COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - The No. 13/15 Bethel University football team waged another classic against rival No. 5/6 Saint John's University in Collegeville but came up just short by a 31-25 score. The first and second halves were very different but both saw the Johnnies hold a slight advantage on the scoreboard. The first half was a defensive war with SJU holding a slight 7-6 edge and the second was an offensive shootout with both teams using big plays and long drives but the Johnnies used a field goal and a pair of point after touchdown fails for the Royals to hold their six-point advantage.

The game started with a 25-yard kickoff return by senior defensive back Tavian Swanson setting BU up at the 37-yard line. The Royals then used a trio of third and long conversions with quarterback Jaran Roste finding freshman receivers Joey Kidder, Micah Niewald and Gabe Ante to get inside the red zone. Facing a fourth and four, Roste found running back Bryce Kunkle out of the backfield for a 19-yard connection as Kunkle was able to find his way down the sideline and into the endzone for a 6-0 lead. The extra point was no good, the first such miss of the season for Bethel and freshman kicker Jack Hanson.

The Johnnies first possession was ended after six plays by a Nate Farm interception on a deflected pass with Farm returning it 23 yards to the BU 44. The Royals would go three-and-out however and both teams would punt on their next two possessions with just one first down gained as both defenses were stout. The Royals were forced to punt for a third time with 12:26 remaining in the second quarter when the Johnnies were able to go on a 16-play, 77-yard drive that was finished with a touchdown pass on third and goal from the 12-yard line by Aaron Syverson to wide receiver Ravi Alston. The preseason All-American would finish with 159 yards on 11 catches for SJU. The extra point was good to give the Johnnies a 7-6 lead that would carry into halftime.

The second half was a very different story than the first with both offenses having tremendous success in sustaining drives and producing big plays. SJU struck first with a field goal to make it 10-6 after their first possession. Saint John's was then able to force the Royals to punt and a mishandled snap gave the Johnnies a short field to work with. SJU needed four plays to cover the 31 yards and the extra point gave the Johnnies a 17-6 lead. The Royals responded however with a 7-play, 71-yard drive sparked by a pair of Roste to Kidder connections for 26 and 35 yards respectively. Roste then ran over a couple SJU defenders and was near the goal line when a Johnnie latched onto his facemask and ripped his helmet off with Roste still able to plow forward and into the endzone. By rule however the play was blown dead when the ball carriers helmet came off, giving the Royals a first and goal from the one instead of the touchdown. On the following play Aaron Ellingson took a pitch from Roste and easily trotted into the end zone but BU's two-point conversion attempt failed, making the score 17-12.

The Johnnies used a 7-play, 71-yard drive to bring their lead back up to 24-12 with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter. BU responded with their own 71-yard touchdown drive on eight plays with Roste once again showcasing his power as he plowed multiple SJU defenders on his way into the endzone from four yards out. The extra point was good and the score stood at 24-17 with 12 minutes remaining.
 
On the ensuing kickoff an illegal block on the Johnnies backed them up, starting at their own 8-yard line. SJU however would cover those 92-yards in seven plays and three minutes and 33 seconds to extend their lead to 31-17. A three-and-out by both teams would give the Royals the ball back with just under six minutes remaining.  On a fourth and four from the 42-yard line Roste found an uncovered Joey Kidder streaking down the middle of the field and Kidder was able to get himself into the endzone for a 58-yard touchdown bringing the Royals back within one score at 31-25 as the extra point knocked off the upright. The Royals would not get the ball back however as SJU used 10 plays to run out the remaining five minutes on the clock converting once on a third and four and once on a fourth and one to seal the game.
 
The Royals (2-1, 0-1, 0-0) will now turn their attention to another cross-division MIAC matchup next Saturday when they host (RV) Gustavus Adolphus College (3-0, 1-0, 0-0) for homecoming at 1 p.m. in Royal Stadium. The MIAC's new divisional setup has the Royals at 0-1 in the MIAC but still 0-0 in the Skyline division. SJU is 1-0 in the MIAC but also 0-0 in their Northwoods division.