CONWAY, Ark. — Maryville College football kicked off the 2025 campaign with a statement win on the road, using a balanced offensive attack and opportunistic defense to power past Hendrix College, 40–14, on Saturday afternoon at Young-Wise Memorial Stadium.
It was a day of new beginnings for the Scots, but also one that highlighted the experience and depth of a veteran roster. Quarterback Bryson Rollins commanded the offense with efficiency and confidence, throwing for 285 yards and four touchdowns on 17-of-25 passing while avoiding turnovers. His connection with receivers Zae Richardson and Jalen McCullough gave Hendrix's secondary fits all afternoon. Richardson hauled in four catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, while McCullough added two scores on four receptions totaling 55 yards. Sophomore Erozinis Edmondson chipped in with three grabs, including a 13-yard touchdown strike midway through the third quarter.
Head Coach Ben Fox praised his signal caller and the offensive unit for their poise in the season opener. "I thought we did a good job of weathering the uncertainty early," Fox said. "We've got some new guys in key spots, but we also have experienced playmakers who stepped up. I was really happy with our overall execution, and I thought the second half we really turned it up."
The Scots fell behind 7–0 early after Hendrix quarterback Amare Foreman found the end zone on a nine-yard pass, capping an 11-play drive. But Rollins and company quickly answered, driving 62 yards in just over three minutes and finishing with an 8-yard touchdown strike from Rollins to Richardson. By halftime, Maryville led 12–7 thanks to another Rollins touchdown pass, this time a 25-yard dart to Richardson, and a stingy defense that forced a turnover at the goal line to preserve momentum.
That defensive stand proved to be a turning point. Hendrix marched to the Scots' doorstep late in the second quarter, but a forced fumble at the 1-yard line stopped the drive cold. "That was critical," Fox said. "All we wanted to do after that was get one first down and make sure we didn't give them the ball back with a short field. Chris Cooper popped a run that got us some breathing room, and it allowed us to get to halftime with confidence."
Cooper was the workhorse in the ground game, rushing for 76 yards on 10 carries, including a 41-yard sprint that set the tone for a rushing attack that totaled 165 yards. Griffin Swinea added 20 yards and a touchdown on five carries, while DaRell Brown chipped in 27 yards and a fourth-quarter score. As a team, the Scots averaged 4.6 yards per carry, complementing Rollins' sharp passing day.
The defense, meanwhile, showed it could match the offense's production by forcing four turnovers and holding the Warriors to just 50 rushing yards on 28 attempts — an average of only 1.8 yards per carry. Hendrix quarterbacks were under pressure throughout, as Maryville recorded four sacks and nine tackles for loss, led by Mark Collier and Caden Walker, who each tallied sacks behind the line. Senior defensive back C.J. Lowe delivered one of the game's biggest highlights with a 23-yard interception return, while Jake Brock also snagged a pick.
Fox emphasized how important those takeaways were in creating short fields and momentum. "Turnover differential is huge," he said. "Our defense generated opportunities, and our offense took advantage. That combination makes us tough to beat."
After a 12–7 halftime edge, Maryville exploded for 28 second-half points. Rollins connected with Edmondson for a 13-yard touchdown to open the third-quarter scoring, followed by a 15-yard touchdown run from Swinea. Hendrix responded with a 36-yard touchdown pass to cut the margin to 20–14, but that was as close as the Warriors would get. McCullough's 9-yard touchdown grab early in the fourth quarter and Brown's 8-yard scoring run just minutes later sealed the win.
Overall, Maryville outgained Hendrix 448–289 in total offense, including a commanding 165–50 advantage on the ground. The Scots also controlled tempo, converting 5-of-9 third downs while scoring touchdowns on five of six red-zone trips.
Special teams had a mixed afternoon, with two missed PATs and a blocked field goal standing out as areas for improvement. But Fox viewed it as a learning opportunity for his young units. "The scheme is fine; it's just about execution," he explained. "At this level, every play matters — teams are going to rush your kicks. We'll get the right guys in the right spots and clean that up."
As the final whistle blew, Maryville had not only secured its first win of the season but also showcased the kind of balance that Fox believes will define this team moving forward. "We don't need one guy to wear the Superman cape every week," he said. "We've got balance across the board. That's what makes us dangerous."
The Scots (1–0) now turn their attention to Ohio Wesleyan where they'll look to build on the momentum of a strong start. OWU defeated Otterbein 65-28 Saturday to open their season, and will be ready to welcome the Scots to Ohio for a week two showdown.
