1 week Ago By Ryan Spitza
MOORHEAD — The Concordia College football team put forth a strong effort against Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Saturday, winning time of possession and outgaining the Blugolds both on the ground and through the air. But despite winning the statistical battle and picking up nine more first downs than the opposition, the Cobbers found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard. A go-ahead touchdown from Eau Claire's Sam Schradle with just more than two minutes remaining was ultimately enough to send the Blugolds to a 21-10 nonconference win over the Cobbers in the season opener for both teams at Alex Nemzek Stadium.
Schradle's 1-yard touchdown run with 2:04 remaining put the Blugolds ahead 14-10 before Peyton Erikson's 54-yard interception return off of quarterback Cooper Mattern on the ensuing Cobbers drive all but sealed the deal with 45 seconds remaining. "Too many penalties, we had opportunities to make plays and we didn't cash in," Concordia head coach Terry Horan said. "First game, there's a lot of things that happen in a first game.
There's a lot of things that throw a little adversity at us and how do you handle it? We just made too many mistakes to win this football game." The Cobbers out-possessed the Blugolds 31 minutes to 28 while also picking up 22 first downs to UW-Eau Claire's 13. Concordia also totaled 309 yards of offense to the visitor's 202.
The fourth quarter made all the difference. After Damien Silus' 32-yard field goal gave the Cobbers a 10-7 lead with 8:42 remaining, it was the Blugolds turning their next possession into a 12-play, 54-yard drive capped by Schradle's go-ahead touchdown run. The touchdown was set up by a pass interference penalty with Eau Claire facing a third-and-12 from the Concordia 20-yard line.
The flag came on what would have been an incomplete pass before the infraction moved the ball up to the 5-yard line. Schradle punched it in two plays later. Concordia drove to its own 48-yard line on the ensuing possession before Erikson's interception and touchdown return iced it.
"We're in the fourth quarter and that's our finish zone," Horan said. "And we just didn't do it. Still, we've got a strong crew in front of us and we've got great seniors.
This game is not going to define us." The teams were deadlocked 7-7 at the halftime break. UW-Eau Claire struck first when quarterback Harry Roubidoux connected with receiver Isaac Garside for a 31-yard touchdown pass with 7:04 remaining in the first quarter.
The score remained 7-0 until Mattern found Owen Miller for a 6-yard TD connection with 1:05 remaining in the first half. Mattern finished his day 23-of-40 passing for 271 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Miller led Cobbers receivers with eight receptions for 66 yards and a score.
On the ground, Concordia was paced by running back Jordan Summers with 57 yards on 15 carries. Roubidoux finished 23-of-36 passing for the Blugolds, throwing for 167 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Garside hauled in four receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown while Schradle led the Eau Claire ground attack with 45 yards on 10 carries to go with his touchdown.
Concordia finished with 241 net pass yards to UW-Eau Claire's 167. On the ground, the Cobbers finished with a net 68 yards rushing to the Blugolds' 35. Concordia (0-1) will continue its nonconference slate by traveling to Parkland, Washington to face Pacific Lutheran (0-0) on Saturday, Sept.
14 with kickoff set for 3 p.m. Central Time.
The Cobbers defeated the Lutes 26-21 at home last season. "The nonconference schedule prepares us for our league, no question about it," Horan said. "We've got two tough ones and now it gets tougher because we have to fly out .
.. and in the (Division III) world, we're not used to flying.
So there's all of those logistics too. "So we can't lick our wounds and feel sorry for ourselves. We've got to get back on the bus and get after it.
".
