Photo Credit: Brendan Eagan
HANOVER, Ind. – The Panthers hit the road for the final road test of the 2025 regular season with a stop at Bluffton University on Saturday.
 
Hanover enters the weekend ranked first among the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference with a 5-2 overall record and a 4-0 mark in league play.
 
THE MATCH-UP
Hanover sits 12-3 overall against the Beavers of Bluffton since 2010, with the last road win a 21-0 shutout. Last season, the Panthers won 49-13, combining for 382 yards of offense and seven touchdowns.
 
Junior Eian Roudebush threw for 183 yards in the contest with three touchdowns. Sophomore Brian Wall dominated on defense, collecting eight stops, six of which were solo.
 
ONE WEEK AGO
Hanover dominated Manchester in an offensive explosion, 76-7. The Panthers led the NCAA Division III in week 8 in points, total yards (765), and passing yards (553).
 
Roudebush led the attack, throwing for 380 yards and four touchdowns in one half of football. He finished the contest 20-of-24 passing.
 
Junior Don Dunning paced the backfield, rushing for a game-high 96 yards and two touchdowns on nine attempts.
 
Defensively, freshman Malachi Young was key in holding the Spartan offense to less than 30 yards of offense in the first half, collecting six total stops, five of which were solo.
 
HCAC DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Freshman Kane Powell-Smith earned the Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his play in the secondary. Powell-Smith recorded an interception, two pass breakups, and a fumble recovery.
 
THE CONFERENCE LEADERS
Hanover sits not only at the top of the standings but also at the top of both offensive and defensive efficiency. The Panthers lead the HCAC in total touchdowns (37), points (269), and average points per game (38.4).
 
Defensively, Hanover ranks first in fewest touchdowns allowed (12), fewest points (100), and fewest points per game given up (14.3).
 
Roudebush leads the quarterbacks with an impressive 74.0 passing percentage and a 174.9 efficiency rating.
 
Powell-Smith ranks second in the league in interceptions (2) and third in pass breakups (2).
 
NCAA DIVISION III
Hanover posted one of the best performances among NCAA Division III against Manchester. The 765 total yards of offense ranks second, while the rush defense, which held Manchester to -46 yards, ranks second among D3.
 
CONFERENCE STANDING
Hanover remains the lone unbeaten team in the HCAC at 4-0 overall. Nipping at the heels of the Panthers are Bluffton and Mount St. Joseph, both at 3-1.
 
With a Conference win, the Panthers would claim their third NCAA Tournament berth under the helm of Head Coach Theobald.