It was a great homecoming weekend for Rowan University, and an even better Saturday for the Profs football team. Rowan dominated the William Paterson Pioneers, 45-16, at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium.

The Profs were powered by a dominant ground game, with three different running backs finding the end zone as the team rushed for 217 yards.

Running back Nunes Bukula IV credited the offensive line for setting the tone in the trenches.

“It’s just that O-line,” Bukula said. “All practice we’re scheming up, watching film on how to handle the stunts they do and how to overplay stuff. It really just comes from them. Me, [Tyshawn] Bookman, Mordecai [Ford], Sam [Mensah], we’re going to be us, but we can’t be us without them.”

Freshman running back Mordecai Ford capped off the afternoon with a 94-yard touchdown run, finishing with 104 yards on just three carries. He led all rushers on the day.

“It feels amazing. Ever since I decided that I wanted to come here, I knew I wanted to do big things in this program,” Ford said. “Just being out here in front of the homecoming crowd was a blessing. This is everything I ever wanted, and I’m very happy to be here.”

It was a special day for the freshman, who celebrated with family after the win, but it was also meaningful for second-year head coach Pat Ruley.

“Being 2-0 on homecoming and obviously putting on the show we did today feels good,” Ruley said. “It’s great. The intensity level and energy level have to be up every single game. That’s my standard for how we play all the time, it’s super high.”

The Profs started slow, with William Paterson taking an early 3-0 lead on a field goal by kicker Matt Davidson. Rowan’s offense struggled in the first quarter, but the defense broke through when punter Markos Hantsoulis dropped a snap out of the back of the end zone for a safety, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

After that, the Profs took flight.

In the second quarter, Rowan scored 19 unanswered points, starting with an 11-play, 49-yard drive capped by a Nate Maiers “tush-push” touchdown. Running back Tyshawn Bookman then caught a 27-yard touchdown pass before Bukula IV took a screen 57 yards to the house, giving Rowan a, 21-3, halftime lead.

Bukula’s two-touchdown performance marked the third time this season he’s found the end zone twice in a game.

“It felt good,” Bukula IV said. “Last year, I wasn’t able to play on homecoming, so this year was special, I had family out here, and being able to play and get the win felt great.”

Bukula opened the second half with another long screen pass down to the one-yard line, then punched it in on the next play.

William Paterson quarterback Nigel Jennings led a stronger second half for the Pioneers, finishing with 189 passing yards, 72 rushing yards, and both a passing and rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Duke McDuffie also impressed, catching four passes for 89 yards and a score. But the Pioneers couldn’t close the gap.

In the fourth quarter, Rowan tight end Joseph Riina scored his first touchdown of the season on a one-yard rush, and kicker Greg Casimir added a 37-yard field goal to round out the scoring.

Next up, the Profs face their toughest test of the season, a matchup against No. 3 Salisbury next Saturday in a game that could determine Rowan’s postseason fate.

“It’s the biggest matchup of the season,” Bukula said. “The best players are gonna rise to the occasion. It starts with practice, just gotta be locked in all week and not take any reps off.”

Ruley echoed that sentiment.

“It’s an elimination game. We lost to CNU in that fashion, so we’ve got to be detail-oriented,” Ruley said. “It’s not going to take a Herculean effort … we know we’re right there. It’s about continuing to make those plays in critical moments and not coming up on the wrong side of them.”

Rowan hosts Salisbury at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, for Fan Appreciation Day at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium.

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