Box Score DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque football home opener was looking like all Spartans when they stretched to an early lead 21-7. An 85 yard punt return by Wittenberg University Tigers in the third quarter, inspired the visitors who rallied for a come from behind 28-27 victory on Chalmers Field in a warm September afternoon.
The Spartans opened up the game with a 54 yard touchdown run by
Kallion Buckner at 12:39 of the first quarter yp lead 7-0. UD stopped the Tigers and scored off a six yard pass from
Ben Gultig to
Torre Butts Jr., to stretch the lead 14-0 after a
Liam Smith extra point. Wittenberg scored early in the second quarter on a one yard run. UD responded by scoring on a 63 yard TD pass from Gultig to
Za'Cameron Brice and a Smith extra point, 21-7. Wittenberg grabbed a spark after an 85 yard punt return with 8:19 left of the third quarter.Five minutes later the Spartans scored on a eight yard catch to Butts Jr. from Gultig. One of the lineman blocked the extra point as UD led 27-14 with 3:27 left in the third. The fourth quarter was all the Tigers as they scored on a one yard rush with 10:52 and on a five yard pass with less than three minutes to go to capture the lead 29-27. The ensuing kick-off went into the end zone for a touchback. UD's drive started on their own 25 yard line. The Spartans drove down to the Tigers 36 yard line with 46 seconds left and with a yard to go for the first down. The Tigers defense stepped and sacked Gultig for a loss and ended the Spartans chance for a victory.
UD ended the afternoon with 464 yards of offense (141 rushing, 323 passing). Gultig finished with 28-41 for 323 yards through the air. He found six targets in the afternoon, with Butts Jr. leading the receiver corps with 11 catches for 136 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Brice caught eight passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Buckner pounded out the ground game on 12 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively
Dalton Wood led the Spartans with 12 tackles, three pass break-ups, and am interception return for 24 yards. C.J. Dean ended with 10 tackles (six solo).
Parker Navitsky finished with seven tackles, one and a half tackles for losses of five yards, and a fumble recovery.
On special teams,
Conner Halla punted seven times for 232 yards and placed the ball inside the 20 yard line three times.
Liam Smith kicked off five times for 302 yards with one touchback.
The Spartans (0-1) continue their home schedule next Saturday, Sept. 9 with a 6:00 p.m. kickoff on Hall of Fame/Battle for the Bridge game against the UW-Platteville Pioneers (1-0).
