WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senior quarterback Jimmy Gardner (St. Augustine, Fla.) had a game to remember before a Gallaudet University Homecoming crowd of 2,500 at a wet Hotchkiss Field on Saturday afternoon against Becker College. Gardner rushed for a career-high 229 yards and scored four touchdowns as the Bison shutout the Hawks, 37-0.

Gallaudet's defense had the best performance of the year as the Bison held Becker to 96 yards of total offense and five first downs in the game. GU (4-4, 3-2 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference) smothered the Hawks on defense and forced Becker (0-8, 0-4 ECFC) to punt away the ball six times and turn the ball over on downs three times. Gallaudet recorded nine tackles for loss of 31 yards led by sophomore Jon Van Wey (Alexandria, Va.) who made two sacks and had 10 of the 31 yards for the Buff and Blue.

The game marked the 75th anniversary of Homecoming at Gallaudet as the Bison welcomed back Race Drake, Sr., '38 the last living member of the 1934 Bison football team that defeated Shenandoah, 7-6, on November 24 in the first-ever Gallaudet Homecoming. Drake served as an honorary captain for Gallaudet today and led the annual festive and spirited pre-game Homecoming parade. Drake also called the coin flip on behalf of the Bison which Becker won as Gallaudet received the opening kick-off.

"This was a complete team victory today. I am so proud of this team and the passion they displayed before a wonderful Homecoming crowd, who braved the elements to support us," said Gallaudet coach Ed Hottle, in his fifth season at the helm. "We were honored to have Mr. Drake here today to serve as our honorary captain. We hope he enjoyed being back at Gallaudet and seeing the Bison win another Homecoming football game."

Gardner scored three of his four touchdowns in the second half after the Bison went in the locker room up 16-0 at halftime. The highlight run by Gardner came in the third quarter when he broke loose for 32 yards and found the end zone to give GU a 30-0 lead.

On the next Bison possession, the team went 80 yards on 16 plays and used up over nine minutes of clock in a driving rain before Gardner scored from a yard out with 5:35 left in the game.

GU scored points on six of its seven drives between the first and fourth quarters. The Bison finished the day with 431 rushing yards and 459 total offensive yards as GU held the ball for nearly 36 minutes in the game. Gallaudet was also very effective in the red zone (5-for-6) and converted 3-of-5 fourth down attempts.

In the first half, Gardner got the Bison on the scoreboard with a 2-yard run but senior Justin Wilson (Phoenix, Ariz.) missed the extra-point kick. Wilson redeemed himself on the next drive when he booted home a 35-yard field goal on a breezy afternoon. The Bison tacked on another touchdown before the half when junior running back Cole Johnson (Edina, Minn.) dove in from a yard out with 7:30 left in the second quarter.

Sophomore running back Michael Gimeli (Deerpark, N.Y.) surpassed the 100-yard rushing plateau as he gained 130 yards on 22 carries. Johnson ended the day with eight carries for 28 yards. Gardner completed 2-of-6 passing for 28 yards and was sacked once. This was the first game this season the Bison didn't have to punt in the game.

Becker had one scoring opportunity in the first quarter when the Hawks attempted a 56-yard field goal with a strong 15 mph wind behind them. The kick was blocked at the line of scrimmage as freshman Jarred Pearce (Reno, Nev.) got a hand on the ball.

Senior linebacker Martin Blomquist (Neptune, N.J.) led all Bison defenders with eight tackles followed by junior Richard Bailey (Willingboro, N.J.) who made six tackles. It was a balanced defensive display by Gallaudet as 11 different players had two or more tackles. Becker's John Dutchick (11 tackles) and Jake Bateman (10 tackles, one sack) led the Hawks on defense.

Becker quarterback Robert Baker finished the day 4-for-11 for 49 yards and was sacked twice. Jimmy Chery was the leading rusher for the Hawks with 45 yards on 12 carries.  

Last season, Gallaudet beat Becker 26-18 on the road and two seasons before the Hawks won 30-6 at Hotchkiss Field.

The Bison are still in the hunt to earn a berth into the ECFC championship game as they sit tied for third with a 3-2 record with Mount Ida. Gallaudet will travel the next two weeks to face Anna Maria College (October 31) and second-place Maritime (N.Y.) College (November 6) to close out the regular-season schedule.