Members of the WashU Bears celebrate with Collin Goldberg (1) following his game-clinching touchdown in Saturday’s win over Hendrix. (Photo: Primo Greenway)

NCAA Football – Sept. 2, 20231st2nd3rd4thFinal
WashU (1-0)77161444
Hendrix (0-1)776727

Scoring Summary

QtrTimeScoring PlayWashUHDX
1st08:14WashU – Sirek,Gabriel 17 yd pass from Rush,Matt (Muchnick,Ross kick) 7 plays, 63 yards, TOP 03:0470
1st02:48HDX – Utley,Kanyn 11 yd pass from Buniff,Jacob (Stanton,Slate kick) 11 plays, 65 yards, TOP 05:2077
2nd14:51WashU – Rush,Matt 23 yd run (Muchnick,Ross kick), 7 plays, 48 yards, TOP 02:48147
2nd10:06HDX – Gadison,Christian 2 yd pass from Buniff,Jacob (Stanton,Slate kick) 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:451414
3rd10:33WashU – Ginsburg,Zachary 30 yd pass from Rush,Matt (Muchnick,Ross kick) 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 04:162114
3rd10:26WashU – Dessalines,Salomon 25 yd interception (Muchnick,Ross kick)2814
3rd10:11WashU – Defensive tackle for loss – safety3014
3rd04:00HDX – Johnson,Jax 5 yd pass from Buniff,Jacob ( ) 10 plays, 81 yards, TOP 04:073020
4th11:43HDX – Gadison,Christian 20 yd pass from Buniff,Jacob (Stanton,Slate kick) 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:343027
4th11:09WashU – Sirek,Gabriel 23 yd pass from Rush,Matt (Muchnick,Ross kick) 2 plays, 65 yards, TOP 00:343727
4th04:24WashU – Goldberg,Collin 38 yd pass from Rush,Matt (Muchnick,Ross kick) 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 04:034427

Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer

CONWAY, AR — Washington University quarterback Matt Rush accounted for 300 total yards and five touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 44-27 win in their 2023 season opener against Hendrix College.

WashU, a team that finished last season ranked No. 24 in the NCAA Division III’s national Top 25 poll, began this season as one of the team’s receiving votes in the preseason poll. But it may move up the list a bit following Saturday’s performance, which saw the Bears outscore the host Warriors 30-13 in the second half on their way to the win.

Rush, a 6-foot, 195-pound grad student, was key in that dominant second half, as he threw three of his four touchdown passes in the final 30 minutes. The first of which being a 30-yard rocket to teammate Zachary Ginsburg that gave WashU a 21-14 lead it would not relinquish.

Perhaps the key play of the game though, came on Hendrix’s first play following the Rush-to-Ginsburg touchdown, when WashU sophomore linebacker Salomon Dessalines intercepted a pass by Hendrix QB Jacob Buniff and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. That gave the Bears a two-touchdown lead and all the momentum, which seemed to carry them the rest of the way.

The Bears added two more points on Hendrix’s next drive. Cobern was tackled for a loss resulting in a WashU safety for a 30-14 game.

The Warriors scored on their next drive, following a WashU punt, to make the score 30-20 with 3:51 remaining in the third quarter.

Hendrix closed it to a three-point game on the next drive. In the final seconds of the third, Cobern ran for a five-yard gain. Buniff found Utley for five yards to start the fourth quarter and then found Johnson for six more yards. The Warriors continued to work the passing game as Buniff hit Gadison and Utley to make it to the 49. Cobern ran for 14 yards to put the Warriors on the 37 and Buniff found Nitcholas for 16 yards.

Following two incomplete passes, Buniff ran the ball for nine yards but Hendrix was called for holding and lost 10 yards. Buniff found Gadison for 20 yards to score again. Stanton’s kick was good, cutting the Bears’ lead to 30-27 with just under 12 to play in the final quarter.

WashU answered with a quick score, taking just 34 seconds. Rush hurled a 42-yard pass to Collin Goldberg, putting the Bears on the 23. He then hit Sirek for the remaining 23 yards to score. Muchnick hit the extra point for a 37-27 Bears’ lead.

On the Warriors’ next drive, they reached the 15 and attempted a field goal, but the kick was no good, kicking WashU the ball. The Bears capitalized, scoring another touchdown.

Kenneth Hamilton ran for back-to-back gains of six yards and Fred Ware picked up another yard. Rush ran for three yards and Ware caught a 32-yard pass to put WashU on the 45. Ware followed with a seven-yard run to put the Bears on the 38.

Rush connected with Goldberg for a 38-yard touchdown with 4:24 remaining to put the game away.

The Bears finished with 397 yards of total offense (120 rushing, 277 passing). Offensively, Rush went 15-for-23 with four touchdowns and 277 yards. Hamilton led the Bears’ running game with 63 yards on 10 attempts. Campbell had 28 yards on nine attempts and Ware had 21 yards on five attempts.

Goldberg led WashU’s receivers with 95 yards on five catches with a touchdown. Sirek scored two touchdowns and tallied 81 yards on three catches.

Defensively, Andrew Dotson had nine total tackles (7 solo, 2 assists) and Dessalines had eight total tackles (3 solo, 5 assists), the pick-six touchdown, and 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Bradley Hamilton and Matthew Schmal each had six total tackles (3 solo, 3 assists) and Grant Purdy had five total (3 solo, 2 assists).

The Bears have next weekend off, before beginning CCIW conference play on Saturday, September 16, with a game in Decatur, Ill., against Millikin University.

2023 WashU Football Schedule

DateTimeAtOpponentLocation
September 16, 20231 p.m.AwayMillikin UniversityDecatur, Ill.
September 23, 20231 p.m.HomeCarthage CollegeFrancis Olympic Field
September 30, 20231 p.m.HomeNorth Park UniversityFrancis Olympic Field
October 7, 20231 p.m.AwayIllinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, Ill.
October 14, 20231 p.m.HomeAugustana CollegeFrancis Olympic Field
October 21, 20231 p.m.AwayNorth Central CollegeNaperville, Ill.
October 28, 20231 p.m.HomeElmhurst UniversityFrancis Olympic Field
November 4, 20231 p.m.AwayWheaton CollegeWheaton, Ill.
November 11, 202312 p.m.HomeCarroll UniversityFrancis Olympic Field