GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart football team endured a two-hour lightning delay on the way to its fourth straight win, a 35-9 Liberty League victory over Buffalo State. The regular season finale saw the Statesmen roll up 401 total yards, including 266 yards rushing.
 
Junior running back E.J. Taylor led the way again for Hobart, logging his sixth consecutive 100-yard day. He turned 22 carries into 173 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Kieran Cotter added 55 yards on 10 carries. Sophomore quarterback Jeremy Weiss was 7-of-9 passing for 146 yards and two TDs. Sophomore wide receiver Johnny Harding caught two passes for 77 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown. He extended his games with a catch streak to 21, tied with Luke Gutelius '98 for the sixth longest in program history.
 
The Statesmen defense limited Buffalo State to just 60 yards rushing and 131 passing. Senior linebacker Mike McGhee made a team-high 12 tackles. Senior linebacker Noah Chachere had six stops and an interception. Junior defensive back Zeshan Dixon and sophomore defensive back Corey Rock each made four tackles and an interception. Rock also had two pass breakups.
 
FOR THE RECORD

• The Statesmen end the regular season 5-5 overall, 4-3 in the Liberty League.
• Buffalo State ends the season 1-9, 1-6.

 
COACH'S COMMENTS
 
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• On the game's opening possession, Hobart marched right down the field for the opening touchdown. The eight-play, 73-yard drive ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Taylor.
• The Statesmen defense forced the Bengals to punt, but Brody Stevens pinned the home team at its own 2. On Hobart's first play, Buffalo State's Gabe Williams broke into the backfield and dropped Taylor in the end zone for a safety.
• It remained a 7-2 game into the second quarter. Then at 9:15, lightning moved into the area, forcing a 2-hour delay.
• When the teams finally returned to the field, Taylor took the first snap 14 yards for a touchdown.
• Dixon ended Buffalo State's first drive after the delay, intercepting Landon LaDuke at the Hobart 15.
• Taylor got the ball on the first three plays of the drive, gaining 19, 9, and 3 yards. On the fourth play, Weiss connected with Harding down the middle for a 54-yard touchdown. Harding stepped out of one tackle at the 35-yard line and outraced the defense to the end zone.
• Buffalo State went three-and-out on its next possession and set the Statesmen up for another quick score when Stevens' punt got hung up in the wind and was downed at the line of scrimmage, the Bengals' 26.
• Taylor picked up his third touchdown, the fourth time this season he's run for three TDs, on the next play.
• Hobart led 28-2 at the half.
• The Statesmen scored the only points of the third quarter on a 10-yard pass from Weiss to senior tight end Luke Hescock.
• A Hobart fumble deep in its own end of the field, led to Buffalo State's only touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
• Jeadi Higdon scored on a 1-yard dive to finish off a four-play 11-yard drive. He rushed for 104 yards on 29 carries.

 
TAYLOR TRACKER

• Taylor continues to leave his mark on Hobart's all-time lists.
• He raised his Liberty League-leading rushing total to 1,182 yards, 11th on Hobart's single-season list.
• Taylor's 16 rushing touchdowns this year are sixth on the Statesmen season list.
• He upped his career rushing yards to 2,711, ninth on the Hobart all-time list.
• Taylor has 31 career rushing touchdowns, also ninth on the all-time list.

 
MORE RECORD TRACKERS

• McGhee raised his career tackles total to 226, moving into 19th on Hobart's all-time list.
• Senior punter Vicente Lyon's 42.8 punting average is second on the Statesmen season list behind the record he set last season.
• Lyon also is the only Statesman to average more than 40 yards per punt for his career (41.3).

 
NOT DONE YET?

• By getting back to .500, Hobart is bowl eligible. The Statesmen will find out if they are selected to an ECAC Bowl on Monday.