Box Score
Box Score
The Upper Iowa football team had everything going their way in the fourth quarter of tonight's season opener at Bemidji State University, but in the final minutes the home team snatched a victory and sent UIU home with a two-point loss, 25-23.
Bemidji State took a 19-7 lead into halftime and neither team scored in the third quarter, but Upper Iowa found their momentum in the fourth and battled back to take a late lead. Sixteen unanswered points by the Peacocks in the fourth set the road team up with a 23-19 lead with 2:28 to play. After a pair of touchdown grabs by
Lucas Hefty and a 35-yard field goal from
Steven Sandoval, UIU took their lead on a 19-yard hookup from
Cole Jaeschke to
Shay Gutman. A two-point attempt failed which left the margin at four.
Bemidji State wasn't done though; the Beavers drove 75 yards in just 1:44 to score a go-ahead touchdown. The Peacocks had one last shot at the win, but a miscue on a 46-yard field goal spelled the end for Upper Iowa's hunt for an opening day win.
On offense, Jaeschke completed 18 of 22 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns, while
Ray Bradley ran for 128 yards on 17 carries. Hefty pulled in 9 catches for 98 yards, while Gutman had 26 receiving yards and the Peacocks' final score.
Defensively,
Ethan Douglas and
Tony Leggett each recorded 12 tackles from their linebacking position.
Ethan Saunders and
Jordan Andera both added 8 stops apiece; Saunders picked up 2 sacks on the night as well.
Jeff Arends registered 7 tackles and recovered a fumble.
The team stats were very even for the teams except to categories. Bemidji State converted 14 of 19 third down opportunities, while Upper iowa made the first down yardage on 5 of their 13 chances. Thanks to such a high conversion rate, the Beavers were able to keep the ball for 33:47 and limit the Peacocks' offensive opportunities.
Now Upper Iowa will have to turn their sites on the Huskies of St. Cloud State University, who were defeated in their opener, 32-19, by Sioux Falls. The Peacocks and Huskies will tee it up for kickoff at 6 p.m. under the lights at the newly transformed Harms-Eischeid Stadium. The grand opening of the stadium will take place at 3:00 p.m. next Saturday, Sept. 8, prior to the program's first home night game.
