ST. PAUL, Minn. – Dominant on both sides of the ball, the Bethel University football team opened up the Mike McElroy era with a 49-3 win at Northwestern on a muggy Saturday evening under the lights.
 
Meeting for the first time since 1991, the Royals built a 42-0 lead before the break in front of a crowd of 2,439 at Reynolds Field. Bethel (1-0) had a balanced attack of 239 yards on the ground and 235 yards through the air for a total of 474 offensive yards. On the defensive side of the ball, BU held Northwestern (1-1) to just 84 yards of offense on 53 plays. UNW had -54 rushing yards while throwing for 138 while Matt Jung picked up both of the Royals interceptions.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Half
• The Royals wasted no time getting on the scoreboard only needing 2:07 to score on their opening drive. Aaron Ellingson strutted in from 14 yards out, capping a six-play, 65-yard drive putting Bethel up 7-0 after the PAT from Hugo Cifuentes.
• The offense was back on the field 14 seconds later as Jung picked off the UNW QB on the first play of the drive, setting up the Royals at the Eagles' 26-yard line.
• BU turned it over on downs on its second drive of the game but three plays later it was Jung again picking off a deep pass at midfield.
• Ellingson notched his second rushing touchdown of the game, punching it in from one yard out making it 14-0 with 1:54 left in the first.
• The Royals got one more score before the first break as sophomore and Saint John's transfer Cooper Drews tallied his first collegiate passing touchdown connecting with Ethan Sailer in the flat for a six-yard touchdown reception.
• Less than two minutes into the second David Geebli got in on the scoring action scampering in from seven yards out. After the Bethel defense forced a punt, Riley Gritz got his first score of the season rushing into the end zone from two yards out after five straight carries.
• Bethel went into the half up 42-0 as Ellingson tied his single-game high three rushing touchdowns 1:56 left in the half.
 
2nd Half
• Joey Kidder had BU's lone score in the second half as Drews found Kidder in the back of the end zone from four yards out on the Royals' opening drive of the half.
• Bethel's defense held strong forcing three punts and getting a pair of turnovers on downs, in the final 30 minutes.
•  The Eagles denied BU of a shutout by connecting on a 26-yard field goal with 4:58 left in the game.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Offense
• Cooper Drews – 21-of-26, 205 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Joey Kidder – 8 receptions for 105 yards, 1 touchdown
• Aaron Ellingson – 12 rushes for 96 yards, 3 touchdowns

Defense
• Matt Jung – 5 tackles, 2 interceptions
• Eli McKown – 5 tackles
 
GAME NOTES
• Northwestern won the toss and elected to kick.
• Giving up 84 total yards, it's the fewest yards given up since Nov. 2, 2019 when BU held Hamline to 39 total yards. The -54 rushing yards is the fewest given up by Bethel since at least 2004 when game-by-game stat reports began becoming available.
• Joey Kidder notched his 27th career receiving touchdown. He is now two shy of tying the Royals' all-time record held by Bryce Marquardt (2013-17). It's also Kidder's 11th career game with 100-plus receiving yards.
• BU held a 30:45-29:15 time of possession advantage.
• The defense did now allow a single third down conversion as UNW went 0-for-12.
 
UP NEXT
The Royals return to Arden Hills hosting Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
 
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