Friday, October 10, 2014

GLENDORA, Calif. - Azusa Pacific running back Terrell Watson became the first college football player to rush for 1,000 yards Thursday.

In 2014.

At all levels.

Watson rushed for 200 yards, extending his own GNAC records for most career 200-yard and 100-yard games to six and 20, respectively, and scored three touchdowns as the Cougars (5-1, 2-0) rallied from a 14-0 deficit to beat previously unbeaten and No. 24 AFCA ranked Humboldt State 55-21.  Watson, who also had a 53-yard reception, scored on runs off  2, 1 and 77 yards.

Watson increased his season rushing total to 1,081, surpassing the 1,000-yard barrier for the third year in a row.  He rushed for 1,094 in 2012 and 1,812 in 2013.  That gives him 3,987 yards in three seasons in the GNAC, 1,151 more than any other player in conference history.

Watson, who gained 697 yards in his freshman season before the Cougars moved from NAIA to join the GNAC, now has 4,684 career yards and needs just 316 more yards to join the exclusive 5,000-yard club.

Only 27 players in NCAA Division II history have ever rushed for 5,000 yards.  Officially he won't earn admittance to that club regardless of what happens in APU's final five regular-season games and any post-season contests, as the NCAA will count just one of his four seasons. 

For record purposes, they only count seasons in which a team is a full-fledged playoff-eligible member of the NCAA.

Thursday's win moved the Cougars into sole possession of first place in the GNAC with a 2-0 conference record.

The game was the first of four on this week's GNAC schedule.

Play continues Saturday with two conference games and one non-conference game.  Central Washington (2-3, 1-1) visits South Dakota Mines (1-4, 0-1) and Dixie State (0-5, 0-1) plays at Western Oregon (2-3), which will be playing its first conference game of the season.

Meanwhile, Simon Fraser (1-4, 1-1) steps up a level to take on NCAA FCS (Football Championship Sub-Division) member Idaho State at Pocatello.