#6 KNIGHTS WIN SECOND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Start to Finish was the mantra for 2015 and the Knights started strong and finished as champions.

The sixth-ranked Marian University football team won its second national championship in nine seasons of competition after the Knights defeated the defending national champion and seventh-ranked Southern Oregon University Raiders, 31-14, to exact some revenge on the SOU program, which defeated the Knights exactly one year ago to the date on Larry Kelly Field at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Saturday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The game opened as a defensive struggle as both teams went three-and-out over the course of the first quarter. The difference in the first half came when the Knights embarked on a 13-play, 77-yard drive that was capped by a 19-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman Maurice Woodard with 4:55 left in the half to stake the Knights the 7-0 lead.

The defense continued to hold as Southern Oregon struggled to move the football on their next drive, and the Knights capitalized quickly. A short field greeted the Knights after a short SOU punt and they took full advantage. Junior wide receiver Krishawn Hogan capped a 7-play, 44-yard drive with a two-yard rushing score to make it 14-0 heading into the interval.

Coming out after halftime, the Knights' defense continued its dominance over the Raiders. After forcing six punts and a turnover on downs over the first 30 minutes, the Knights held SOU to just eight yards of total offense in two three-and-outs in the third quarter to maintain the two-score advantage.

MU closed the third and opened the fourth with the ball and Woodard capped an 8-play, 69-yard drive with an 18-yard touchdown run to make it 21-0 with 14:20 left in the game. The Raiders were able to get one back on a 32-yard double-pass play to make it 21-7 with 11:28 remaining before Hogan capped a 6-play, 77-yard drive with an unbelievable 55-yard touchdown reception from senior quarterback Hayden Northern to make it 28-7 with 8:02 left.

After junior Jeremy Shupperd picked off his fifth pass of the season and returned it to the SOU 16-yard line, freshman kicker Matt Plesac hit a career-long 37-yard field goal to make the score 31-7 with 5:36 left. The Raiders scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 50 seconds left to make it 31-14, but the Knights were able to celebrate their second national championship in nine season of competition.

WHO STOOD OUT
Passing
Hayden Northern - 21-of-29, 211 yards, 1 touchdown

Rushing
Maurice Woodard - 14 rushes, 82 yards, 2 touchdowns

Receiving
Krishawn Hogan (WR) - 11 receptions, 147 yards, 1 touchdown (NAIA Off. Player of the Game)

Defense
Dewayne Beckford - 6 tackles (5 solo), 2 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss (NAIA Def. Player of the Game)
JaRon Clark - 6 solo tackles
Shaquille Ash - 6 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss

GAME NOTES

• The championship is the second in program history. The Knights also won the national title in 2012.
• The Knights are now 2-1 all-time in NAIA championship games. MU is also 14-3 all-time in the NAIA postseason. The .824 winning percentage is the highest of any active member in the NAIA.
• The Knights amassed 417 yards of total offense for their 10th 400-yard game of the season. MU amassed at least 300 yards of total offense in each of the 14 games this season.
• MU amassed 206 yards on the ground marking the 13th game with at least 100 yards on the ground and eighth with at least 200 yards in 2015.
• The Knights controlled the clock with a season-best 38:40 of possession time. The previous high was 38:09, which came in the NAIA FCS win over Campbellsville.
• The Knights held Southern Oregon to just 208 yards of total offense, including just 44 yards on the ground. It marked the ninth time the MU defense held its opponent under 300 yards of total offense in 2015. The 44 rushing yards allowed was also the eighth time in 2015 that MU held its opponent under 100 yards rushing.
• Junior Krishawn Hogan amassed 147 yards receiving for his 18th career 100-yard receiving game. It also marked the 13th of the season for Hogan and 12th straight to close the campaign. It also gives him 1,824 receiving yards in 2015, which is a school record and was the top total in the nation.
• Hogan finished the NAIA postseason with a program-record 16 touchdowns with 12 coming on the ground and four coming through the air. He closed the season with 31 touchdowns (15 rushing, 16 receiving).
• Hogan's 11 receptions gives him 101 catches for the season, which marks the first time in program history a wide receiver has surpassed the 100 reception mark.