The Blinn College football team opened 2023 with a bang as it rolled to a 66-0 victory over Gordon Fine Arts & Sports Academy on Saturday at Cub Stadium in Brenham, Texas.
The Buccaneers rolled from start to finish, building a 21-0 lead in the first quarter before cruising to a 1-0 start.
“I like the way our kids carried themselves and stayed in the moment,” Blinn head coach Ryan Mahon said. “They played hard every single play and never lost focus.”
The Buccaneers scored quickly and efficiently, making the most of prime field position. After forcing Gordon to punt on the game’s first offensive series, Blinn took over at the Panthers’ 39 yard line. Freshman running back Antonio Martin immediately scampered to the 12 yard line on the Bucs’ first play of the game before taking the ball to the end zone on the very next snap with 11:41 showing in the first period.
(Pictured: Blinn College running back Antonio Martin attempts to evade a Gordon Fine Arts & Sports Academy defender during a Game Sept. 2, 2023)
Gordon botched a punt attempt at the end of its subsequent drive, leaving the Buccaneers with the ball at the Panther 20. Blinn freshman quarterback Khalib Johnson needed just one play to get the Bucs back on the scoreboard as he lofted a pass to sophomore wide receiver Brooks Rigney in the corner of the end zone at the 10:08 mark in the first.
In the final minutes of the opening quarter, Johnson crossed the goal line on an 18-yard keeper as the Blinn lead grew to 21-0.
“I liked what I saw from the offense,” Mahon added. “I was also really pleased with the way we played error free football. I think we’re very fortunate with our depth that we have a ton of kids who understand what it is that we’re trying to do and can go execute.”
In the second quarter, the Bucs got right back to work when freshman running back Junior Onipede burst through the Panther defense for a 64-yard rushing touchdown. Freshman kick Max Nowak added a 30-yard field goal just as time expired to send Blinn into halftime with a 31-0 cushion.
(Pictured: Blinn College running back Jaylon McClain runs past a Gordon Fine Arts & Sports Academy defender during a game Sept. 2, 2023)
After the intermission, freshman halfback Jaylon McClain scored on an 8-yard run and freshman quarterback Rylan Wooten juked past a couple of Panther defenders for an 18-yard TD run as the Bucs carried a 45-0 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Blinn finished the scoring on a 14-yard end-around by freshman wide receiver Ian Stelter; and runs of 31 and 11 yards run for freshman running back Damyrion Phillips.
Up next, Blinn begins Southwest Junior College Football Conference play with a road trip to Cisco College. The Bucs battle the Wranglers at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, in Cisco, Texas.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 44 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
