ARKADELPHIA -- Kevin Rodgers and the Henderson State Reddies gave a primetime performance on national TV Thursday night.
Rodgers became Arkansas college football's most prolific passer with 382 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the No. 7 Reddies (American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II top 25) walloped Southeastern Oklahoma State 60-17 at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium.
Playing their home opener on the CBS Sports Network, Henderson State totaled 627 yards in improving to 2-0 in the Great American Conference and 3-0 for the season.
Rodgers passed 62 yards to Joseph Snapp for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and later hit Darius Davis on a 46-yard scoring play. Rodgers broke the career record of 10,758 yards by an Arkansas collegiate quarterback previously held by Ryan Aplin of Arkansas State from 2009-2012. Rodgers upped his career total to 11,035 yards in 34 games.
The touchdown pass to Davis was the 100th of Rodgers' career, tying him with Nathan Brown of Central Arkansas. Rodgers is the 21st player in Division II history to throw for 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns.
Snapp ended the game with a career-high seven catches for 120 yards, Davis totaling 108 yards on five receptions.
The Reddies gained 245 yards on the ground, Jaquan Cole's team-high 89 yards including touchdown runs of 11 and 12 yards. Rodney Bryson followed with 77 yards and Ryan McDonald with 76, each scoring a touchdown.
Henderson State blew it open in a 28-point fourth quarter, Bryson scoring from 10 yards out for a 39-17 lead after Cameron Deveraux blocked a field-goal attempt. After touchdowns by Davis and McDonald, Trevon Del Rio picked up a mishandled punt and ran three yards for a scoe.
With help of 10 tackles for lost yardage, the Reddies held Southeastern Oklahoma (1-2, 1-2) to 274 yards.
The Reddies play on the road for the third time in four weeks Sept. 18 against East Central in a 6 p.m. kickoff in Ada, Okla.
Sports on 09/20/2014