CLAREMONT, Calif. – Defense, special teams and Tyler Pacheco led the Chapman University football team to a 41-13 statement win over previously unbeaten Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Panthers improved to 3-0 in the SCIAC and took control of the Surf Division with the win.
Tyler Pacheco ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to account for three of the four offensive touchdowns for the Panthers. Amir Adams returned a punt for a TD and Kaulin Post picked up a fumble and charged into the end zone for the Panthers' second defensive score of the season.
Chapman fell behind 10-0 to start the game but stromed back to take a 14-10 lead by halftime and outscored the Stags 27-3 in the second half.
After CMS took a 10-0 lead, the Panthers responded with a nine-play, 70-yard drive that was capped by a three-yard TD toss from Joey Yellen to a wide open Quentin Biebel. On the ensuing drive, Devin Cobb came on a corner blitz to sack Walter Kuhlenkamp on first down and the defense held for a quick three-and-out.
The Panthers continued to swing momentum in their favor as they picked up a quick first down and then took advantage of two Stag penalties that moved them down to the two yard line for Pacheco to punch it in. With 20 seconds remaining in the half, Chapman quickly seized the momentum and took the 14-10 lead into the locker room.
CMS converted their first drive of the third quarter into a field goal but that would be their final points as Jacob Gaudi ended the next drive with an interception and return down to the one yard line, which Pacheco punched in again for his second TD.
Amir Adams later returned a punt 60 yards to make it a two-score game at 27-13. Pacheco tossed his first passing TD of the season when he found Brendon Manzano for a 19-yard score on fourth-and-three, capping a 14-play drive that covered 92 yards and took nearly 10 minutes of the fourth quarter. Three plays later, Post picked up a fumble and returned it 15 yards into the end zone.
The Panthers' defense held CMS to just 153 yards through the air as the Stags completed just 13 of its 33 pass attempts and were sacked three times. The Stags also managed just 67 rushing yards on 30 carries. The Panthers' QBs completed 14-of-18 passes for 162 yards and the pair of touchdowns while Chapman ran the ball 37 times for 127 yards and two more TDs. Pacheco ran the ball 15 times for 75 yards while Gio Ursino had 16 carried for 57 yards.
Gaudi had eight tackles to go along with his SCIAC-leading fourth interception while Alexander Terriquez also had eight tackles.
The Panthers are back at Ernie Chapman Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. to take Pomona-Pitzer in SCIAC division crossover game and rematch of last year's SCIAC title game.
