AURORA, IL - The Benedictine University football team made a frantic fourth quarter comeback but fell just short at Aurora, losing 27-25 in a battle of the conference's only two unbeaten teams.
The first quarter saw both teams attempting to wear each other down. Aurora scored a touchdown on the opening possession, using a 10-play drive to move ahead 7-0. Benedictine responded with a 10-play drive as well, mixing six runs with four passes.
Alex Lopez snared a one-yard pass from
Tyler Jarnagin to pull Benedictine within 7-6 at the 3:24 mark of the first.
Benedictine had an opportunity to take the lead in the second quarter following a 15-play drive, but a 24-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Aurora responded with a touchdown on just a five-play drive to open a 13-6 edge with 5:06 left in the half.
Receiving the ball to start the second half after a drive stalled deep in Aurora territory to close the first, Benedictine went three-and-out. Aurora added to the lead with a 12-play drive, taking a 20-6 lead midway through the third. Four passes of 15 yards or more helped draw Benedictine within 20-12 when
Kiandre Morris brought in a 16-yard touchdown with 4:18 to go in the third.
Aurora pushed the lead to 27-12 early in the fourth. The teams traded interceptions on three of five plays midway through the fourth with
Scottie Bobeck and
Ahmed Arain tallying picks for Benedictine. Benedictine blocked a field goal to set up a short field with 2:28 remaining. Lopez grabbed his second touchdown to finish a seven-play drive with 1:11 left, bringing Benedictine within 27-19.
Aurora recovered the onside kick, but in an attempt to run out the clock
Braxton White forced a fumble that was recovered by Bobeck. Moments after a 23-yard pass to Lopez, Jarnagin snuck in from a yard away to pull Benedictine within 27-25 with five seconds left, but the two-point conversion attempt was intercepted and Aurora recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
Aurora forced Benedictine to throw the ball as the running game managed just 90 yards on 26 attempts. Jarnagin completed 26 passes, throwing for 272 yards with three touchdowns. Lopez caught 12 passes for 112 yards with a pair of touchdown receptions.
Ben Moore finished with seven catches for 88 yards.
Keenon Davis led the defense with 10 tackles. Bobeck finished with nine tackles and a pass break up to go with the interception and fumble recovery.
Benedictine (5-3, 4-1 NACC) hosts Lakeland at 12:00 p.m. next Saturday.
