ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — Bethel University's football program opened the 2017 season in gut-wrenching fashion as the Royals fell to the University of Dubuque in double overtime by a score of 32-26.
BU grabbed a 20-15 lead with 7:37 remaining in the second quarter and added to their margin with a 26-yard field goal at the 5:19 mark in the third quarter, but the Spartans managed to send the game into overtime with a touchdown and two-point conversion with 11:14 remaining in regulation.
Bethel kicker
Blake Hottle delivered a clutch 37-yard field goal on 4th-and-14 in the first OT, but Dubuque responded with their own 28-yard kick. The Spartans then started the second overtime frame with a touchdown and failed PAT, but the Royals could not respond and suffered the nonconference loss as a result.
BU's offense put up 418 yards on 86 plays, which included 120 on the ground and 298 through the air.
Riley McCann led all rushers with 94 yards on 23 carries, while fullback
Levi Duininck posted six carries for 22 yards and one touchdown.
Sophomore quarterback
Jake Marsh finished 17-of-39 for 298 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. His primary target was senior
Bryce Marquardt, who caught six passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Eight others caught at least one pass throughout the contest. Marquardt's first touchdown reception helped him break Bethel's all-time record for career receiving touchdowns. He was tied with Jeremy Belisle at 25 prior to Saturday's pair of TD grabs.
Leading the Royals defensively was
Cale Ferrin, who wrapped up a game-high 19 tackles—seven assisted and 12 unassisted.
Drew Ragsdale and
Dawson Brown each tallied nine tackles, while Brown added 1.5 tackles for loss and one interception to his final stat line. In addition to Brown, cornerback
Brett Norling also posted an interception during Saturday's duel.
Blake Hottle was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts and 2-for-2 on PAT tries. He also blasted six kickoffs for 387 yards, averaging 64.0 yards per kick.
Bethel looks to rebound quickly when they travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin next Saturday for their final nonconference test of the regular season against Carthage College. The Royals dropped an 34-40 overtime heartbreaker to the Red Men one year ago.
