GREENSBORO, N.C. – Matt Pawlowski passed for a career-high 360 yards and six touchdowns in Guilford College's record-setting 56-29 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football win over Shenandoah University Saturday. The triumph gives Guilford a 2-0 ODAC mark for the first time since 1999.
The Quakers (3-2, 2-0 ODAC) rolled up a school-record 705 total offensive yards and posted the 10th-highest single-game point total in the program's 106 seasons. Guilford's 56 points are its most since a 70-26 win at Southern Virginia University Sept. 1, 2007.
Pawlowski completed 26-of-31 pass attempts to set the Quakers' standard for single-game completion percentage (83.9). Guilford's team completion percentage (82.4%) is also a school record. Pawlowski completed 13 of his first 15 passes and was 21-of-26 at halftime for 252 yards and three scores. He threw a 23-yard touchdown to Adam Smith on the game's first possession, followed by a six-yard scoring toss to Nick Mearite in the second quarter and a five-yard shovel pass to Josh Williams for a touchdown nine seconds before halftime. The sophomore's six passing touchdowns rank fourth in school history and are the most by a Quaker since 2011.
Guilford's defense forced with three of its five turnovers in the opening half, which helped the Quakers to a 21-0 halftime edge. A JerMario Gooch fumble recovery in the second quarter set up Guilford's second score of the game, which started a streak of seven Guilford touchdowns in as many possessions.
Shenandoah (2-3, 1-1 ODAC) got on the board 53 seconds into the third quarter on the first of two Brandon Adams touchdown receptions, but Guilford answered with a 68-yard touchdown run by sophomore Josh Schow on the ensuing possession. The run marked the longest of Schow's career and helped him finish with 116 rushing yards on 17 carries, his fifth straight game with at least 100 rushing yards. Only Guilford career rushing leader Reggie Kenan '77 (9) has more consecutive games with 100 or more yards on the ground.
Smith also scored on a 75-yard Pawlowski pass in the third quarter and finished with a season-high 148 receiving yards on four catches. Mearite led the Quakers' receivers with eight grabs for 72 yards and a score. Rookie running back Josh Jurgevich spelled Schow in the third quarter and scored three second-half touchdowns. He caught scoring strikes from Pawlowski of 12 and 10 yards on consecutive third-quarter possessions and also scored on a six-yard fourth-quarter run. He totaled nine carries for 59 yards and three receptions for 35 yards. Junior Joe Able added 53 rushing yards and Pawlowski had 41 as Guilford rolled up 271 yards on the ground, its most since 2009.
Satiir Stevenson's two interceptions and six tackles paced a defensive effort that yielded its most turnovers (5) since Nov. 7, 2009. Teammate Robert Smith made a game-high eight stops and the Quakers recorded their first three sacks of the season. Jordan Farmer had one sack among his two tackles and also forced the fumble that led to Guilford's second touchdown. The Quakers' Jaylan Martin also had an interception.
Shenandoah's quarterback tandem of Justin Neff and Drew Ferguson combined to complete 17-of-30 passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns. Neff had 13 completions for 174 yards, including a 30-yard scoring play to Adams. Ferguson connected with Adams from 77 yards out in the third quarter and threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to Cedrick Delaney with 3:09 left in regulation. Delaney had two catches for 114 yards and Adams finished with four grabs for 119 yards and two TDs. Shenandoah's Andrew Smith carried 14 times for 58 yards and a touchdown.
The Quakers visit league-rival Bridgewater College Saturday (10/19) at 1:00 p.m.