Late Touchdown Sends St. Norbert to Loss at Cornell

From Sports Information Director, October 4, 2014 | Football
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - A 5-yard touchdown run by Daniel Brown with 28 seconds remaining capped off a furious rally by Cornell College and lifted the host Rams to a 28-27 win over St. Norbert College in a non-conference game at Ash Park.

The Green Knights (2-2) led 27-21 opening a possession at their own 35 with 5 minutes 11 seconds remaining, but an offensive pass interference penalty forced a punt. Cornell took over at its own 43 with 2:26 to go.

The Rams (2-1) threw an incomplete pass on third-and-10 with about 1:20 remaining but a roughing the passer penalty gave Cornell at first down at the St. Norbert 30. Brown completed 3 of 4 passes and also scrambled for two yards to get the Rams to a third-and-goal at the St. Norbert 5. The Rams spread the field and Brown scampered up the middle for the touchdown with 28 seconds left, and Kaleb Whiting's point-after attempt was true.

St. Norbert drove to the Cornell 40, but Randy Hill's 57-yard field goal as time expired was short.

Cornell led 7-0 after the first quarter when the Rams went 77 yards on 14 plays on their first possession of the game, scoring on a Kyle Stennes 1-yard run with 8:36 left in the quarter.

St. Norbert scored 21 points in the second quarter. J.T. Crosby rushed for five yards on a third-and-goal with 11:42 left in the period, and James Tringali hit Marty Franzkowiak for a 2-yard touchdown pass on the Green Knights' next series. St. Norbert scored for the third consecutive possession on a 10-yard Elijah Fort run just 3:02 left before halftime.

Cornell got back into the game on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Ben Knake with 11:39 left in the third quarter. St. Norbert went ahead by two scores again on a 3-yard touchdown run by Crosby with 5:28 left in the quarter, but the try for two on the conversion was stopped short.

St. Norbert held Cornell on fourth down but an interception two plays later gave the Rams the ball back at the Green Knights' 43-yard line. Brown's 22-yard touchdown pass to Brit Connor with 2:02 left in the period cut the deficit to 27-21 and set up the dramatic fourth quarter.

Cornell outgained St. Norbert in total offense 385-301. Fort led the Green Knights on the ground with 86 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown, while Crosby had 21 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns. Tringali completed 16 of 28 passes for 198 yards and one touchdown.

Brown paced the Rams with 52 yards rushing on 11 carries and also completed 14 of 26 passes for 150 yards and two scores. Stennes completed 12 of 22 passes for 158 yards. Knake caught 11 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown.