Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
An opportunistic Hope College football team made the most of early opportunities on Saturday and scored 35 first-half points en route to a 42-20 win at Olivet College, the defending Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion.
The Flying Dutchmen — voted the preseason favorite in the 2017 MIAA coaches poll — received four touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Mason Opple of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville HS) and a team-high 10 tackles from senior defensive back Mason Rosado of Holland, Michigan (Holland).
By winning the MIAA opener, Hope improved to 3-1 overall.
"It was a flurry, so much going on down there," head coach Peter Stuursma said, referring to Olivet's homecoming. "I was really proud of our players when they came out of the gate. We had a really good week of practice. The guys were focused."
The Flying Dutchmen took the opening drive and marched 80 yards in seven players. Senior running back Brandan Campbell of Otsego, Michigan (Otsego) galloped 44 yards into the end zone for the first of his two touchdowns.
Hope then forced Olivet to go three-and-out. The snap sailed over the punter's head, and the Flying Dutchmen recovered at the Comets 10-yard line. Campbell then scored on a third-down run for a 14-0 lead with 7:56 left in the first quarter.
After a missed Olivet field goal, Hope went 80 yards in seven plays again on a drive that ended with a 13-yard Opple touchdown pass to sophomore Christian Bos of Hudsonville, Michigan (Unity Christian).
On the ensuing kickoff, senior Darren Ford of Brighton, Michigan (Brighton) pooch-kicked the ball perfectly for a Flying Dutchmen recovery on the Olivet 38-yard line. One play later, Opple connected with senior running back Chris Leigh for a 38-yard touchdown pass and a 28-0 lead 11 ½ minutes into the second quarter.
Opple added a touchdown pass of 5 yards to senior tight end Jake Kozlowski of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (Badger) for a 35-0 halftime lead at Olivet's homecoming.
Opple finished completing 17-of-22 passes to five different receivers for 205 yards. He also rushed for 21 yards on seven carries while being sacked just once.
"That was efficiency at its finest," Stuursma said. "He had some outstanding throws. Kurtis had six receptions, Jake four, Chris three, and Christian three — that's a lot of guys in the mix there. The game is coming to Mason. He's feeling more comfortable with what's going on around him."
Leigh finished with a team-high 94 yards receiving on three catches.
Senior wide receiver Kurtis Slenk of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian) had a career-high six receptions for 39 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown catch.
Campbell rushed for a game-high 140 yards on 21 carries.
Campbell now has 1,930 yards rushing in his Hope career and needs 70 more to become the ninth Hope running back to reach the 2,000-yard mark.
On defense, the Flying Dutchmen limited Olivet (2-2, 0-1 MIAA) to 279 yards of total offense.
Hope totaled five sacks from six different players.
Junior defensive end Tate Knapp of Hamilton, Michigan (Hamilton) led the Flying Dutchmen with two sacks.