Neal leaps up all-time list in dominant win

Darius Neal continues to prove his status as one of the best football players in the entirety of the NAIA. On Saturday, Neal saved his best for the biggest opponent to date by running for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 24-3 win over 16th-ranked Bethel. With the win, Georgetown stays as the lone unbeaten in the Mid-South Conference, holding a 1-game lead with 3 weeks to go.

Georgetown took the opening possession and worked its way to a 4th & 1 at the Bethel 39. Neal took a handoff and broke through for a 14-yard run to continue the drive. 2 plays later, Quarterback Gehrig Slunaker showed his wheels by scrambling out of the pocket en route to a 24-yard scamper to the Bethel 6. Neal polished off the drive with a leaping 6-yard TD run. In total, the drive consumed 70 yards over 11 plays for a 7-0 lead.

After a defensive stand near midfield, Bethel was forced to punt, but Wildcats' punter, Brayden Johnson, shanked the punt and sent it just 4 total yards. Georgetown took over on its own 43 with aspirations on growing the lead. On play 2, Slunaker found Dillon Warren for a pickup of 12 to cross into Bethel territory. Warren's number was called again 3 plays later on an end around. Warren took the ball right side and scooted 29 yards for a would-be touchdown, but Georgetown was called for a hold on the run to wipe the points away. The penalty proved crucial as the Tigers were ultimately denied a score on a failed 4th down attempt from the 1-yard line.

The teams exchanged a series of punts with Georgetown getting the ball back on its own 21 with just over 6 minutes left in the half. Darius Neal took a handoff from the left of Gehrig Slunaker and bounced out to his left. Thanks to a terrific block by pulling guard, Jacob Langston, Neal found room to cut up the middle of the Bethel defense and break free for a 79-yard touchdown run to double the Georgetown lead to 14-0. The defense forced another 3 & out to get the ball back to the offense with 4:38 to go on the Tigers' 41. Slunaker & Warren connected for 14 yards on the 1st play. 2 plays later, the tandem put 15 more yards together to move the ball to the Bethel 28. Georgetown would get to the 21 before Nate Craft came on to nail a 39-yard field goal for a 17-point lead with just under 2 minutes left until halftime. Bethel's only scoring drive of the game followed thanks mostly to the legs of its QB, Silas Teat. 4 runs of 6 yards each moved the drive near midfield. After a Georgetown pass interference, Teat found Ethan Bunch for a pickup of 23 yards to the GC 14. 2 plays later, Oziel Hernandez converted a 31-yard field goal to get Bethel on the board at halftime.

Bethel started the 3rd with the ball. After 2 runs of 15 yards by RB Jordan Cason, Teat dropped back to pass and lobbed a ball where only Georgetown's Jayson Hayes was on the field for an easy interception. It brought back memories of the 2023 game where Hayes tallied 2 pick-sixes in a 52-24 Tiger romp. This pick was not taken back for a score but did give Georgetown the ball at the Bethel 42. Dillon Warren hauled in a 16-yard grab on the first play. Darius Neal then ran 5 straight times for 17 yards. The drive stalled at the Bethel 9, but Georgetown came up empty as Drew Rader pushed a 26-yard field goal wide to the right. Another quick Bethel punt put Georgetown's offense back on the field. Jahmir Ackerson took his turn in the backfield, running 3 of the first 4 plays for 21 yards. On 1st down from the Bethel 36, Clayton Davis fought through a jersey grab, broke free and sprinted the distance for the touchdown. Rader's extra point gave Georgetown a 24-3 lead late in the third.

In the 4th, Bethel turned to Kade Hewitt at QB, who served as a pure runner on this day. Hewitt led a 13-play, 76-yard drive that chewed up over 7 minutes of the clock, which Georgetown fans accepted because the clock kept moving. On 4th & 2 from the Georgetown 12, Hewitt called his own number up the middle but was met by Brayden Pack and 4 other Tigers before the line to gain to force the turnover on downs. Georgetown ran out the clock to seal the win.

Darius Neal's 4th straight 100-yard game moved him past 1976 grad, Ruben McIntyre, to 4th place on the all-time career yardage list. Neal sits at 2,860 yards after the win. He led a rushing attack that Bethel had yet to see this season. The Wildcats entered allowing just 93 yards on the ground per game. Georgetown put 254 on the board. Gehrig Slunaker managed the game well again, going 11-17 for 125 yards and a TD.

The defense continues to its brilliant run in October. In 3 wins, the Tigers have allowed a total of 26 points and tallied 3 sacks in each game after no sacks in any of the first 4 games. On this day, Bethel was held to just 184 total yards, went 3 & out four times and punted 6 times. Chad Holleran recorded his 4th game with double-digit tackles to lead the pack. In total, 10 Tigers talllied at least 3 tackles. Jamell Smith, Romarion Warner, and Jacob Harmon each recorded the sacks to limit the Bethel passing attack to just 44 total yards.

Georgetown now turns its focus to Senior Day next Saturday as Cumberlands comes to Toyota Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:30pm.