Concordia University (5-2, 2-1 NSIC) set a pair of new team records as they rushed for 459 yards and piled up 73 points in a 73-13 win over Minnesota Crookston (0-7, 0-3 NSIC) on Saturday afternoon at Griffin Stadium in St. Paul, Minn.

It was a brilliant homecoming game for senior quarterback James McNear and junior running back Aaron Cawthorn, who were both honored as Homecoming royalty at halftime. The duo, both graduates of Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa, combined for eight touchdowns in the game.

Cawthorn averaged 20.1 yards per carry, totaling 161 yards on eight carries - half of them for scores. McNear wasn't far behind, averaging 16.8 yards per rush on nine carries as he ran for 151 with one rushing TD. Through the air he completed eight passes - three for TDs - for 124 yards and a long of 47.

Concordia sprinted out to a 35-0 lead in the first 12 minutes of the game behind three Cawthorn rushing TDs of 10, 28 and 70 yards and a pair of McNear scoring strikes - a 12-yarder to senior Montez Bridgeforth and a 47-yarder to junior Jason Simmons, a transfer from Minnesota Crookston. The defense held UMC to just one first down and 20 yards of total offense on 17 plays. The top-ranked run defense held their ground, holding UMC to -1 yard on nine attempts.

The bears found the end zone two more times early in the second quarter, building a 49-0 lead before the Golden Eagles' RJ Rollins broke loose for a 64-yard TD run to put UMC on the board. Junior placekicker Brody Johnson added a 25-yard field goal as CU led 52-7 at the half.

Concordia added a pair of third-quarter touchdowns as Cawthorn and McNear each found the end zone for the fourth time.

Minnesota Crookston added a pair of fourth-quarter field goals as they were one point shy of their season-high of 14 points. CU's John Robinson scored the final TD of the day for the Bears on a four-yard score.

The Golden Eagles lone bright spot was RJ Rollins, who finished the day with 121 yards on the ground on 23 carries with the 64-yard TD after being held to six carries for -1 yards in the first quarter.

Concordia's defense was lights out on third down, as UMC was unable to convert a third down conversion in 13 tries. The Bears allowed just 174 yards of total offense on 56 plays, while the offense amassed 583 yards on 72 plays.

Junior Eric Power had a pair of sacks for the second straight week. He also recorded three tackles for loss and five tackles. Sophomore Michael Brooks also had a pair of sacks, while junior Antonio Brown picked off his team-leading third pass this season. Christian Even, Travis Johansen, and Bobby Purvin all led the team with eight tackles, with Johansen and Purvin each registering a pair of tackles for loss.

Junior Kyle Verley turned in a career-high 86 yards on 16 carries, while senior Brian Holmes bruised his way to 51 yards on just six attempts with one TD. Robinson ended up with six carries for 43 yards.

Through the air, Simmons had a game-high 61 receiving yards on two catches, including the 47-yard TD, while Bridgeforth had a pair of TD receptions.

Concordia returns to the field next Saturday, Oct. 15 when they travel to MSU Moorhead.