Franklin, Ind. - The nationally ranked Franklin College football team will take a well-deserved breather after scoring six touchdowns and gaining 479 total yards in a decisive 40-7 Homecoming victory Saturday over Earlham College in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) game at Faught Stadium.

The Grizzlies, 5-1 overall and in first place at 4-0 in HCAC play, put all 40 of their points on the scoreboard in the first six offensive series. Franklin completed 11 of its first 13 passes – three for touchdowns – in winning its 21st consecutive conference game. The team has scored 40 or more points in 14 of its last 15 HCAC games.

Franklin, ranked No. 18 in D3football.com's NCAA Division III poll and No. 20 by the American Football Coaches Association, won't play again until hosting Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on October 22.

Junior quarterback Chase Burton, the nation's leader in passing touchdowns, yards, and points responsible for, added to those statistics by completing 11 of his 13 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in only two quarters of action.

Burton's first scoring pass came 1:08 into the game on a 33-yard aerial to junior wingback Lee Wroblewski. Then, three minutes later, junior split end Deontez Alexander caught a 97-yard touchdown pass from Burton.

Senior running back Ty'Ronte Files rounded out the productive first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run, capping a seven-play, 67-yard drive.

The second quarter featured two scoring runs by junior running back Jordan Brown, gains of four and 12 yards. Burton's third scoring pass came on a 20-yard strike to junior tight end Alex Smith. It was Smith's first collegiate touchdown.

Files rushed for 76 yards on six carries as the Grizzlies collected 138 yards on the ground.