Box Score
Box Score

In life, we are taught by our parents and guardians that failure is a part of life and that success doesn't come overnight.  These are lessons still being learned by the Peacock football team.  Upper Iowa is on the verge of breaking out in a big way at the NCAA Division II level, but learning how to win in the final minutes has become just as important as how they play in the first 45 minutes of each game.  Over the last three weeks, the Peacocks have had leads of 10, 11 and 12 points through the midway point of the third quarter, but in each case the team came up on the short end of the score.  Just 8 points over the last three weeks separate the Peacocks current 3-7 record and what could be... a 6-4 mark in just their sixth season at the DII level.

The Golden Bears of Concordia University, St. Paul scored 13 points in the final 2:09 of today's football game to steal a 20-19 victory from the Peacocks.  Concordia won the game on a 62-yard hail mary pass from Spencer Ohm to Charles Gilbert with no time on the clock. The loss marked the third straight week that Upper Iowa has lost double digit leads in the second half. 

Prior to the Golden Bears final two scoring drives, Upper Iowa's defense had held Concordia to 195 yards of total offense on 50 plays and forced a fumble and two interceptions.  Led by linebackers Tony Leggett and Ethan Douglas, the Peacock defense was having a great ball game.  But the visitors cut loose an assault on the football field in their last two possessions covering 164 yards in 9 plays and just 1:43 of game time.

After the Golden Bears took a 7-0 lead, Upper Iowa cut the gap to one when Cole Jaeschke found Shay Gutman on a quick slant for a 36-yard score, but CU blocked the point after attempt to preserve their slim lead.  The Peacocks did take the lead prior to the halftime horn on a 21-yard field goal by Steven Sandoval. 

On Upper Iowa's first possession of the third quarter, Jaeschke took advantage of a busted coverage to hit Drew Kaluzny in stride twenty yards behind the Golden Bear defense for an 85-yard touchdown pass.  The Peacocks added one more field goal from 26 yards away to claim a 19-7 lead with 3:38 to play in the third quarter.

UIU couldn't take advantage of their guest's turnovers as the game moved toward the final quarter.  Tom Nesvik intercepted a pass and returned it to the UIU 40-yard line, but the Peacock drive stalled at the Concordia 13-yard line and UIU missed the 30-yard field goal.  Two plays later, the Golden Bears fumbled and Leggett pounced on it to give the home team the ball back at the CU 20-yard line.  UIU went for it on 4th down and were stopped just inches from the goalline to turn the ball over on downs.  The Peacock defense was up to the challenge as Keaton Martin was blanketing his receiver and picked off a pass returning it all the way to the 9-yard line.  UIU scored the apparent insurance touchdown on a pass to the corner from Jaeschke to Gutman, but a penalty brought the score back and the Peacocks came up empty when a 23-yard field goal missed to the right.

Concordia took the ball at their own 20-yard line and went 80 yards in 7 plays and just a minute and thirty-three seconds to pull within one score, 19-14.  The CU touchdown came on a 27-yard pass from Spencer Ohm to Charles Gilbert.  Upper Iowa recovered the onside kick and nearly ended the game on a third down run by Chris Smith; Smith was taken down by a shoestring tackle on his way to the end zone.  The run did give UIU a first down at the 18-yard line and the Peacocks chased the clock down to 10 seconds to play before turning the ball over on fourth down at the 16-yard line.

The Golden Bears picked up a 22-yard completion as the clock stopped at 3 seconds to play.  Ohm dropped back on the final play from his own 38-yard line and after being chased from the pocket rolled to his left and threw the pigskin as far as he could toward the end zone.  Gilbert came down with the ball in a crowd of ten players and then stumbled and fell into the endzone as the ball crossed the goalline with no time remaining on the clock.

The shocking ending came with such a rush of silence and disbelief that players and fans alike just stood not knowing what to do or what to say.

Failure... can be so painful when it arrives just minutes or seconds before success.  But just like in life, we can not grow, learn and eventually succeed without failing.  The Peacock football program will succeed; and they will be able to look back at days like this as part of the process.

Upper Iowa (3-7, 2-7 NSIC) will play their final game of the season next week at North Fayette High School against the Vikings of Augustana at 1 p.m.

Today's Big Numbers:
Cole Jaeschke - 410 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception
Shay Gutman - 11 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown
Chris Smith - 118 yards rushing on 21 carries
Drew Kaluzny - 102 yards receiving and a touchdown
Lucas Hefty - 74 yards receiving
Tony Leggett - 12 tackles and a fumble recovery
Ethan Douglas - 9 tackles