Linfield Lights It Up in 63-21 Rout of Occidental

Senior quarterback Brett Elliott passed for a school-record 525 yards and threw seven touchdown passes to lead top-ranked Linfield to a 63-21 rout of Occidental in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs Saturday at McMinnville, Ore.

Elliott completed 31 of 41 passes as Linfield (9-0), the defending national champion, improved its winning streak to 22 games.

Casey Allen caught four of Elliott’s touchdown passes and finished with eight catches for 222 yards. Brandon Hazenberg had 13 catches for 217 yards and two touchdown receptions.

Occidental (9-1), which won the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Assn. title, lost to Linfield in the playoffs for the second straight season.

Quarterback Andy Collins put up big numbers, but the Tigers fell far short, trailing, 21-0, after the first quarter and 35-7 at halftime.

Collins rushed for a game-high 123 yards in 21 carries but was sacked six times and threw two interceptions. He completed 25 of 47 passes for 314 yards and a touchdown.

Montana Tech 24, Azusa Pacific 17 -- Aaron Johnson threw two touchdown passes and Teague Egan scored on a three-yard run in the third quarter for what turned out to be the winning points as the visiting Orediggers (9-3) outlasted the Cougars (6-4) in the first round of the NAIA playoffs.

Azusa Pacific was held to 19 yards rushing, but Rudy Carlton passed for 270 yards.