WINCHESTER, Va. – Visiting Washington and Lee earned its fourth ODAC title in the past eight years and seventh overall with a 48-21 victory over Shenandoah University Saturday at chilly Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium.
The Generals (8-2, 5-1 ODAC) claimed the league's automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs with the win – W&L rolled up 613 yards in total offense to claim its fifth victory in six lifetime meetings with Shenandoah (6-4, 3-3).
Junior quarterback Hayden Bauserman threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns on 37 completions in 48 attempts for the Hornets, but SU was held to 84 yards rushing and was just 2-for-9 in third down conversions.
The Generals, who possessed the ball for 37:48 Saturday afternoon, took control of the contest by scoring 20 points in the second quarter. This gave the visitors a 27-7 halftime advantage.
Shenandoah was able to cut the deficit to 13 points, 34-21, following a Bauserman to Leonard Scott 13-yard TD pass with 1:12 remaining in the third quarter, but would get no closer.
Washington and Lee iced the game by taking the ensuing kickoff and burning off 10:19 of game clock in a 17-play, 74-yard drive that put the Generals up 41-21.
After SU was halted one yard short on a 4th-and-8 play from the W&L 12, Josh Breece closed the book on the day's scoring with a 95-yard touchdown run.
Breece, the ODAC's leading rusher, finished with 21 carries for 280 yards and three touchdowns.
Bauserman, who cracked the 300-yard barrier in eight of 10 games this season, completed passes to eight different receivers. Junior Jalen Hudson had nine receptions for 50 yards, added 36 yards rushing and another 123 in kickoff and punt returns.
Defensively, defensive back TJ Heflin had a second-best-in-school-history 20 tackles with Nate Hill adding 11 stops and an interception.
Shenandoah will announce its 2018 schedule in December.
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