NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (Interstat) — Brady Olson passed for two touchdowns and Elijah Howard rushed for 178 yards and two more scores as Central Connecticut dominated Stonehill 40-10 in a non-conference football game Saturday at Arute Field.

The Blue Devils improved to 7-3 on the season, while the Skyhawks fell to 3-7.

Central Connecticut set the tone early, scoring 17 points in the first quarter and never looking back. Howard’s first touchdown, a 3-yard run, capped an opening drive that gave the Blue Devils a lead they would not relinquish. Donny Marcus extended the lead with an 11-yard touchdown run midway through the quarter, and Jack Hennessey added a 30-yard field goal as time expired in the period to make it 17-0.

Stonehill found some momentum in the second quarter, cutting into the deficit with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jack O’Connell to Cole Clarke. The Blue Devils, however, responded with a breathtaking 93-yard touchdown run by Howard, showcasing his breakaway speed. A late field goal by Hennessey from 20 yards as the first half expired sent Central Connecticut into the locker room with a 26-7 advantage.

Any hope of a Skyhawks comeback was extinguished in the third quarter. After Domenic Scalese connected on a 28-yard field goal for Stonehill’s final points of the day, the Blue Devils answered with another methodical drive. Olson found Sean O’Brien for a 12-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 33-10.

Olson, who finished 20 of 30 for 261 yards, capped his day with another touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, a 12-yard connection with Ricky Ortega to provide the final margin. Howard was the workhorse for the Central Connecticut offense, carrying the ball 17 times for his 178 yards, while also catching four passes for 39 yards.

For Stonehill, O’Connell completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Aidan Garrett was a bright spot for the Skyhawks’ offense, rushing for 66 yards on 12 carries. The Stonehill offense, however, was hampered by several sacks and struggled to sustain drives against a stout Blue Devils defense.

The game’s final score of 43 total points fell under the pregame over/under line of 40.5. Central Connecticut, which had been projected as a heavy favorite by statistical models, covered the spread after being installed as a 12.5-point favorite.

Central Connecticut travels to face Duquesne next Saturday, while Stonehill is set to visit Wagner.