NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Brady Olson showcased his talent by throwing three touchdown passes, while Elijah Howard put together an impressive performance with 169 rushing yards, leading Central Connecticut to a decisive victory over Mercyhurst with a final score of 38-20 on Saturday.

The game kicked off with Mercyhurst (2-5) scoring first, but the Blue Devils (3-3) quickly took control. Olson connected with Paul Marsh Jr. for a touchdown, marking the start of a scoring spree that put CCSU ahead 14-7, only moments after recovering from a sack and a fumble.

Olson further enhanced the lead with two more touchdown passes — a 16-yarder to Joe Crifasi and a 39-yard connection back to Marsh, pushing the score to 31-7. Although the Lakers made a strong effort to fight back by scoring through Brian Trobel on two lengthy drives, it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

Howard’s staggering 169 yards came from 27 carries, while teammate Jadon Turner added another 114 yards on only 11 carries, which included a significant 59-yard touchdown run towards the end of the game. Olson completed 9 of 14 passes for 124 yards; Marsh caught four passes for 67 yards, securing two of the touchdowns. Despite generating 425 total yards of offense, the Blue Devils faced challenges with discipline, racking up 132 penalty yards.

On the other side, Adam Urena of Mercyhurst had a tough outing, recording 25 completions on 45 attempts for 286 yards and one touchdown, though he faced setbacks with three interceptions and one fumble. Cameron Barmore was the standout receiver with eight catches totaling 103 yards.

This season marks Mercyhurst’s transition to Division I as they are now part of the Northeast Conference. It’s important to note that not all their games against NEC teams, such as this one against Central Connecticut, will count towards conference standings this season as they navigate their new league alignment.