ST. PETER, Minn. – After jumping out to a 24-6 halftime lead, the No. 12th-ranked Bethel University football team held off a second half comeback from Gustavus Adolphus. The Gusties three second-half touchdowns forced the defense to make one final stop with 2:26 to go. BU forced four straight incompletions allowing the offense to go in victory formation for a 30-27 win.
Senior quarterback
Jaran Roste had a career day throwing for 359 yards. His 28-of-43 passing included a pair of touchdowns in the first half. Sophomore wide receiver
Micah Niewald tied the program single-game record with 15 receptions while gaining 192 receiving yards. He ties Eric Runyan's 15 against St. Olaf during the 1997 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Half
• The Royals put points on the board on four of their five drives in the first half.
•
Hugo Cifuentes put Bethel on the board first with a 32-yard field goal on the Royals opening drive.
• BU's lead reached double digits on a 10-play 95-yard drive over a 4:52 span as Roste connected with Niewald for a 16-yard touchdown reception.
• The defense forced another Gustie punt before the end of the first quarter where BU produced 111 yards of offense.
• A 37-yard snag by a sideline tip-toeing
Joey Kidder set up
Bryce Kunkle for a seven-yard rushing touchdown that put the Royals up 17-0.
• GAC responded with a touchdown of its own before a two-point conversion failed.
• With 58 seconds before the break Roste had his second passing TD of the day with a 28-yard reception for
Aaron Ellingson's third TD of the season.
• BU out gained GAC 310-147 in the first half where Niewald had 10 of his receptions for 121 yards.
2nd Half
• Coming into today the Royals had only surrendered 14 points in the third quarter all season. After both teams punted on their second-half opening drives, GAC began its comeback efforts with touchdowns on back-to-back drives.
• In between those Gustie drives, Cifuentes added a pair of field goals nailing a 28-yarder with 9:15 to go in the third followed by a 27-yard field goal with 41 seconds left in the quarter.
• The Gusties had one more explosive play cutting the BU lead to three with 5:50 remaining on 48-yard touchdown reception.
KEY PERFORMERS
Offense
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Jaran Roste – 28-of-43, 359 yards (career-high) 2 TDs
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Aaron Ellingson – 5 catches, 67 yards, TD, 40 yards after catch
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Micah Niewald – 15 catches (career-high, single-game record), 192 yards, TD, 39 yards after catch
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Bryce Kunkle – 21 carries, 70 yards, TD
Defense
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Matthew Feldick– 6 tackles, 1 pass breakup
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David Brandt – 3 tackles, 2 sacks for 12 yards
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Hunter Pratt – 1 sack for 11 yards
Special Teams
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Hugo Cifuentes – 3-for-3 FGs, 3 extra points
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Aaron Ellingson – 2 kickoff returns, 59 yards
GAME NOTES
• Bethel loss the toss for the first time this season. GAC deferred its choice to the second half.
• The Royals now hold the longest winning streak in the series at 13-games dating back to 2009.
• Four different players recorded a sack as BU tallied five sacks for the second straight week. The Royals have recorded a sack now in 10 straight games.
• For the second straight week and third time this year, Bethel's offensive line did not allow a sack. Through the last 38 games the O-line has not allowed a sack in 22 of them.
• Cifuentes' 3-for-3 day in field goals marks a career-high in makes. Dating back to at least 1998, it is the most field goals made in a game by a BU kicker.
UP NEXT
Bethel returns to Arden Hills, Minn. for Homecoming weekend where they host Hamline inside Royal Stadium at 1 p.m.
