WILLIAMSPORT, PA - The #6 Susquehanna football team officially stamped their ticket to the NCAA Tournament Saturday afternoon with a 55-7 win up the road at Lycoming in their regular season finale for the Landmark Conference title. The River Hawks (9-1, 6-0 Landmark) already had the Landmark in grasp following their win over Moravian two weeks ago, though any conference-clinching celebration was halted until the end of business against the Warriors. SU left nothing to chance in the lopsided win, scoring the first 55 points of the game on eight touchdowns, carried out by a familiar arsenal of scorers including two from Rahshan La Mons and Kyle Howes, along with quarterback Josh Ehrlich throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for another. The only wildcard in the mix was veteran offensive lineman Nick Gonzalez who got a taste of the scoring action rushing in the team's final touchdown. 

The River Hawks got the ball to start the game, quickly establishing the mood with an eight-play, 60-yard drive that spanned less than three minutes. La Mons helped set the team up at the one yard line on the opening drive, then was given the final order to run it in for his 13th rushing touchdown of the season and a 7-0 lead. Lycoming was afforded hardly anything on its opening drive with a three and out, giving Susquehanna the ball back at its own 35. Facing third and 11, Ehrlich had his longest completion of the day, hooking up with receiver Hunter Morgenroth for a 48-yard gain and another stop at Lyco's one yard line. This time Susquehanna called for Howes to go in motion, taking the forward pitch from Ehrlich to the right corner and a 14-0 advantage. The River Hawks dialed up the intensity in the second quarter with a 27-point scoring spree. A lengthy Susquehanna drive that spanned the end of the first and the start of the second paid off as Ehrlich found Chris Bookter for a 25-yard completion and a 20-0 lead. The Warriors appeared to have an answer as they marched downfield to Susquehanna's nine. Facing fourth and three from that spot, Lyco attempted to go for it, only to be denied as defensive back Ben Mongare broke up an intended endzone pass to Dawson Debebe. This did put SU in a tight spot opening its drive on its own nine yard line, but no one told that to the sure-footed La Mons. He picked up a six-yard run on the opening play from scrimmage, then broke it out into the open for an 85-yard touchdown run to power on a 27-0 lead and cement the River Hawks' hold on the contest.

Any chance of a heroic comeback attempt by Lycoming was perhaps canceled out on the opening play of its next drive as quarterback Will Fish was picked off by Josh Parson, who took it back to Lyco's 25. The River Hawks needed six plays for their next score, though they added a little flare as Ehrlich found Howes from three yards out. With Howes tightly guarded by Mario Samony, the senior receiver now with 14 touchdown receptions on the year had the ball get deflected and high up in the air, which he adjusted to over the stumbling Samony to haul in the grab to hang a 34-point lead on Lycoming. After the Warriors turned the ball over on downs, Susquehanna got the ball back on its own 40, going a perfect 6-for-6 on scoring drives as Ehrlich dialed number 84 for his next touchdown pass to Rowen Hershey. Taking the shotgun at Lyco's three, Ehrlich rolled left, then stopped to read Hershey going left-to-right on the goal line to hit him up over the middle. Susquehanna turned to efficient game management in the second half to carry them to victory, though they found time for two more touchdowns split between the third and fourth quarters. Ehrlich garnered his eighth rushing touchdown of the season with a ten-yard line halfway through the third. Early in the fourth quarter with SU on Lyco's two, the River Hawks' offense showcased a rare sight as backup quarterback Bobby Croyle lined up under center in an I-formation. Even more peculiar was senior lineman Gonzalez lined up as the fullback, who took the run in for his first career touchdown. 

When the dust settled on Susquehanna's celebration after earning the Stagg Hat Trophy, Landmark Conference trophy, and the punching of their NCAA ticket from Drew Robinson and Bookter, Ehrlich's stat line featured a 16-of-25 day passing the ball for 252 yards and four touchdowns. The aforementioned Croyle came on in relief of Ehrlich to complete all three of his passing attempted for 54 yards, including a long of 26 when he connected with Robert Stolfa. La Mons' final total was netting 154 yards rushing on 11 carries for an even 14.0 yards per carry, while catching one pass for ten yards. Howes had another hallmark day, catching eight passes for 99 yards with two touchdowns, while Hershey had one of his most visible days of the year on the receiving end, catching four balls for 62 yards with one touchdown, including a long of 27 yards. On the defensive side the Warriors' offense was hassled as linemen Brian Layton and Tim Pherson Jr. combined for a sack on Lyco QB Fish, who managed just 66 yards passing and completed 12-of-23 passes. Fellow quarterback Joe Lyons tried his hand, who was able to throw a touchdown pass late in the game to put the Warriors on the board completing 6-of-11 for 52 yards. In all the River Hawks allowed 175 yards though the air, but were not as merciful on the ground, holding Lyco to just 63 yards on 28 carries, an average of 2.3 yards per rush.

Susquehanna now awaits the NCAA's decision on the Division III Tournament picture, set for Sunday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time to be aired on NCAA.com. New to the tournament this season is a first-round bye after Division III elected to expand the field to 40 teams, with eight first-round games set for Saturday, Nov. 23. This means 24 teams will rest up next weekend, while watch the opening round games from their campuses. The River Hawks were hailed the number six team in Division III two weeks in a row by both the AFCA and D3football.com, while ranking 16th in the NCAA Division III Power Index (NPI).