Nov 8, 2014 2 min read

GREENVILLE – Pete Coughlin threw four touchdowns passes – three to Jesse Zubik – and Washington & Jefferson College clinched a berth in the NCAA Division III football playoffs with a 49-18 victory over Thie Saturday afternoon.

The win gives W&J (7-0, 9-0) the President’s Athletic Conference’s automatic berth in the postseason and clinches at least a share of the conference title for the Presidents. It is W&J’s 24th PAC football championship.

The Presidents have a half-game lead over second-place Thomas More (7-1, 8-2). W&J defeated Thomas More last month, thus the Presidents clinched the league’s automatic berth in the postseason. W&J can win the conference title outright with a victory in the regular-season finale Saturday at Waynesburg (5-2, 7-2).

Big plays helped W&J to its victory over Thiel (2-5, 3-6). The Presidents had 701 yards of total offense, the first time they topped 700 yards in a game since 2008.

Coughlin threw touchdown passes of 73, 18 and 60 yards to Zubik in the first three quarters as the Presidents opened a 35-12 lead. Coughlin completed 17 of 27 passes for 324 yards. Zubik had 190 receiving yards on only five receptions.

Coughlin and Zubik hooked up for the 73-yard TD pass on W&J’s first play, and again for an 18-yard touchdown that gave the Presidents a 14-6 lead late in the first quarter.

Ryan Ruffing, who rushed for a career-high 196 yards on 23 carries, scored on runs of 63 and 32 yards, the latter giving W&J a 42-12 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Presidents rushed for 367 yards and averaged almost 10 yards per attempt.

Thiel quarterback Ryan Radke completed 22 of 41 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of 20-yarders to Alex Horvatits.

Daniel Lis caught a 63-yard touchdown pass from Coughlin in the third quarter and Kevin Mechas scored W&J’s final TD on a 19-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.