Quarterback Peyton O'Laughlin threw for three touchdown passes, two to wide receiver Fabian Baez and All-American running back Jaden McGill rushed for two touchdowns as No. 1 College of DuPage rolled past visiting Community Christian College of Detroit 56-16 on Saturday in junior college football at MacDougall Field.
 
It's the fifth time in 10 games that COD has scored at least 40 points and it improved to 9-1 overall.
 
The Chaps complete their regular season Saturday afternoon against Division I Georgia Military. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
 
The Chaps trailed 8-7 with 6:45 to go in the first quarter and they went on to score 42 consecutive points.
 
McGill gave COD a 7-0 lead with a 45-yard run early in the first quarter and the visiting Lions grabbed the lead on a 72-yard scoring pass from Germain Coats to Jeremiah Dault.
 
But that ended any kind of threat as COD then went to town. The Chaps added two more TDs in the first quarter, the first on a 44-yard TD pass from O'Laughlin to Baez, and defensive back Andrew Ewald ran a pick-six to the tune of 65 yards and COD was on its way.
 
"Happy to see our guys do what they needed to do to win,'' head coach Matthew Rahn said. "It's 11 guys playing together on both sides of the ball.''
 
McGill added a 3-yard TD that was set-up by linebacker Kellon King's 27-yard fumble return, extending COD's lead to 35-8 with 11:18 left in the half.
 
"Jaden's one of our leaders,'' Rahn said. "He helps us on the field and he's a good decision maker, both on and off the field. He's critical in helping us with our team culture.''
 
Joining Ewald with an interception was defensive back Tyrese Buffkin, who earned his pick late in the fourth quarter.
 
Defensive lineman Darion Johnson forced a fumble that was recovered by DB Michael Gravely Jr. at the CC 16 to close the first quarter.
 
COD made the Lions immediately pay when O'Laughlin connected again with Baez to open the second quarter and the Chaps led 28-8.
 
The victory sets up the regular-season finale with Georgia Military, annually one of the top scholarship programs in the NJCAA.
 
"We just have to keep rolling along,'' Rahn said. "Our defense played well. Once we got past the breakdown in the first quarter, we had it together the rest of the way.''
 
 
Community Christian 8-0-0-8_16
DuPage 21-21-7-7_56
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
COD — Jaden McGill 45 run (Christian Casillas kick), 7:26
CC — Jeremiah Dault 72 pass from Germaine Coats (Dault pass from Germaine), 6:45
COD — Fabian Baez 44 pass from Peyton O'Laughlin (Casillas kick), 5:15
COD — Andrew Ewald 65 interception return (Casillas kick), 3:37
Second Quarter
COD — Baez 16 pass from O'Laughlin ( Casillas kick), 14:52
COD — McGill 3 run (Casillas kick), 11:18
COD — Deszmund White 6 pass from O'Laughlin (Casillas kick), :41.4
Third Quarter
COD — Jamareon Dale 1 run (Casillas kick), 9:51
Fourth Quarter
CC — Kenyatta McKeev 31 pass from Coats (K.Q. Hansard run), 12:00
COD — Ernest Temple 6 run (Casillas kick), 4:43