NORTHFIELD, Minn. - The Bethel University Royals were able to take an MIAC cross division contest from St. Olaf College by a 35-14 score on a perfect fall day in Northfield. The Royals were able to overcome four turnovers on the day, Bethel entered with just six all season, by totaling 476 yards of total offense and forcing four turnovers of their own while turning the Oles over on downs four times as well. St. Olaf also missed a pair of field goal attempts. Bethel jumped out to a 28-0 lead early in the third quarter before the Oles scored a pair of touchdowns to make things interesting but the Royals put together a big drive mid-way through the fourth to stop the Oles momentum. Bryce Kunkle capped off four Bethel drives with touchdown runs while Jaran Roste scored the other BU touchdown.
The Royals forced a quick three-and-out on St. Olaf's opening possession but Bethel dropped a pass and then fumbled on their first two plays of the game giving STO the ball at the Bethel 30-yard line. The defense again stopped the Oles and a 44-yard field goal attempt was missed badly. From there the Royals marched down the field with a mixture of run and pass before Bryce Kunkle plowed in from seven yards out for his first touchdown. Defensive lineman David Brandt then picked off a St. Olaf pass on third down, returning it to the St. Olaf 20-yard line. Five plays later Kunkle went into the end zone again for a 14-0 lead with 3:17 remaining in the first quarter.
The Oles were able to pick up a pair of first downs on their third possession but the drive stalled with the first of four fourth down stops for the Royals, giving BU the ball at the Bethel 27-yard line. On a fourth and 15 play for Bethel, Roste was able to spin away from a pair of pass rushers, juke another one and launched a pass downfield to Aaron Ellingson who went up and outjumped an Ole defender coming down in the end zone with the ball. The play was all for not however as a holding call brought it back and the Royals were forced to punt. The Oles muffed the ensuing punt with Bethel covering it, but kick catch interference was called on Bethel allowing STO to maintain possession. The Oles would go three-and-out though before punting and from there the Royals went on another long touchdown drive. The highlight of the drive was a backwards lateral from Roste to Aaron Ellingson, a former high school quarterback now playing receiver, who launched a perfect pass down to Joey Kidder for 25 yards to the three-yard line. Kunkle again took it in from three yards out and a 21-0 Bethel lead which would remain the score at the half.
The second half started similar to the first for Bethel as they would fumble the opening kickoff giving St. Olaf great field position. The Bethel defense was up to the challenge though, stopping the Oles and forcing a field goal from 24-yards out which was missed once again. After the missed field goal, just like the first half, the Bethel offense marched right down the field with a mix of pass and run for a seven play, 80-yard touchdown drive. A Roste to Micah Niewald connection of 42-yards was the big play of the drive with Roste carrying the ball across the goal line on a QB sneak. Hugo Cifuentes connected on the extra point for the 28-0 lead with 9:22 remaining.
The Oles would pick up a pair of first downs, one on a fourth and seven. But the next fourth down they faced, the Royals defense held, turning the ball over on downs at the Bethel 25-yard line. A Roste to Joey Kidder connection for 18-yards was followed by a deep pass to Micah Niewald that was batted into the air and intercepted by St. Olaf. The Oles used the spark and connected on a 50-yard pass to set them up at the three-yard line. The MIAC's leading rusher, Jordan Embry, then carried it in to get the Oles on the board at 28-7. St. Olaf attempted an onside kick but Joey Kidder was ready and was able to deflect the bouncing ball out of bounds to give Bethel possession. The offense needed five plays to give themselves a first down inside the Oles five yard line but on third and four a Roste pass was intercepted and returned 99-yards for a touchdown. The extra point was good and the Oles had cut the Bethel lead in half at 28-14 with 12:51 remaining.
The Oles used their momentum to setup a third and 11 for the Royals on their ensuing possession but Roste found Kunkle on a perfectly setup screen pass for a 24-yard gain. From there the Royals continued marching. Roste would find Aaron Ellingson for 28-yards down to the St. Olaf five yard line and the Royals would not be denied this time as Kunkle carried the ball into the endzone for the fourth time and the 35-14 lead.
The Royals defense then turned the Oles over on their next two possessions with a sack on fourth and twelve and then a Matt Feldick interception, allowing BU to take a knee to run out the remaining clock.
Roste threw for 307 yards, completing 21 of 29 passes, and ran for 58 more yards while Kunkle totaled 73 yards on 16 carries and the four touchdowns. Micah Niewald was the leading receiver for Bethel with six catches for 107 yards. Aaron Ellingson had seven catches for 88 yards and Joey Kidder had five catches for 84 yards.
The Bethel defense recorded three sacks, six tackles for loss, two pass breakups and two interceptions as well as two fumble recoveries. Safeties Matt Feldick and Nate Farm teamed up for 21 tackles while Farm had two pass breakups and Feldick had two fumble recoveries and an interception. Defensive tackle Aidan Thomas had two sacks and a forced fumble.
The win improves the No. 14/15-ranked Royals to 7-1 on the season, 5-1 in the MIAC and they remain 3-0 in the MIAC Skyline division. St. Olaf falls to 4-4 and 3-3 on the year. The Royals will take on Augsburg University (4-4, 4-2, 2-1) at Royal Stadium next Saturday in the final Skyline Division game. A win for the Royals will put them in the MIAC championship game the following week, also held at Royal Stadium.
