MINNEAPOLIS – With a spot in the MIAC Championships on the line, big plays and last second dramatics led the No. 9th ranked Bethel University football team to a 30-27 victory at Augsburg.
The Auggies scored with 31 seconds left making it 28-27 after an 11-play drive over a 3:42 span. Augsburg lined up for a two-point conversion where freshman corner
Devin Williams picked it off in the endzone running it all the way to the other side for the two-point touchdown.
BU recovered the onside kick moments later allowing the offense to go into victory formation.
Bethel took full advantage of the ground game rushing for 240 yards, 170 of which came in each half. They threw for 123 yards while the Auggies went for 279 in the air and 149 on the ground.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Half
• Augsburg set the tone for the first half using a 14-play, 75-yard opening drive that ended with a 22-yard touchdown reception.
• The Royals responded with a 5:40 drive on its first offensive opportunity. Marching down to the 25, BU pulled out the halfback option trick pass.
Aaron Ellingson moved in motion from right to left getting the initial throw from
Jaran Roste behind the line of scrimmage. Ellingson then found a wide-open
Joey Kidder at the pylon.
• BU's defense got a stop as the Auggies 42-yard field goal had the distance but went wide right.
• Facing fourth-and-short Roste called his own number for a 19-yard pick up on the ground and marched into Augsburg territory with 10:46 left in the half. A few plays later the Royals were faced with fourth-and-seventh. Going for it, Roste found Kidder down the seam who caught it as he was entering the endzone for another 25-yard TD reception.
• The Auggies tied it up at 14 all with an 11-play, 76-yard drive with 4:02 to go.
• Bui had its lone three-and-out of the day as Roste sent away the game's lone punt.
2nd Half
• After
Jaran Roste sustained an injury in the first half,
George Bolt led the Bethel offense to a score on its opening possession of the third quarter. Bolt connected with
Micah Niewald for a 28-yard connection on third down.
• The drive was capped out by a 16-yard scamper into the endzone by
Bryce Kunkle.
• Augsburg knotted it up at 21-21 on the ensuing drive which lasted 6:31 and went for 75-yard on 15 plays.
• Kunkle ran in for his second touchdown of the day, this one from four yards out, giving BU a one-score lead with 37 seconds left in the third.
• The Auggies marched down the field as a big play moved them into the red zone. Two plays later BU came up with what was the biggest play of the game to that point where
Anthony Hockett picked off the Auggies' QB seven yards deep in the endzone with 11:03 left.
• The Royals would turn it over on downs on their next drive as Kunkle was stopped just short of the line to gain on a 4th-and-1 play.
• Coming down to the final drive of the game Augsburg moved into striking distance with an incredible 30-yard catch where the Auggie receiver caught it off the back of a Bethel defender.
• From there a five-yard rush by the Augsburg QB Cade Sheehan pulled them within one.
KEY PERFORMERS
Offense
•
Bryce Kunkle – 18 carries, 109 yards, 2 TDs
•
David Geebli – 13 carries, 84 yards
•
Joey Kidder – 2 catches, 50 yards, 2 TDs
Defense
•
Matthew Feldick – career-high 16 tackles, 11 solo, 2 QB hurries
•
Nate Farm – 9 tackles
GAME NOTES
• Bethel won the toss, for the first time since the Saint John's game (9/24) and deferred its choice to the second half. BU is now 3-1 in games where they lose the toss.
• The Royals were whistled for no penalties marking the first time since the NCAA Playoff game at Wisconsin-Whitewater game on December 1, 2018 where BU didn't have a penalty called against them.
• Now on a seven-game winning streak, that mark ties as the longest since 2013.
• It was the fourth game this season decided by seven points or less and third decided by three points. That is the most in one season since 2012. Since 2000, the Royals are 36-25 in games decided by less than seven points.
• The game's first penalty did not come until the 14:23 mark of the fourth quarter as Augsburg was whistled for a false start.
•
Anthony Hockett's interception was the third of his career and it was the second red zone interception of the year by the Royals defense.
•
Aaron Ellingson's halfback option touchdown pass was the first of his career. He is now 2-of-3 passing all-time.
UP NEXT
The MIAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Playoffs is on the line as Bethel travels to Collegeville Saturday, Nov. 12 taking on Saint John's for the MIAC Championship. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
