MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris football team returned to action in emphatic fashion on the heels of last Saturday's bye week. The Cougar offense started slowly but cranked up as the day went along and the defense gave Westminster College nothing all day in a 45-0 win at Big Cat Stadium. Minnesota Morris improves to 3-3 (2-0 UMAC) on the year.

After a three-and-out from both teams to start the game, Minnesota Morris took over for its second possession with just over three minutes gone in the first quarter and ran the ball on six consecutive plays to cover 55 yards and take a 7-0 lead following Alex Happ's extra point. The big play on the drive was a 41-yard rush from Izayah Boss to convert on a third down and move the ball inside the Westminster 10-yard line before Marcus Reeb finished the drive off with a scramble into the end zone.

Westminster's second drive followed a similar pattern, as the Blue Jays ran the ball on nine straight plays to move the ball to midfield before a pass attempt was intercepted by Garrett Elison to end the chance. Minnesota Morris would hold onto the ball the rest of the first quarter and though the Cougars wouldn't score on that drive, the field position battle heavily favored UMN Morris throughout the remainder of the half. 

Scores on the final three drives of the first half put Minnesota Morris in the driver's seat. Blake Johnson moved the chains on a fourth-and-one and would run the ball four straight times for 31 yards to put the Cougars in the end zone for a 14-0 lead with less than four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Following another three-and-out from the Blue Jays, a pair of big plays put the Cougars up, 21-0. Reeb found Carter Watnaas for a 22-yard completion to the Westminster 28-yard line, followed by a 28-yard score from Boss. One final three-and-out by the Cougar defense gave the team the ball back with 32 seconds to play. Completions from Reeb to Dylan Naughton and Cole Mitchell put Minnesota Morris in field-goal range and Happ knocked through a 33-yarder as time expired to make it 24-0 at the break.

A big return by Westminster to start the second half came back on an illegal block and that ended what would just about be the visitor's best chance at scoring on the afternoon. The Minnesota Morris defense held again and the Cougar offense then wore the Blue Jays down with a drive of over five minutes that ended with a tough four-yard catch by Ethan Tang in the back of the end zone to increase the margin to 31-0. Reeb added a second touchdown pass to Jacob Miranda from 29 yards out later in the quarter, making it 38-0.

With the starters mostly out of the game as the third quarter came to a close, Minnesota Morris went on one final touchdown drive. Taking over with 1:14 to go in the third, the Cougars went 15 plays and took more than nine minutes off the clock before Ethan Klimek was pushed over the goal line from one yard out.

Minnesota Morris ended the day with 21 first downs, while Westminster managed only five. The Cougars ran for 235 yards on the ground to 74 for the Blue Jays, while the passing game had an efficient 193 yards to just 17 for Westminster. 

Reeb was 12-of-18 through the air for 169 yards and two touchdowns while adding 10 carries for 24 yards and another score on the ground. Boss finished with 10 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown, while Johnson had 13 carries for 54 yards and a score. Tang was the leading receiver for Minnesota Morris with three receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown. 

The Cougar defense was led by Alex Emmrich's nine tackles. Tayven Penninger added seven tackles and a pair of pass breakups. 

In a first in program history, Minnesota Morris will now face the same opponent for the second week in a row. The Cougars travel down to Fulton, Mo. and will play Westminster in a non-conference game beginning at 12 p.m. on Oct. 21.