No. 24 Cougars Fall Short in Season Opener Against No. 20 Tigers
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#20 Campbellsville (Ky.) (1-0) | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
|
#24 Saint Francis (Ind.) (0-1) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The No. 24 University of Saint Francis Cougars' late rally fell short in a 31-28 season-opening loss to No. 20 Campbellsville University on Saturday, August 30, at Bishop John M. D'Arcy Stadium.
Campbellsville jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind Tre' Bass, who scored on a 3-yard run in the first quarter and later hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jett Engle. Saint Francis responded before halftime as Joshua Kulka connected with Adjaye Dandridge on a 4-yard strike to cut the deficit in half.
The Tigers extended their lead in the third quarter with a 23-yard touchdown pass and a 28-yard scoring run to make it 28-7. Braylen Gillard answered for the Cougars with a seven-yard touchdown run late in the third to keep the game within reach.
After a Campbellsville field goal pushed the score to 31-14 early in the fourth, the Cougars mounted their comeback. Kulka and Dandridge paired up again on a one-yard touchdown pass with 10:09 remaining, and Gillard capped a 74-yard drive with his second rushing score from one yard out at the 1:42 mark. The Cougars would get no closer as Campbellsville held on for the win.
The Cougars finished with 437 total yards of offense. Kulka led the Saint Francis offense, completing 37-of-52 passes for 389 yards and two touchdowns. Adam Smith was his top target, hauling in 10 catches for 173 yards, while Dandridge added five receptions for 29 yards and two scores. Gillard carried seven times for 21 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Tamarris Springfield posted six tackles, including three tackles for a loss of 15 yards, a pass break-up and an interception. Wyatt Penney also came away with an interception, while Elijah Hunter contributed six solo tackles.
For Campbellsville, Engle went 20-of-41 for 253 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Bass rushed 16 times for 75 yards and a score while adding a receiving touchdown. Roland Hazard Jr. caught five passes for 85 yards to lead the Tigers' receiving corps.
Saint Francis football (0-1) will look to bounce back next weekend when the Cougars return home to face Sienna Heights University at 1:00 p.m.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,800 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.
