WASHINGTON - There was no stopping the Gallaudet University rushing attack here Saturday afternoon as the Bison ran for 492 yards in a 42-28 home football victory over Nichols College before a crowd of 475 at Hotchkiss Field.

Senior superback Dre'Vaughn Mackall (Prince Frederick, Md.) ran for a career-high 238 yards on 28 carries and scored three touchdowns. Senior quarterback Brandon Washington (Citronelle, Ala.) went for a season-high 166 rushing yards on 17 carries and two scores. The duo combined for 404 rushing yards on 45 carries and five touchdowns and accounted for 82 percent of GU's rushing total. 

Mackall came up a yard shy of the program record of 239 rushing yards that was set by RJ Randle back on Oct. 19, 2019. The 492 rushing yards are the fifth most in program history as Gallaudet flirted with 500 yards but the team lost 36 yards in the game. This was the most rushing yards by a GU team since it went for 590 against Alfred State back on Oct. 19, 2019, the same game Randle went for the record during the modern era of Gallaudet football.

This was the best game this season for the Gallaudet offensive line as they had their way with the Nichols defense. GU's starting offensive line consisted of seniors Billy Haynes (Pasadena, Texas) and John Scarboro (Austin, Texas) along with juniors Kyle Albertson (Pierre, S.D.), Christian Begani (Chesapeake, Va.) and Fernando Jimenez (Compton, Calif.). Gallaudet's 492 rushing yards are more than the last three game totals combined for the buff and blue. The Bison finished with 526 yards of total offense and held the ball for 36:43, all season-high marks. 

After a quick three-and-out series on its first possession, Gallaudet (2-3) scored touchdowns on the next four possessions to take a 28-14 lead into halftime. 

Washington ran for a 68-yard touchdown at the 4:39 mark for the only points in the first quarter. The Bison then received rushing touchdowns from sophomore Marcus Brown-Gabriel (Beeville, Texas) and a pair from Mackall, which included a 61-yard run with 5:08 left in the second quarter. Nichols answered with its own touchdown drive right before halftime. 

Nichols (3-2) got within a touchdown of Gallaudet twice in the second half but every time the Bison responded with their own touchdown drive to keep the other Bison team at a two-score distance. 

Nichols scored the only points in the third quarter as Gallaudet fumbled the ball in the end zone and Nichols recovered at the 5:03 mark. 

Washington capped a long drive to begin the fourth quarter with a 9-yard run. Gallaudet chewed up eight minutes and 25 seconds off the clock as the Bison went 71 yards on 15 plays. Nichols answered with a score before Gallaudet put the game away on a 3-yard touchdown run by Mackall to cap his career day.

Gallaudet's defense was led by junior defensive back Zefan Nathanson (Manor, Texas) with seven solo tackles followed by senior defensive back Antonio Mendoza (Waco, Texas) with six tackles (five solo) and pass breakup. 

Nichols had a pair of defenders end the game with 10 tackles, including Derric Revolus who made an interception and ran it back 59 yards. Nichols quarterback Ian Snow finished the game 17 of 30 for 198 yards and one touchdown pass.

UP NEXT
Gallaudet is off next week before it begins Eastern Collegiate Football Conference play. The Bison will next host Anna Maria College (2-3) on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m. on Homecoming and Senior Day at Hotchkiss Field.