PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Senior tailback Jeff Mack (Milford, N.H./Milford) rushed for a career-high 190 yards and two touchdowns Saturday afternoon as Plymouth State University ran past the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 27-0, in New England Football Conference Boyd Division action at rainy Currier Field.

            Mack carried 28 times on the wet and sloppy field as the Panthers ran the ball on 74 of 78 plays from scrimmage and maintained possession of the ball for more than 42 minutes.  The Panther defense allowed MIT only 89 yards on 36 plays, including one completed pass in nine attempts, to record its second shutout of the season and second in a row at home.  The PSU offense, meanwhile, rolled up 431 yards, 406 coming on the ground.

            The Panthers get back on the winning track and improve to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the NEFC Boyd Division, while MIT had its two-game win streak stopped and falls to 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the division. It's the most wins in a season for Plymouth State since the 2001 team finished 7-3.

            Plymouth State went 68 yards on 15 plays on its first possession, and took a 7-0 lead when quarterback John DeMarco (Milford, N.H./Milford) hit senior Drew Richardson (Newburgh, Maine) with an eight-yard touchdown pass.  DeMarco completed all three of his pass attempts in the first half for 25 yards, and finished the day 3-for-4.

            Mack extended PSU's lead to 13-0 early in the second quarter with a 25-yard burst for a touchdown.  Senior Brad Largy (Litchfield, N.H.), the holder on extra point attempts, ran in a fake kick attempt for the two-point conversion to make it a 15-0 game.  MIT had three more possessions in the first half and Plymouth State two, but neither team was able to overcome the elements enough to put points on the board, and it remained 15-0 at the intermission.

            The Panthers extended their lead on their first possession of the second half, going 85 yards on 13 plays.  Sophomore Jay Baird (Worcester, Mass.) finished it off, rumbling 38 yards up the middle and into the end zone.  Baird finished the day with a career-best 97 yards rushing. PSU's extra point attempt was blocked, leaving the score at 21-0.

            Mack rounded out the scoring early in the fourth quarter on a one-yard run, his second TD of the day and 10th of the season, but the extra point kick attempt failed.  The Panthers emptied the bench for their final two possessions, and held on for the 27-0 win.

            The MIT defense had a busy afternoon.  Senior Samuel Jasinski (Augusta, Ga.) led the way with 12 tackles, while sophomore Alex Rubino (Sparta, N.J.) and junior Kevin Foley (Libertyville, Ill.) added 11 apiece.

            Both teams wrap up the regular season next Saturday, as PSU visits Salve Regina (1:00 p.m.) and MIT travels to Endicott (12:00 p.m.)

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