BETHANY, W.Va. -- The No. 15/12 Washington & Jefferson football team scored the final 35 points of the game to coast to a 49-14 Presidents' Athletic Conference win at Bethany.

Senior wide receiver Jesse Zubik (Sewickley, Pa./Avonworth) became the 22nd student-athlete in NCAA Division III and second in PAC history to reach 4,000 receiving yards, hauling in seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. Junior wide receiver Brandon Barnes (Hagerstown, Md./St. Johns) caught six passes for 55 yards and a pair of second-quarter scores, as senior quarterback Alex Rowse (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) threw for 300 yards for the third time in his career in addition to four scoring tosses.

Trailing 7-0 after Bethany scored on the opening drive of the game, Rowse hit Barnes from three yards out, which was set up in part by 20-plus yard receptions by junior wide receiver Braydon Toy (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) and Barnes. The Presidents held a 14-7 lead after one quarter thanks to a four-yard TD pass to Barnes from Rowse at 1:39 of the period.

The teams traded turnovers early in the second quarter, with W&J throwing an interception and Bethany doing the same on the first play of its drive. The Presidents, however, fumbled on the first play of the ensuing possession to give Bethany the ball back at the 47-yard line. The Bison turned the turnover into points, scoring on a five-yard rush that was set up after a 32-yard completion on the opener of the drive, 14-14.

W&J was stopped inside the Bethany 30 on the next possession, but the defense forced a three-and-out and a 19-yard punt return by senior Luke Merhaut (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) set up the Presidents at midfield. The third play of the drive saw Zubik get pushed out of bounds along the left sideline, but re-establish in bounds and execute a one-handed catch that he took the distance for a 52-yard score to give W&J the lead for good, 21-14, at 4:45 of the second quarter.

On the opening drive of the second half W&J marched 74 yards in 13 plays, chewing up 5:08 of clock and capped off by a 15-yard TD reception by Toy. Bethany's third play from scrimmage of the next drive was intercepted at the 15-yard line of the Bison and returned to the five-yard line by sophomore defensive lineman Jeffrey Oxner (Silver Spring, Md./Bullis School). Senior running back Justin Vickless (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brentwood) scored from four yards out and the Presidents went up, 35-14, with 7:23 remaining in the third quarter.

The first four plays of the fourth quarter were rushed by freshman running back EJ Thompson (La Plata, Md./Thomas Stone), with the final play being a nine-yard carry into the end zone, 42-14, and capped the longest scoring drive of the season for the Presidents (by time) at 5:43. Bethany's second play of the next possession was intercepted by senior defensive back O'Shea Anderson (Rochester, Pa./Rochester) and returned to the Bethany 20. Rowse found Barnes for 10 yards on the first play and the next two plays were five yard rushes by sophomore running back Jordan West (Washington, Pa./Washington), resulting in a 49-14 lead by W&J which would stand for the final 11:56.

Rowse completed 22-of-36 with 300 yards and four TDs. Thompson rushed for a game-high 65 yards on 14 carries. Senior wide receiver Cody Hearst (Clarion, Pa./Clarion) caught four passes for 57 yards on the afternoon and Toy finished with three grabs for 47 yards.

Defensively, senior linebacker Nick Murgo (Warren, R.I./Mount Hope) recorded the 22nd double-digit tackles game of his career with a team-high 11 stops, including 10 in the first half. He tied with junior defensive back Zack Queen (Level Green, Pa./Penn-Trafford) for the game-high with 2.5 tackles for loss. Queen and junior linebacker Zac Quattrone tied for second on the team with six tackles apiece. As a team, the Presidents recorded 11 tackles for loss and had three sacks, including solo sacks by senior linebacker Zack Walker (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) and senior defensive lineman Sal DeCario (New Derry, Pa./Derry).

As a team, the Presidents gained 469 yards of total offense to just 217 by Bethany, the third time this season W&J held its opponent in the 200's for total offense yardage. W&J also did not punt in the game, the first time that has happened since Sept. 13, 2008 against Frostburg State.

W&J improves to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the PAC and will host Westminster (5-1, 4-0) for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 21. Kick-off at Cameron Stadium is set for 2 p.m.