UW-Stout 28, Gustavus Adolphus 25
SAINT PETER, MINN. –
Sean Borgerding found
Levy Hamer for a 62-yard touchdown strike with 15 seconds left in the game to give the Blue Devils a 28-25 win over Gustavus Adolphus Saturday afternoon at Hollingsworth Field.
UW-Stout (1-1) trailed Gustavus Adolphus (1-1) 25-20 late in the fourth quarter as the Golden Gusties tried to run out the clock. The Blue Devil defense forced a punt and Stout took over with 54 seconds remaining. The Blue Devils were down to their last play, facing a fourth and 2 on their own 38 with just seconds left on the clock when Borgerding found Hamer for the game winner.
Hammer finished the game with five receptions for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Borgerding was 16 of 27 for 299 yards, four scores and an interception. He added 51 rushing yards.
UW-Stout started slow going three-and-out after Gustavus scored on the opening drive, going 79 yards in just six plays.
After forcing a Gustavus punt, Stout had a goal to go situation following a 43-yard run by
Matt Pomietlo, but Borgerding's pass was intercepted at the one yard line.
Gustavus took just four plays to go 99 yards and quickly led 12-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Blue Devils got a huge 31-yard kickoff return from
Arthur Cox to turn the momentum in Stout's favor. Four plays later, Borgerding found Hamer for a 25-yard score to cut the Gusties lead to just 12-6.
Stout had an impressive drive to close out the first half. The Blue Devils moved the ball from their own 28 to the Gustavus 17-yard line with just 12 seconds left. Stout looked to set up a FG attempt but Cox broke a couple of tackles on a screen pass to race down the sideline to score and head into halftime trailing 19-13.
Cox had five catches for 59 yards and added 20 yards rushing.
The defenses tightened up in the second half, as both teams, had a hard time sustaining drives as they traded punts.
Gustavus was finally able to move the ball as they drove 76 yards on nine plays to extend their lead to 25-13.
Stout responded a couple of possessions later when Borgerding connected with Hamer on a 63-yard pass to cut the GAC lead to 25-20 heading into the final quarter.
The Stout defense forced a turnover on downs deep inside their own territory and then forced a punt with a minute left to set up Hamer's heroic's.
Stout finished the game with 410 total yards of offense. Defensively, the Blue Devils had 13 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Mack Klafter had 10 total tackles, 4.5 TFL's and a sack.
Cannon Griner added eight solo and two assisted tackles
The Blue Devils will host Crown College, Saturday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m. for the home opener.
