LAGRANGE, Ga. -- Quarterback Max Reber accounted for seven touchdowns, and the Methodist football team tied a school-record with 73 points in a 73-28 win at LaGrange on Saturday afternoon.
 
Reber completed 15-of-25 passes for 239 yards and tied his own school record with six touchdowns, and he added 78 yards rushing on 12 carries with another score in MU's historic day. The 73 points scored matches the Monarchs total from a 73-14 win over Gallaudet during the 1994 season.
 
Methodist took advantage of several early LC (3-4, 1-3 USA South) turnovers in racing out to a 52-0 lead by the 8:16 mark of the third quarter.
 
After the two teams traded scoreless possessions to open the game, MU forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs and took over at the LC 47 at the 12:53 mark of the first quarter. A facemask penalty on LaGrange gave MU a fresh set of downs at the LC 18 yard line, and two plays later Reber hooked up with Anthony Radke from 15 yards out and Jordan Rieling's PAT made it 7-0 with 9:13 left in the opening quarter.
 
On the ensuing possession, LaGrange advanced the ball into MU territory before Mike Jones sacked Panther quarterback Graham Craig and forced a fumble that was recovered by James Atkinson at the MU 42 yard line. It took seven plays and 2:19 for the Monarchs to extend their lead to 14-0 on John Papillion's four-yard plunge at the 4:49 mark of the first quarter.
 
The Monarchs forced a LaGrange three-and-out on the next possession, aided by a five-yard sack by B.J. Minter, and the ensuing drive covered 60 yards and was capped by Jaylen Robinson's 11-yard touchdown reception from Reber for a 21-0 lead with 46 seconds left in the opening quarter.
 
Jordan Porter forced an LC fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Shyheim Simpson jumped on the loose ball, giving the Monarchs another possession at the 17 yard line. It took only three plays for MU to make it 28-0 as Reber found Patrick Jacobs from 13 yards out at the 14:52 mark of the second quarter.
 
Methodist kept the pressure on as another LaGrange three-and-out gave MU the ball at its own 33 yard line and MU went 67 yards in six plays in just 1:42 and took a 35-0 lead on a two-yard run by Reber. After another Panther punt, MU took control at its own 23 yard line and covered 77 yards in 12 plays before Reber threw a four-yard touchdown to Marco Grimsley for a 42-0 lead with under five minutes left in the half. Methodist added a 42-yard field goal from Cody Ausherman at the 2:10 mark to take a 45-0 lead into the break.
 
Methodist appeared to be knocking on the door of another score to open the third period, but a fourth-and-goal pass to Robinson fell incomplete and LC took over at its own five yard line. The Monarchs forced a three-and-out and after Porter returned a punt 42 yards to the LC 10 yard line, Reber and Jacobs hooked up again, this time from seven yards out to take a 52-0 lead.
 
The shutout was broken up on the ensuing possession as Craig capped a seven-play, 76-yard drive with a one-yard run to make it 52-7 with 5:52 left in the third.
 
Reber capped the third-period scoring with a three-yard pass to Grimsley at the 2:08 mark. LaGrange outscored MU, 21-14, in the final period, but by that time, the game was safely in MU's hands.
 
In all, the Monarchs outgained LC, 643-344, including a commanding 370-58 yard advantage on the ground. Of LC's 344 yards, 189 of them came in the fourth period with the game out of reach. Methodist also came up with four sacks, held a better than 10-minute advantage in time of possession, and held LaGrange to just 3-of-14 on third-down conversions.
 
Papillion led the ground game for MU with 135 yards on 27 carries, and Porter added 95 yards on four carries with a touchdown. Radke led the receiving corps with 100 yards on four receptions with a touchdown. Jacobs had 81 yards on five catches, and Robinson chipped in 55 yards on three catches.
 
Defensively, D.J. Payne and Bryan Bing led the Monarchs with five tackles apiece. Two of Bing's stop came behind the line of scrimmage. Atkinson finished with a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery, Minter had three total tackles and a pass breakup to go with his sack.
 
For the Panthers, Craig finished 10-of-29 passing for 156 yards. Connor Blair relieved him late and was 6-of-9 passing for 130 yards with three touchdowns. Ervens Oge and Griffin Roelle each had 69 yards on five and three receptions, respectively.
 
Scott Chewning led LC with 12 tackles, and T.J. Bulock had 11, including one for loss and a pass breakup.
 
The Monarchs are on the road next week as they travel to N.C. Wesleyan for a 1:00 pm matchup.
 
 
 
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