ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The No. 10 Bethel University football team bounced back in big way with a 56-10 victory over previously unbeaten St. Olaf on a gorgeous fall Saturday at Royal Stadium. The game was tight early on, tied 7-7 until late into the second quarter, before Bethel scored three touchdowns in the final six minutes of the first half, and then tacked on four more touchdowns in the third quarter to build their lead to 56-7. The Royals showed their offensive balance once again, rushing for 300 yards, while passing for 263 more. The Bethel defense stuffed the Oles to the tune of just 196 total yards, 83 on the ground for St. Olaf who entered averaging 233 yards rushing per game.
 


The Royals took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards on eight plays, scoring on a spectacular 37-yard run by sophomore quarterback Jaran Roste. The Oles threw three incomplete passes on their first possession and the Bethel offense started marching again. Bethel faced a fourth and three from the St. Olaf 17 yard line and freshman kicker Bjorn Charles successfully kicked a 34 yard field goal but the Royals were called for an illegal hands to the face penalty, setting up a fourth and 18 from the 32. The Royals chose to go for it and a Roste pass just fell incomplete giving the Oles the ball back and a momentum boost. St. Olaf was able to complete three passes for 16, 10 and 42 yards for a touchdown and a 7-7 tie. A holding penalty stalled the Royals next drive but Roste was able to pin the Oles with a 43-yard punt downed at the Oles two yard line. St. Olaf was able to give themselves some room, gaining a pair of first downs before being forced to punt. Bethel's next drive would be a seven play, 65 yard touchdown drive capped off by junior running back Sam Gibas' five yard run. The Oles went three-and-out and Bethel took back over and scored quickly after a five play drive. Roste hooked up with wideout Drew Larsen from 22 yards out for the senior's eighth touchdown catch of the season. Bjorn Charles' extra point made it 21-7 with 2:55 left in the half.
 
The Royals weren't done scoring though in the first half as the defense quickly picked off Oles quarterback Prestemon. Senior safety Cale Ferrin caught the Oles pass and returned it 27 yards to the St. Olaf 20 yard line with 1:27 remaining. A Roste three yard run followed by a pass to Jon Pytlak for 15 yards put the ball at the two yard line where Gibas punched it in for the second time and a 28-7 lead.
 
The Oles took over with 28 seconds remaining and on the final play of the half Nathaniel Hanson sacked Prestemon for a five yard loss. The sack was the first allowed this season by St. Olaf as ironically the Oles and Royals entered Saturday's game as the only two teams in NCAA DIII football to not allow a sack on the season. Bethel was able to complete the game without allowing a sack as the Royals are now the only team without a tally in that category.
 
The third quarter was all Bethel. The Oles opening drive was a three-and-out and after just a 19 yard punt Bethel took over near midfield. The Royals first play was a 47 yard catch and run by tight end Grant Friedlein for the touchdown. The Oles next drive was stopped on fourth and three at the Bethel 30 yard line and the Royals went 70 yards on eight plays to score again. Bethel used a mixture of run and pass on the drive with Roste first busting a 36 yard run and then later finding Larsen for 23 yards down to the St. Olaf one yard line. Mike Delich finished the drive off with a one yard touchdown run and a 42-7 lead.
 
After another three and out for St. Olaf, the Royals gave the Oles a taste of Sid Boros and his big play ability in their next two drives. Punt returner Nic Jones set the Royals up near midfield with a 12 yard punt return and from there it was all Boros. The sophomore carried the ball back-to-back for 27 yards and then for the final 25 for a touchdown. On the first play of Bethel's next drive, Boros popped another long run, this time a 72-yard touchdown run to put the Royals up 56-7 with 48 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
 
The Royals would go scoreless in the fourth quarter while St. Olaf kicked a 29-yard field goal with six minutes remaining for the final 56-10 score.
 
The Bethel defense shut down the MIAC's leading rusher heading into the day as St. Olaf senior Khayleb Willis, averaging 116.2 yards per game, ran for just 59 yards on 15 carries. The Oles quarterback, Prestemon, entered the game with a 60% completion percentage but went just 5-17 for 87 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
 
Meanwhile the Royals offense was led by Roste as the dual threat ran for 99 yards on 11 carries and threw for 247, going 17-24 with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Boros was the Royals leading rusher on just four carries, totaling 131 yards and two touchdowns. In Boros two games against Northfield, Minnesota schools, Carleton and St. Olaf, he has totaled 233 yards rushing on just nine carries and four touchdowns, an average of 25 yards per carry. For the season, Boros is averaging over 13 yards per carry.
 
Sam Gibas contributed 44 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns on the ground. Drew Larsen led the receivers with six catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. Freidlein also totaled 88 yards from his tight end position on just four catches and a touchdown.
 
Bjorn Charles was once again perfect on the PAT attempts, going 8-8. On the season Charles is now a perfect 30-30.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, Delich was the Royals leading tackler with six stops. Nathaniel Hanson had five tackles including the sack. Safety Cale Ferrin had four tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. Cornerback Tavian Swanson had three solo tackles and four pass breakups. In all the Royals totaled six tackles for losses of 21 yards.
 
Both teams now stand at 5-1 overall and 3-1 on the season. The Royals will travel up to Moorhead, Minnesota next Saturday to take on the Concordia College Cobbers. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Jake Christiansen Stadium.