DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - Looking for their first win in 2015, the Loras Football team released their big guns on offense to the tune of 588 passing yards from senior Nik Schulte on their way to a 56-52 win over Augustana. Schulte finished with 47 completions and six touchdowns, breaking numerous school records in the process.
Saturday's showdown started off on poor terms for Loras (1-2), as Augustana's Sam Frasco scampered in from 71 yards out in the first quarter to give the Vikings (1-2) the 7-0 lead. Frasco would go on to rush for 312 yards on the day and six total touchdowns, four of which came on the ground.
Loras kept pace with the fleet-footed Frasco thanks to Nik Schulte and his corps of receivers. The Duhawks have been hampered by the injury-bug so far in 2015, resulting in Nik Schulte being the third starting quarterback in as many weeks. The Anamosa, Iowa native made quite the impression in front of the Duhawk faithful on Saturday, making his case to be the starting quarterback the rest of the season.
The offense rode the "Schulte Wave" in the first half, to the tune of three touchdown passes of 11 yards, 36 yards, and 18 yards. Despite the strong passing game from Loras in the first half, the Duhawks found themselves trailing 49-27 heading into the locker room.
Fifty-one seconds into the second half, Nik Schulte found his brother, junior Josh Schulte, on a 20-yard strike to bring Loras within 15. The defensive adjustments made by Loras in the locker room on defense proved to be the difference as Augustana was forced to punt on their first three drives of the second half.
Following each punt from the Vikings, the Duhawks responded with a touchdown strike, on passes from Nik Schulte to sophomore Nolan Davis for six yards and a 68-yard strike to senior Nate Even. The senior wideout finished with 16 catches for 265 yards, shattering his own record from a year ago and tying a school record for receptions in a game.
Augustana scored their only points in the half on their second drive in the fourth quarter after a field goal from 24 yards, giving the Vikings a 52-49 lead.
After a seven-play drive from the Duhawks that resulted in a punt from sophomore Jeremy Peters, Frasco had his third-and-two pass batted at the line by junior Damon Davies and picked off by senior Bryan Hermann at the 50. Hermann took his interception to the house and gave Loras their first lead of the night.
With 2:15 left on the clock and Augustana trailing by four, Frasco opened the drive with back-to-back 20-yard passes to take the Vikings into Loras' territory. After a sack by Davies on first down, junior Wes Bowers picked off Frasco at the Loras 25-yard line to bring the Augustana rally to a screeching halt and put the Duhawks in the drivers' seat for their first win of the season.
SCORING SUMMARY
Q1 | 10:01 | AUGIE 7-0 | Frasco 71-yard run
Q1 | 6:46 | AUGIE 10-0 | Fitzgerald 8-yard pass from Frasco
Q1 | 3:21 | LOR 10-3 | Mason Quigley 20-yard field goal
Q1 | 1:10 | AUGIE 21-3 | Frasco 20-yard run
Q2 | 14:03 | LOR 21-10 | Danny Willis 11-yard pass from N. Schulte
Q2 | 13:13 | LOR 21-13 | Quigley 28-yard field goal
Q2 | 10:11 | AUGIE 28-13 | Frasco 13-yard run
Q2 | 8:56 | LOR 28-20 | Nate Even 36-yard pass from N. Schulte
Q2 | 8:05 | AUGIE 35-20 | Frasco 78-yard run
Q2 | 5:29 | LOR 35-27 | Zach Minch 18-yard pass from N. Schulte
Q2 | 1:42 | AUGIE 42-27 | Fitzgerald 2-yard pass from Frasco
Q2 | :32 | AUGIE 49-27 | Price 3-yard run
Q3 | 14:09 | LOR 49-34 | Josh Schulte 20-yard pass from N. Schulte
Q3 | 9:38 | LOR 49-41 | Nolan Davis 6-yard pass from N. Schulte
Q3 | 6:51 | LOR 49-49 | Nate Even 68-yard pass from N. Schulte (2-pt Conversion GOOD)
Q4 | 9:40 | AUGIE 52-49 | Stytz 24-yard field goal
Q4 | 5:45 | LOR 56-52 | Bryan Hermann 50-yard interception return
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Nik Schulte | Completing 47-of-64 through the air, Nik Schulte threw for 588 yards and six touchdowns.
BROKEN RECORDS
• Loras breaks single-game record for total passing touchdowns in a game with 6 (Prev. record was 5, set in 1998)
UP NEXT
Loras will enter their bye week with a 1-2 overall record before opening Iowa Conference play on October 3 against Coe in the Rock Bowl.