(Ann Arbor, MI) Concordia football held right with Saint Francis (USF) through the first half, but the fourth-ranked Cougars showed why they are one of top teams in the nation. USF scored 28 point in the third quarter going on to win 44-6. Brayden Bennet connected for a field goal in each of the first two quarters to account for the Cardinals scoring.
Saint Francis came into the game as the second ranked offense in the MSFA Mideast league and played to their averages. The Cougars totaled nearly 500 yards of offense evenly split with 247 coming through the air and 248 on the ground. The Cougars were led by QB, Nick Ferrer 19-33, 225 yards, 1 TD and WR Seth Coate 4 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD while three running backs rushed for over 50 yards individually.
The Cardinals threw for 128 and ran for 153 for 281 total yards. Tyler Fehler (JR/Fruitport, MI) completed 10 of 24 passes and gained 65 rushing yards. Joe Conner (SO/Flat Rock, MI) led the ground attack with 81 yards and Roderick Dailey (SO/Detroit, MI) had five catches for 84 yards. Nick Holshoe (SR/Hopkins, MI) had another solid game for Concordia leading all players with 12 total tackles (5 solo).
The Cardinals got on the board first scoring on their initial drive. Fehler and the offense worked down the field going 69 yards on 13 plays before being halted on the SFU 4. Bennet chipped a 22-yard field goal to give Concordia an early 3-0 lead that held into the second quarter.
The Cougars tied the game with a field goal at 11:26 and then took the lead on a touchdown less than two minutes later following a Cardinal turnover. Joe Conner responded with two loud touches going for 20 yards and 9 yards to put Concordia in SFU territory. Bennett's second field goal of the game went through the uprights from 38 yards out to cap the drive and set up a 6-10 halftime score.
Saint Francis controlled all the momentum in the second half showing why the NAIA top 25 coaches' poll has ranked the Cougars fourth in the nation. The Cougars scored three times in the first ten minutes after the break and added a fourth before the end of the third quarter to go up 38-6.
The Cardinals looked to be ready to score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter before being turned over on downs. Herman Mason (JR/Lansing, MI) had a big catch for 13 yards and then Fehler scrambled for 13 by himself to get Concordia to the SFU 38. On 4th and 6 the junior quarter back hit Roderick Dailey in stride for 25 yards and 1st and goal. However, the Cougar defense came together for a four play stand and forced an incomplete pass from Fehler to take over possession.
The defeat is the first time the Cardinals have lost consecutive games this season and drops their record to 4-3 (MSFA Mideast 1-1). Concordia will look to break the skid next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. with a home league contest with Taylor University. The Trojans will enter the contest with a 3-5 record overall and 1-3 in the MSFA Mideast League.
