ESPN College Football

ALLIANCE, Ohio -- Zach Bruney threw four touchdown passes and Jesse Burghardt had two to lead Mount Union to a 56-10 victory over Wheaton on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs.

The Purple Raiders (12-0) have won 54 consecutive games, matching the NCAA record it set from 1996 to 1999. It will be the ninth consecutive year that Mount Union has advanced to the Division III semifinals.

Andrew Day kicked a 48-yard field goal in the first quarter to give Wheaton (12-1) a 3-0 lead before Mount Union ran off 42 straight points.

Bruney completed 11 of 18 passes for 185 yards and had touchdown passes of 31 and 6 yards to Randell Knapp, 17 yards to John Healy and 3 yards to Brian Miller.

Burghardt was 6-of-7 for 67 yards and threw scoring passes of 9 and 18 yards to Drew Hanley.

Jeff Strauch rushed for 128 yards on 23 carries and had a 7-yard TD run for Mount Union. Knapp had six catches for 120 yards.

Wheaton quarterback Chad Bradley was 20-of-35 for 227 yards. Skip Ast scored on a 1-yard run for Wheaton.

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press