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BOILING SPRINGS – Tyrell Maxwell passed for a career-high 205 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead Gardner-Webb to a 28-3 win over ETSU Saturday afternoon.

Gardner-Webb (4-6) bulled its way to a season-best 446 yards and 25 first downs and controlled the clock for 37:25 in a strong overall day.

Maxwell helped GWU score twice in the final two minutes before halftime, finishing off a drive with a five-yard run to put his team up 14-3 and hitting Mike Estes on a seven-yard touchdown play with 32 seconds before intermission to cap a quick-strike drive after an ETSU punt.

Maxwell connected with Willie Jackson IV on a 34-yard strike with 12:42 to play in the game, and the Runnin' Bulldogs went deep into the bench with its offensive reserves for the final 10:33.

ETSU (1-9) found little success against a sturdy defensive effort by Gardner-Webb. The Bucs managed only 126 yards offensively (54 rushing) on 46 snaps – and were limited to a 1-for-19 effort on third down.

Gardner-Webb's defensive front was active all afternoon, resulting in 12.0 tackles for loss. Jebrai Regan had nine total stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack to go with a career-best four quarterback pressures. Nose guard OJ Mau collected eight stops, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks in one of his more dominant performances of the season in the middle.

ETSU did have one extended drive, going 11 plays and 68 yards before stalling and settling for a 34-yard field goal by JJ Jerman with 12:08 to play in the second quarter. That cut Gardner-Webb's lead to 7-3.

The Runnin' Bulldogs went up 7-0 on Jonathan Blackmon's acrobatic, two-yard scoring run with 1:51 to play in the first quarter. GWU controlled the clock for 11:48 in the opening quarter, with Maxwell darting for steady yardage on an opening drive that ended with a short missed field goal.

Maxwell completed a variety of passes and spread the ball around well, going 13-of-23 for 205 yards and his two touchdowns. The Cordova, S.C., standout led GWU in rushing for the ninth time in 2015, carrying 15 times for 63 yards and his five-yard scoring run.

Kerry Bernard finished with a career-high 62 yards on 16 carries and Bobby Clark pitched in with 48 yards on eight attempts to power a ground game that produced 222 yards.

Freshman Adonus Lee had a career day, catching seven passes for 93 yards – including a 43-yarder that set up Maxwell's touchdown run late in the second quarter. Victor Harris caught two passes for 60 yards, with his 43-yard catch moments later setting up Maxwell's scoring strike to Estes.

Estes caught four passes for 23 yards and Jackson finished with two catches for 39 yards and a score.

In addition to Regan and Mau's production up front, Gardner-Webb got eight hits Angel Guzman and seven from Trey Lucas (five solo). Chad Geter added five hits (four solo), a sack and a forced fumble in a strong all-around effort.

ETSU had seven different receivers catch passes on Saturday, with Austin Herink completing 12-of-19 attempts for 72 yards. Hunter Wike had three of those catches for 25 yards and Malik Styles caught three more for 17 yards.

Falon Lee carried eight times for 26 yards and Demetrius Anthony had a 23-yard gain on his only carry out of the wildcat formation.

River Boruff was busy at his linebacker spot, collecting 10 of his 18 tackles in the first quarter. Dylan Weigel finished with 15 stops (eight solo), 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack – and safety Tony Welch had 15 stops and two pass break ups.

Gardner-Webb will close out its 2015 season next Saturday at home against Big South Conference foe Monmouth. The game will mark the first time since 2006 that GWU has closed out a season with two consecutive home games.

The game, which will be the final time on the turf at Spangler Stadium for 14 seniors, is set for a 1:30 pm kickoff (Big South Network).