SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Whitworth University defense was in mid-season form in a 40-7 win at Gustavus Adolphus College in a season-opening, non-conference NCAA Division III football game for both schools on Saturday.
It was the first-ever meeting between the 24th-ranked Pirates and Gusties, who played in the 2023 MIAC Championship Game.
Whitworth's defense held Jake Breitbach, the Gustavus All-American wide receiver, to four catches for 84 yards. The Pirates had four sacks and held the Gusties' offense to 290 total yards. Last season Gustavus Adolphus averaged 447 yards and 36 points per contest.
Gustavus held Whitworth to only three points after two drives stalled deep in Gusties' territory. The first was set up by a Daniel McKeirnan interception. Iden Bone connected on a 27-yard field goal, but missed from 47 yards.
Bone connected again from 34 yards early in the second quarter for a 6-0 lead following the Pirates' second interception of the half. GAC had driven deep into Whitworth territory, but Chris Knutson got the pick and returned the ball 63 yards to set up the second field goal.
McKeirnan intercepted his second pass of the game midway through the second quarter at the Whitworth six and returned it 23 yards to the 29. The Pirates appeared forced to settle for another field goal attempt at the GAC 28. That attempt was blocked and the ball traveled across the line of scrimmage, allowing tight end Taylor Wells a chance to recover for the Bucs. Two plays later Ryan Blair found Evan Liggett for a 36-yard touchdown pass and a 13-0 lead that Whitworth took into halftime.
The Pirates forced Gustavus into an incomplete pass on fourth down on the Gusties' first possession of the second half. Whitworth turned that into a touchdown when Blair and Liggett connected from 39 yards for a 20-0 lead.
Gustavus finally got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter. George Sandven's pass over the middle was deflected high into the air by a Whitworth defender, but it landed in the hands of wide receiver Jake Pavek in the endzone to cap a 59-yard drive.
The Pirates put the game away with three fourth quarter touchdowns. Caelin Johnson caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Blair to finish off a 46-yard drive less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. The extra point was blocked, keeping the score at 26-7.
After a touchback on the kickoff, Sandvan could not handle the ensuing snap on the first play from scrimmage and Ryan Kinney recovered for Whitworth and returned the ball 16 yards for a defensive touchdown, the Pirates' first defensive score of the season. The final touchdown was a 43-yard connection between Blair and Liggett with just under five minutes to play in the game.
Whitworth finished with 393 yards of offense. Liggett had his best game as a Pirate, catching eight passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns. He also had an interception at the end of the first half to round out his day.
Blair finished 22 of 38 for 332 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Luis Salgado ran 12 times for 41 yards, while Nathan Owens carried four times for 27. The Pirate ground game was limited to 61 yards.
Zachary Brooks led the Whitworth defense with 11 stops, while Caleb Shawen had nine. Lane Watkins was in on 1.5 sacks. McKeirnan, who had five interceptions in 2023, had his pair on Saturday. Omari Williams and Knutson each had one. The Pirates had seven takeaways overall.
Sandvan, who completed 66% of his passes for 3,273 yards in 2023, finished 17 of 34 for 195 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions. River Wood ran 17 times for 69 yards.
Whitworth will play its home opener next Saturday against Eastern Oregon University.