CU Falls 38-24 to MidAmerica Nazarene on Homecoming Weekend

DUBUQUE, Iowa – A spirited Clarke squad led twice in the first half, but MidAmerica Nazarene's defense tightened up to help defeat the Pride, 38-24, on Homecoming Saturday at Dalzell Field. 

MNU (4-2) got on the board first after connecting on a 26-yard field goal on the game's opening drive. Clarke (3-3) responded with a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brandon Mueller to wideout Jaquan Graham on its second drive of the game to lead it 7-3. 

On the following posession, MNU regained its lead with an eight-yard pitch and catch between QB Adrian Parsons and wide receiver Caleb Tanis. The Pride shot right back with a score of its own when Mueller found Graham again, this time on a 29-yard strike to go back on top, 14-10. Each team would score again before the end of the half, first when MNU's Shawn Cherry rushed for a 24-yard score with 8:35 to play and again when CU's Victor Moreno connected on a 21-yard field goal as time expired in the half – tying the game at 17-all. 

The second half is where things began to take a turn for the worse for the Pride. Gabe Guyton took the second half opening kickoff 68 yards to the MNU 20-yard line to kick things off. Back-to-back incompletions by Mueller put Clarke in third-and-long before MNU got home to Mueller for a one-yard sack, forcing fourth down. CU elected to attempt a 38-yard field goal, which sailed wide right. 

The Pioneers utilized an eight play, 79-yard drive to set up a go-ahead touchdown pass on the following possession. Clarke was able to tie things back up midway through the third quarter when safety Kenneth Spaight intercepted Parsons and returned it 71 yards to the house, giving the senior his second career interception return touchdown against MidAmerica. 

MNU responded well, engineering a seven play, 72-yard drive – capped off with a one-yard touchdown run from Cherry to go back on top, 31-24, with 2:25 to play in the quarter. 

Clarke turned the ball over on downs on the following drive, which MNU took advantage of to the tune of a 10 play, 74-yard scoring drive that ate up over four minutes of play to go up double-digits, 38-24, with 8:25 remaining in regulation. CU was unable to generate much offense the rest of the way, only being able to pick up an additional 22 yards on 11 plays. 

Mueller finished the game 16-of-30 passing for 173 yards and the two scores. Darius Hernandez was the team's top rusher, picking up 25 yards on nine carries. Gabe Deadwiler led the team in receiving yards with 95, his most since he had 132 against Missouri Valley on Sept. 3. Graham finished with a team and season-high six catches. 

Defensively, CU was able to force five turnovers, highlighted by interceptions from Spaight, Adrian Tamayo, and Johel Gonzalez, who picked up his fourth interception of the season. The other turnovers came by way of lost fumbles, which were recovered by Brennen Kupfer and Trey Hayes. 

Bryan Valdes recorded double-digit tackles for the second-straight week, leading Clarke with 14 total (five solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss. Logan Otting picked up two TFLs, bringing him to six on the season. Tamayo quietly had an impressive game, finishing second on the team with 11 total tackles, forcing a fumble, and recording the diving interception earlier on. 

Looking ahead, Clarke has a bye next week before returning home on Oct. 15 for a matchup with Peru State. 

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