GLENDORA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific put together its most complete performance of the season, scoring on the ground, through the air, and on special teams in a convincing 61-14 non-conference win over Dixie State. The 61-point effort was the fourth-best scoring performance in program history, and it was the first time the Cougars had scored 60 points in a regular-season game since posting a 65-14 win over La Verne in 2011.

Sophomore QB Andrew Elffers made the most of his first collegiate start, completing nine-of-13 passes for 184 yards and two TDs while rushing 11 times for 82 yards. Freshman RB Kurt Scoby produced a game-high 146 rushing yards and four TDs on 17 carries, and it was Elffers who threw the key block which sprung Scoby for his 14-yard TD run early in the third quarter.

Elffers had played in all 17 of Azusa Pacific's games the past two seasons, and the 6-foot-3, 215-pound sophomore was pressed into a starting role with regular starter Chad Jeffriesunavailable for Saturday's game due to an undisclosed injury.

Junior LB Sam Flemming led Azusa Pacific's defensive effort with 12 tackles, helping limit Dixie State to 275 yards of total offense. The Cougars forced two turnovers, turning both into touchdowns, and kept the Red Storm scoreless through its first seven possessions of the game.

Each of Azusa Pacific's five first-half touchdowns came on drives of six plays or less, starting with Scoby's 33-yard dash on the first play after Tyree Davis picked off a Tyson Blackner pass in Dixie State territory early in the first quarter. Junior punt returner Tarik Myles doubled the lead to 14-0 with his 57-yard punt return less than two minutes later, and in the opening minute of the second quarter, Elffers connected with junior WR Ethan Zeidler for a 46-yard TD pass that extended the lead to 21-0.

Zeidler's TD catch, his second of the year, capped a four-play, 67-yard drive, and Scoby ran for his second score of the game with a 24-yard TD that pushed the lead to 28-0. After Dixie State scored on Blackner's QB keeper with 40 seconds left in the opening half, the Cougars recovered the onside kick attempt and took advantage of the favorable field position for a quick three-play scoring drive. Elffers' 26-yard TD pass to senior WR Blake Robertson gave Azusa Pacific a 35-7 halftime lead.

The Cougars added 23 more points in the third quarter, as Scoby scored two more rushing TDs around a safety on a botched Dixie State punt attempt before senior RB D.J. Morganpicked up his first TD of the year with a four-yard scoring run that expanded the lead to 58-7 with 4:13 to play in the third quarter.

Freshman kicker Jacob Hall added a 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, making it 61-7 before Dixie State put another touchdown on the board with less than a minute remaining in the game.

With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 4-3 overall while Dixie State drops to 2-5. The Cougars, who also won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchup between the teams when they met three weeks ago in St. George, Utah, will stay at home and return to GNAC play with next week's Homecoming game against South Dakota Mines.

COUGARS' UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Saturday, Oct. 24, 6:00 pm vs. South Dakota Mines (Homecoming)
Saturday, Oct. 31, 1:00 pm at Western Oregon
Saturday, Nov. 14, 6:15 pm vs. Simon Fraser