Linfield Ousts Occidental

Brett Elliott threw seven touchdown passes, including six in the first half, to lead Linfield (Ore.) to a 56-27 victory over Occidental in the NCAA Division III West Region final at McMinnville, Ore., on Saturday.

Occidental (10-2), which saw the end of its 10-game winning streak, took a 17-7 lead in the first quarter before Linfield (11-0) rallied behind Elliott.

Elliott, a transfer from the University of Utah, completed 20 of 34 passes for 402 yards and did not throw an interception.

Wide receiver Casey Allen caught 13 passes for 221 yards and four first-half touchdowns.

Occidental scored two first-quarter touchdowns, both on passes from quarterback Andy Collins, who finished 28 for 50 for 311 yards.

Collins first found Anthony Ostland on a two-yard pass play with 7:16 left in the first quarter to give Occidental a 10-7 lead.

On Occidental’s next possession, Collins passed 13 yards to Matt Anderson to complete an eight-play, 81-yard drive for a 17-7 lead.

But Elliott took over from there with his first touchdown pass to Allen, a 53-yarder only 18 seconds after Occidental had scored.

Elliott and Allen hooked up three more times in the second quarter on touchdown plays of 11, 13 and seven yards.

Trailing 35-20 to start the third quarter, Collins was intercepted by Zach Fleming on his first pass of the second half.

Five plays later, Elliott passed 18 yards to George Carter to give Linfield a 42-20 lead.