Now three straight. That is the current win streak for the Ashland University Eagle football team after traveling four hours north to take on the Northwood University Timberwolves in Midland, MI.

The Eagles dominated the Timberwolves from start to finish en route to a 35-3 win on the road. With quarterback Trevor Bycznski passing for three touchdowns and the defense allowing just three points, the Eagles comfortably headed back to Ashland, Ohio, with a win.

“I challenged the guys to come out swinging. This game was set to be a trap game with Northwood playing really well at home,” said Eagle Head Coach Doug Geiser. “They play with a lot of energy. We needed to have physicality travel and the team did that in the first half.”

On the game’s opening play, Eagle running back Larry Martin dashed 61 yards down the field, setting the tone for the running game early. They would proceed to find the endzone just four plays later as Martin punched his way in from one yard out.

“On our first drive we took it right down the field and punched them in the mouth,” said Geiser. “That was a difference maker in the game.”

The Timberwolves would respond right back on the following drive as they moved 59 yards down the field in 11 plays, wasting down the clock before kicker Max Gonos would boot the ball through the uprights for three points.

Once gain, when the Eagles got the ball back they thrived.

For the first time during the 2023-24 season, the offense looked whole as they utalized both the running and passing attack at a competitive degree.

At the end of the first quarter, the Eagles remained on top 7-3.

Still with possession to begin the second set of 15 minutes of play, the Eagles would continue to ride the hot legs of Martin as he found his second touchdown of the game. After another quick seven-play drive, Martin would find his way into the endzone from three yards out.

His score would push the Eagles ahead, 14-3, with 7:52 remaining in the first half.

As the first 30 minutes came to a close, the Eagles would find their third touchdown of the game, with Bycnzski finally finding pay dirt. After leading the team 68 yards down the field, he would find ol’ reliable in wideout Dezmin Lyburtus from 11 yards out, pushing the lead to 18.

Heading into halftime, the Eagles were led by the ground game as Martin and company provided over 190 yards on the ground in the first half. Through the air, Bycznski tossed for 92 yards while finding Lyburtus and wide out Jent Joseph a handful of times.

On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Jackson Myers continued to be a nuicance as he recorded four tackles to help hold the Timberwolves’ offense to three points,

In the second half, the first half storyline would remain in effect as the Timberwolves were unable to respond, being shutout by the Eagle defense.

The two scores for the Eagles would come in both the third and fourth quarters of play.

With 4:53 left in the third quarter, Bycnzski found Lyburtus from three yards away from the endzone, punching in another score. That touchdown would be both Bycznski and Lyburtus’ second’s of the contest, giving the Eagles a 28-3 lead.

The defense would continue to stand strong, forcing the Timberwolves off the field in three plays on three drives in the third quarter.

The final touchdown of the came in the fourth as Bycznski and Lyburtus would connect again with less than five minutes remaining in the game. The score would place the scoreline with a 35-3 mark.

The team was led by Bycznski who tossed three touchdowns to go alongside 198 yards. Alongside Lyburtus who caught three touchowns, Joseph stood out with 72 yards and five receptions. In the running attack, Martin dashed for 142 yards and two scores, while redshirt-freshman Ty’aris Stevenson received time in the tail end of the contest, receiving 10 handoffs for 52 yards.

“The run game really came together. It felt like a good old Ashland win,” said Geiser. “Larry [Martin] had a great game. We were really balanced. Ty’aris [Stevenson] had a great game on only 10 carries. He has a chance to be really good.”

The 28-point margin would be the Eagles’ largest margin of victory in the 2023-24 season, while propelling the team to a three game winning streak. Through those three games, the offense has put up 76 points with the defense allowing just 16.

“It is huge to have our defense play like that. We had over 40 minutes on the time of possession,” said Geiser. “You keep the offense off the field, less plays means less success.”

The Eagles with a head full of steam look to host three-straight home outings at Jack Miller Stadium, with the upcoming outing coming against Lake Erie College on homecoming weekend with kickoff set for 1:00 P.M. on Oct. 21.

“I didn’t even know we had three in a row. All I know is the next game is at home,” said Geiser. “We will get ready for homecoming and hopefully have a big crowd.”