LATROBE, Pa. (Sept. 5)- The Saint Vincent College football team opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion, defeating Hilbert College 60-6 on Saturday afternoon in Latrobe.
It was a historic offensive performance for the Bearcats (1-0), as Saint Vincent totaled 611 yards of offense, just two yards shy of the single-game program record of 613 yards set against Alma in 2016. The Bearcats also picked up a program-record 33 first downs, breaking the previous record of 31 set against Bethany in 2021.
Saint Vincent quarterback Jake Phillips led the offensive outburst, completing 19-of-25 passes for 303 yards and six touchdowns. Phillips' six touchdown passes are the second-most in a single game in program history, trailing only Derek Stewart's seven touchdown performance against Grove City in 2016.
The Bearcats totaled 347 yards through the air, while adding 264 yards on the ground. Saint Vincent averaged 9.0 yards per play and scored on all six of its trips inside the red zone.
Jakub Pickett was Phillips' top target in the win, catching three passes for 97 yards and three touchdowns. Ian Tuffs hauled in six receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown, while Chris Downs caught four passes for 65 yards and two scores.
On the ground, Matthew Davis led the Bearcats with 118 yards on 19 carries, while Drahcir Jones eclipsed the century mark as well, rushing four times for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Jones averaged 27.5 yards per carry, highlighted by a 68-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Defensively, the Bearcats limited Hilbert to just 213 yards of total offense and 57 yards through the air. Saint Vincent also held the Hawks to 4-of-14 on third downs and 0-for-3 on fourth down attempts, while recording two sacks.
The Bearcats wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. On Saint Vincent's first offensive play of the season, Phillips connected with Pickett for a 59-yard touchdown, giving SVC a 6-0 lead just nine seconds into the game.
Saint Vincent added another touchdown on its next possession. Phillips completed four consecutive passes on the five-play, 52-yard drive, finishing it off with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Pickett to increase the Bearcats' lead to 13-0.
The Bearcats weren't done in the opening quarter. After forcing another Hilbert punt, Saint Vincent marched 65 yards in just four plays. Phillips found Downs for a 24-yard touchdown with 6:27 remaining in the quarter, giving SVC a 20-0 advantage.
It was much of the same story to begin the second quarter. Phillips and Downs connected again, this time for a five-yard touchdown to cap off a nine-play, 80-yard drive and extend the Saint Vincent lead to 27-0.
Hilbert scored its lone touchdown of the afternoon with 9:16 remaining in the second quarter on a two-yard run by Noah Workman, cutting the Bearcats' lead to 27-6.
Saint Vincent answered right back. Davis rushed for 16 yards on third down before Phillips found Pickett for a 22-yard touchdown, their third scoring connection of the afternoon, to put the Bearcats ahead 33-6.
The Bearcats added one more score before the half. Saint Vincent put together a 13-play, 71-yard drive that took more than five minutes off the clock, with Phillips scoring on a one-yard quarterback keeper with six seconds remaining to send SVC into the locker room with a 40-6 lead.
After forcing a three-and-out to begin the second half, Saint Vincent continued to add to its lead. Phillips completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tuffs, his sixth touchdown pass of the game, to make it 47-6 with 8:52 remaining in the third quarter. Later in the quarter, Jones capped off a nine-play, 70-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run, increasing the Bearcats' lead to 54-6.
Jones put the finishing touches on the scoring early in the fourth quarter. On the first play of the drive, he broke free for a 68-yard touchdown run, giving Saint Vincent its eventual 60-6 victory.
The Bearcats finished the afternoon with 33 first downs compared to Hilbert's 14 and held possession for 32:01. Saint Vincent converted seven of its 11 third-down attempts and two of three fourth-down attempts in the win.
