URBANA, Ohio – What exactly does a quarterback do for an encore a week after he throws for over 530 yards and three touchdowns? If you’re Ohio Dominican quarterback Cris Reisert, you throw for 556 yards and six scoring strikes. The junior did just that as he helped the NAIA third ranked Panthers undermine an upset bid by host Urbana University and come away with a 50-28 MSFA victory. After being down by 17 points early in the third quarter, the Blue Knights closed the gap to three at 31-28 early in the fourth quarter. However, ODU rattled off three straight touchdowns to put the game out of reach. With the win ODU clinches the program’s first-ever playoff berth and no less than a share of their first MSFA Mideast League championship.

Reisert (Cincinnati, OH) put the Panthers on the board late in the first quarter when he found Justin Campbell (Laurel, MD) in the end zone from six yards out for the 7-0 lead. The visitors added a 38-yard field goal from Andy Wernicke (Wheaton, IL) to open the second quarter before Urbana’s Tim Watson scored on a pass from CJ Westler to pull within three, 10-7.

ODU would surge ahead beginning with their next possession as Reisert hooked up with Justin Sayre (Newark, OH) for scores from 10 yards and 13 yards to put the Panthers up 24-7. The Blue Knights would trim the lead to 10 when Luther Henderson plowed in from a yard away seconds before halftime.

The two teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter with Ohio Dominican scoring the first one as Sayre hauled in his third touchdown catch of the day as Reisert found him from 37 yards out. Urbana would answer late in the quarter as Westler hooked up with Larry McCartney from eight yards out to close the ODU advantage to 31-21.

The Blue Knights, sniffing a possible upset, began the fourth quarter on a mission. Westler found McCartney again, this time from six yards away, as the Blue Knights pulled within three, 31-28, with a little over eight minutes remaining.

Looking to protect their unblemished record, the Panthers fought back and answered with a touchdown on their next possession as Sayre caught his fourth touchdown of the game, this one a 41-yard strike from Reisert. ODU would add to the lead on their next possession as Reisert threw his sixth score of the game, this one a 27-yard hookup with tight end Joe Farfsing (Cincinnati, OH). Then, a one yard run for pay dirt from Farfsing with 2:35 left in the game sealed the deal for the visitors.

Reisert finished the game 36-of-51 for an MSFA single-game record 556 yards and a school-record six touchdowns. Reisert had set the conference mark the week before when he threw for 532 yards in a 56-20 victory over Walsh University. The record he broke for touchdowns in a game had been one he had set on six separate occasions when he threw five scoring strikes. He currently leads all divisions of college football with 43 touchdown passes on the season, an MSFA single season record. With 4,290 passing yards on the season, Reisert trails only Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell (4,412 yards) in that category across college football.

Farfsing was Reisert’s favorite target in this game. The junior tight end set career-highs by hauling in 12 passes for a school single game record 178 yards and one touchdown. Senior Jared Stace (Whitehall, OH) caught eight passes for 97 yards. Sayre finished with seven receptions for a career-high 170 yards and a school record four touchdowns.  Sayre’s four touchdowns in a game also ties a MSFA single game record.

Defensively, linebacker Josh Fraley (Bellville, OH) turned in a career day. The junior recorded a total of 13 tackles, four for a loss including a sack. Fellow linebacker Rashawn Newell (Euclid, OH) made 10 stops, two of those for loss, and a forced fumble. Junior defensive back Bryan Braddy (Columbus, OH) intercepted a pass for the Panthers and broke up two others.

Ohio Dominican will look to close out the regular season undefeated as they put their 10-0 overall record and 6-0 conference mark on the line on Saturday, November 10^th, as they host 18^th ranked Malone College. Kick off is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Panther Field.