Just not Stout's night, Blue Devils fall in season opener

Wartburg College 27, UW-Stout 0

WAVERLY, Iowa (September 10, 2022) - Wartburg College took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, extended the lead to 24-0 at halftime and went on to a 27-0 win in UW-Stout's season opener Saturday evening at Walston-Hoover Stadium.

After stopping Stout on three plays in the opening drive, Wartburg moved down the field but was stopped at the Stout 6, where they booted a 24-yard field goals four minutes into the game.

Stout threatened on their next drive after Arthur Cox (Sr, Dixon, Ill) returned the kickoff 24 yards to the Stout 33. Quarterback Sean Borgerding (Sr, Spring Valley) moved the ball inside the red zone, only to suffer his first interception of the season. Wartburg would score late in the first quarter when Nile McLaughlin hit Ben Bryant for a 46-yard score with 1:17 left in the period. 

The Blue Devils' Patrick Corcoran (So, Mindoro) returned the ensuing kickoff 18 yards to the Wartburg 31. Borgerding hit Cox for a 22-yard pass play on second done, but three plays later, Borgerding was interception again.

Wartburg scored in the second period on a 3-yard run by Hunter Clasen at 5:33 and, three minutes later, Bryant ran in from the 2, with 2:17 left and carried a 24-0 lead into halftime.

Stout would make a few forays into Wartburg's territory in the second half, but couldn't make any head way. Wartburg booted a 21-yard field goal late in the fourth period to close out the scoring.

Stout collected 257 yards of total offense, 186 through the air, 71 on the ground. Borgerding completed 23 of 44 passes for 186 yards, but was intercepted twice and was sacked five times. Cox hauled in eight passes for 81 yards. Parker Fossum (Sr, Chatfield, Minn) had five catches for 28 yards and Levy Hamer (Sr, Chicago, Ill) recorded four receptions for 38 yards. Matt Pomietlo (So, Chippewa Falls) carried 10 times for 45 yards. 

Wartburg finished with 364 yards of total offense, 182 passing, 182 rushing. McLaughlin completed 16 of 30 passes for 182 yards and a TD. Carter Henry had four receptions for 55 yards. Bryant had two catches for 64 yards and a TD. Hunter Clasen carried the ball 14 times for 70 yards and a score and Bricen White carried 11 times for 66 yards. 

Defensively, Cannon Griner (Jr, Mesa, Ariz) had nine tackles, with one solo. Mack Klafter (So, Mesa, Ariz) had eight tackles, five solo. 

The Blue Devils will be at Gustavus Adolpus College, Saturday, Sept. 17 at 1 p.m.