GLEN ELLYN, ILLINOIS -- College of DuPage, the defending Division III champion and preseason top-ranked team in the nation, piled up nearly 600 yards of total offense and quarterback Max General accounted for 6 touchdowns as the Chaps defeated Ellsworth CC, 48-25, Thursday night in Kory Vaught's first game as ECC head coach.

The game started with a bang -- the teams combining for 3 TDs in the first 3 minutes.  After DuPage went 84 yards of their first possession for the first score of the night, the Panthers answered on their initial play after the kickoff.  QB Joshua Bauer connected with Nashon Johnson on a 73-yard scoring strike. A 48-yard TD pass from General on the 4th play of the next COD drive made it 14-6 with 12:05 still remaining in the opening period.

Following a Chaps field goal that began the second-quarter scoring, Ellsworth recorded a safety after a botched punt by DuPage and then a Chris Ndushabandi 23-yard field that came at the end of the next possession, pulling the Panthers within, 17-11, in the second period.

The Chaps, however, widened their lead with two more touchdown passes before halftime, one from 73 yards on the first play of a drive, and one from 57 yards to make it 31-11 at intermission.

David Hall's 2-yard TD run in the 3rd quarter let ECC climb back to within 31-18, but COD had yet another long TD pass, this one for 46 yards, to regain the momentum.

Ellsworth tallied a 4th-period score on a 15-yard pass from Bauer to Micah Hobin.  The Chaps added to their total with a 31-yard TD run and a 24-yard field goal for the final margin.

The Panthers have their home opener scheduled for Sept. 3 when they will host No. 3 rated Hutchinson (KS) CC.