USF gets commanding homecoming win over LTU, 56-7
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lawrence Tech (1-6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
|
Saint Francis (Ind.) (4-2) | 14 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 56 |
FORT WAYNE, IN – The University of Saint Francis Cougars (3-2) celebrated their homecoming game against the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils from Southfield, MI (1-5). Despite the rainy weather, both teams battled it out on the field. In the end, the Cougars emerged victorious in a commanding 56-7 win, delighting Cougar Nation with a memorable homecoming victory.
The Cougars' defense showcased its strength throughout the game, maintaining a relentless performance from start to finish. The tone for the match was set early when Emmanuel Davis sacked the LTU offense for an 8-yard loss. This rattled LTU and defined the Cougars' defensive dominance. LTU's first drive ended in a punt. On the offensive front, the Cougars started with a bang as Grant Gremel led a 6-play, 58-yard drive, culminating in a 27-yard touchdown pass to O'Vauntay Vickers at the 10:45 mark in the first quarter. A few punts followed, including a sack by Nate Talhelm. It wasn't until the 39-second mark that Gremel and Vickers connected again for a 31-yard touchdown, closing the first quarter with a 14-0 lead.
The second quarter continued the offensive display, with Gremel throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to Crosley MacEachen at the 14:42 mark. The Cougars kept the pressure on, adding another touchdown and forcing LTU to punt. The Cougars' offense then took control, with an 8-yard rushing touchdown by Cam Peterson, capping a 7-play drive that covered 35 yards, largely thanks to rushes by David Smith. To end the first half, the Cougars' defense made a crucial stop at the 2-yard line on fourth down, denying Lawrence Tech its first score of the day. The halftime score stood at 28-0.
As the game resumed, LTU mounted a smart offensive drive, advancing deep into USF territory. However, their hopes were dashed when they attempted a 35-yard field goal, which was partially blocked. The Cougars responded swiftly with another impressive play – Drew Wheat's 76-yard rushing touchdown, breaking tackles and reaching the endzone in just one play at the 7:01 mark of the third quarter, making it 35-0. Another punt followed, and the Cougar offense controlled the ball, eating up the clock from 5:33 to the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter saw the Cougars continue their offensive onslaught, adding 21 more points. Grant Gremel connected with Eli Patchett for a touchdown at 14:53, extending the lead to 42-0. Notably, Ryan Walsh contributed with a 2-yard rushing touchdown, closing a 12-play, 67-yard drive at the 7:29 mark. Ja'Suan Lambert also rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, ending a 6-play, 35-yard drive at the 2:22 mark, bringing the score to 56-0.
However, with some backup players in the game, the Blue Devils finally found a spark of life. Alex Osman completed a pass to Derrick Agurs, who raced 99 yards to the endzone, scoring their only touchdown of the game and making it 56-7. This marked the end of the game, with the Cougars emerging as the victorious team. That makes the 4th straight win for the cougars!
The Cougars will start game 1 on the 3-game NAIA-ranked gauntlet of teams starting with rival #5 Marian Knights out of Indianapolis, IN for the 19th annual francsican bowl. The game is set for 1:05 p.m. at St. Vincent Field.
Tickets can be bought here: https://muknights.com/sports/2023/7/12/hometown-ticketing.aspx
The live stream will be here (PPV) : https://www.iscsportsnetwork.com/marian-knights/season:9/videos/2023-cfb-st-francis-at-marian-10-21
Cougars fans can stay informed about upcoming events and game recaps by visiting saintfranciscougars.com or downloading the Saint Francis Cougars app.
