Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
GRINNELL, Iowa – The Grinnell College football team's first victory in more than 1,000 days had all the excitement it deserved.
The Pioneers saw a seemingly-comfortable 28-7 lead slip away when Lawrence University scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth period to force overtime. But Grinnell wasn't fazed in the slightest, going on to score a touchdown in the extra period and keeping the Vikings out of the end zone to secure a 35-28 victory.
The Pioneers responded in fitting fashion, racing onto Rosenbloom Field after stopping Lawrence's final offensive play and joining their fans in celebration in the south end zone as they halted a 26-game losing streak in Midwest Conference play dating back to Oct. 25, 2014.
It marked Grinnell's first victory since Nov. 10, 2018, the team's season finale that year. The 2019 season was halted after three games due to low numbers and the 2020 season was washed out due to COVID.
That led to 2021, which opened with two losses before Saturday's nail-biter victory. The win was Grinnell's first at Rosenbloom Field since a 46-0 dismantling of Trinity Bible College on Sept. 8, 2018.
Grinnell (1-2, 1-1 MWC) bolted out to a 14-0 lead in the first period when Danny Carter '22 raced in for a 2-yard touchdown run at the 8:32 mark and Dustin Said '22 caught a 16-yard TD pass from Grayson Woodhouse '24 at the 4:12 mark. Nick Rhinehart '25 had both extra point kicks.
The first drive was sparked by runs of 26 and 11 yards by Woodhouse, while the second series included rushes of 20 and 11 yards by Carter and a 15-yard strike from Woodhouse to Saia.
Lawrence (1-2, 0-2 MWC) cut the lead in half early in the second period, but the Pioneers took a 21-7 lead into halftime when Saia raced in from 5 yards out with 5:33 left and Rhinehart kicked the point after. That series saw rushes of 17 yards by Saia, 13 yards by Carter and a 20-yard completion from Woodhouse to Clayton Burton '23.
Neither team scored in the third period, but Carter gave Grinnell some breathing room at the 13:58 mark of the fourth quarter with a 7-yard TD run. Rhinehart had the point after.
Lawrence then made its furious comeback to force overtime. Grinnell got the ball first and calmly went to work, with Grayhouse hitting Saia with a 25-yard scoring strike on the first play. Rhinehart kicked the point after.
The Vikings then drove to Grinnell's 5-yard line on their turn, but were stopped short on downs when Adam Khater '23 broke up a pass in the end zone on a fourth-and-goal play.
Khater led Grinnell's defense with 10 tackles, while Hugh Werner '25, Blady Cavazos '25 and Tom Henehan '22 getting four each. TJ Lawrence '25 added two sacks.
On offense, Woodhouse completed 14-of-24 passes for two scores and Carter rushed for 118 yards on 24 carries. Saia had 11 catches for 125 yards.
Grinnell has a bye next week before playing at Beloit College on Oct. 2.