#25-ranked Spartans Suffer Road Loss at Luther
Sep 23, 2017
DECORAH, Iowa - The University of Dubuque #25-ranked football team suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday, when the host Luther College Norse scored in the final minute to take their first lead of the afternoon and held on to the 21-17 victory.
UD entered the game ranked #25 in the 2017 AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top-25 Poll for week #1. UD received 186 points to claim the spot and was the lone Iowa Conference school to be ranked by the coaches. The defensive effort by both teams left UD with a 7-0 lead at the half. Maurece Herrion broke open a 68 yard run to score UD's only second half touchdown.
The Spartans had the ball on Luther's three yard line with 4:35 left in the game and scored a field goal from the 20 on a Brayden Neuendorf kick. Luther rallied and put together a 10 play, 75 yard drive to score the game winning touchdown and used up 3:45 on the clock. UD started their final drive (:49 left in 4th quarter) on the Spartan 34 yard line and the Norse defense stopped the Spartans with two incomplete passes and a sack before a completed pass for -1 yard ended their day.
UD finished the loss with 273 yards of total offense and converted on 7-16 third down attempts. The Norse held the margin in possession time 32:41 to UD's 27:19. Herrion rushed 11 times for 123 yards and UD's passing game completed 13-26 pass attempts for 97 yards. Michael Briscoe came in for relief and was 12-21 for 90 yards including a touchdown to Emmanuel Jenkins from six yards out. Both teams punted six times, Jacob Rentz averaged 40.7 yards a punt with his longest being 69 yards and one touchback. Defensively Cody Binicewicz led UD with nine tackles with Ravon Woods II, Michael Joseph, Le'Devin Smith, and Chad Marsh all finishing with seven tackles each.
The Spartans slip to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the IIAC. UD will enjoy their bye week before returning to action on Oct. 7 when they will host the Buena Vista University Beavers on Chalmers Field at 1:00 p.m.
