COLUMBIA, Ky. – The No. 6-ranked Lindsey Wilson football team defeated Ave Maria (Fla.) 52-6 on Saturday night at Parnell Family Stadium.
With 10:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, the game was ended due to lightning in the area.
Lindsey Wilson (2-0) outgained the Gyrenes (0-1) 500-153 and limited Ave Maria to 52 yards rushing on 24 carries. This marked the first time the Blue Raiders held an opponent under 100 yards since September 6, 2025, against Ave Maria. This marks the first time Lindsey Wilson has held an opponent to under 200 yards since November 4, 2023 against Cumberland (Tenn.). Lindsey Wilson did not allow a touchdown for the first time since the Ave Maria game last season.
Tate Rice completed 12 of his 18 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. This marked the ninth time in Rice's career that he has thrown three or more touchdowns in a game. For the second straight week,
Max Gainey tied the program record for receiving touchdowns in a game with three. Gainey hauled in nine passes for 193 yards, averaging 21.4 yards per catch. Gainey's 193 yards are the second-most in program history, surpassing his own mark of 188.
Davontaye Saunders recorded three rushing touchdowns for a second straight week. Saunders is now tied for fourth all-time in career rushing touchdowns with 29. He ran for 191 yards on 17 carries, averaging 11.2 yards per rush. Saunders has now gone over 100 yards 10 times in his career, and eighth time he surpassed 150 yards.
Braden Ford led the Lindsey Wilson defense with five tackles and 0.5 sacks.
Letavion Everly and
Kevin Wilson each recorded four tackles for the Blue Raiders.
Tayden Russell added 0.5 sacks, while
Kelson McKinney recorded an interception in the victory.
Ave Maria returned the opening kickoff to the Lindsey Wilson 45. Back-to-back passes moved the Gyrenes to the Blue Raider 30. Ave Maria missed a 48-yard field goal, giving Lindsey Wilson the ball on its own 31 with 11:05 to play.
Jadan Burns got Lindsey Wilson on the board first, connecting on a 35-yard field goal to cap a nine-play, 51-yard drive. The Gyrenes responded with a 30-yard field goal from Jake Matigian to tie the game with 2:05 to play in the quarter.
Saunders scored the first touchdown of the game for the Blue Raiders on a 36-yard run, giving Lindsey Wilson a 10-3 lead just 15 seconds into the second quarter. Following an Ave Maria three-and-out, Rice connected with Gainey for 45 yards on the first play of the next Blue Raider drive. Following a 14-yard reception from Gainey that put the ball on the Gyrenes' 10, Saunders added his second touchdown, making it 17-3 with 11:28 to play in the first half.
The Gyrenes faced a fourth-and-one on the Lindsey Wilson 45.
Bennett McDougal stopped the Joseph Thole quarterback sneak for a loss of one, giving the Blue Raiders possession. Lindsey Wilson needed just three plays on the next drive, capped off by Rice finding Gainey for a 32-yard touchdown, making it 24-3.
On the third play of the next Ave Maria drive, McKinney intercepted the Thole pass on the Blue Raider sideline at the Lindsey Wilson 33. Lindsey Wilson capitalized on the turnover, putting together a seven-play, 67-yard drive, capped off by a 32-yard touchdown pass from Rice to Gainey with 1:54 left in the half.
The two teams traded three-and-outs to begin the second half. On the second Lindsey Wilson drive of the half, Saunders scored his third touchdown from 13 yards out, making it 38-3 with 8:55 to play in the third quarter. Following a second straight Ave Maria three-and-out, Rice found Gainey for a third time on the second play of the drive, pushing the advantage to 45-3.
Stevin Mack made it 52-3 with 2:20 remaining in the quarter on an eight-yard run.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Gyrenes returned the ball 68 yards to the Lindsey Wilson 30. Matigian connected on his second field goal from 39 yards with 14 minutes to play. On the next drive, Ave Maria intercepted a
Pryor Lamb pass, taking over at the LWU 30. The Gyrenes gave the ball back just three plays later, when Ty Keller fumbled, and
Layne Alford recovered the fumble at the Blue Raider 31 with 10:11 to play.
Lindsey Wilson hits the road for the first time in 2026 on Saturday, September 12. The Blue Raiders travel to Jackson, Ohio, to take on Rio Grande (Ohio) at 2:30 p.m. CT at Holzer Field at Alumni Stadium.
