 8:13 left in the first when the Mustangs needed just two plays following the first of two interceptions by senior Billy Lewis set up the hosts at the FDU 33. Williams found Addo in the right side of the end zone with a 26-yard strike to give Stevenson an early lead.
FDU-Florham took advantage of Williams' lone interception of the day to take an 8-7 lead. The Devils started at the Mustang 25 and five plays later. Jagger Green's one-yard keeper, followed by a two-point conversion, gave the guests the lead with 30 seconds left in the first.
A 37-yard completion from Williams to Salisbury made it 14-8 1:26 into the second quarter, then following an FDU three-and-out, a six-play, 42-yard drive capped by a 20-yard completion to Addo made it 21-8 with 9:52 in the first half. The Devils responded with a 13-play, 60-yard march capped by a one-yard run by Robert Madison to pull within 21-15 with 4:41 left, which would be the halftime score.
Stevenson scored on its first four possessions of the second half and threw in a pick-six to put the game out of reach. The Mustangs opened with a 10-play, 64-yard drive ending in a 26-yard field goal by senior Tim Sternfeld to make it 31-15. Following Lewis' second interception of the day at the Mustang 35 on FDU-Florham's first drive of the second half, Williams' 49-yard toss to Addo made it 37-15 following a failed PAT try. The Mustangs faced fourth-and-5 at midfield but the five-play, 65-yard drive was kept alive by a five-yard roughing the kicker penalty on the punt attempt.
Following another Devil three-and-out, an eight-play, 83-yard drive ended with a six-yard completion to Salisbury to make it 44-15. FDU-Florham got down to the Mustang 28 on its next drive, but a 78-yard interception return for a score by senior Austin Tennessee with 1:14 to go in the third made it 51-15.
Sternfeld converted a 35-yard field goal attempt with 12:11 remaining for the only points of the fourth quarter.
Stevenson racked up a season-high 478 yards offensively, outgaining FDU-Florham 478-333. The Mustangs had a total of four interceptions, with senior Jimmy Lauer adding the other pick on the second Devil possession of the game. Stevenson now has 14 interceptions through the first four games, with Lauer recording a pick in three straight contests. The guests controlled the time of possession battle, holding the ball for over 33 minutes, while the Mustangs forced a turnover for the 37th straight game.
Sophomore Izaiha Pitts led Stevenson with eight tackles (six solo), including two for a loss, while junior Mike Datu and freshman Hanif Jones each had six tackles, with Datu making five solo stops. Tennessee and Lewis each added four tackles and a pass breakup.
Stevenson returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Misericordia University for a 1:00 Middle Atlantic Conference contest.