The Aurora University Spartan football team held their 2014 home opener on Saturday, September 20 against the Olivet College Comets in the MIAA-NACC Challenge. AU would fall to Olivet 49-20. 

AU took the opening kick off and came out looking to take control of the game immediately with the running game. On the first two plays of the game, junior runnin back Jake Apple dashed for 15 yards on two carries. But after a penalty pushed the Spartans back into AU territory, Apple fumbled on the next play which was recovered by the visitors at the AU 25 yard line.

And with just over two minutes into the first quarter Olivet came through with a two-yard touchdown run that capped off a three play drive for a a lead of 7-0. 

Two possessions later after a stalled AU drive, Spartan punter Krystian Chudoba placed a punt out of bounds at the 11 yard line, pinning the Olivet offense deep in their own territory. On the first play of the ensuing drive, a bad snap was pounced on by Spartan linebacker Ben Olson, giving the AU offense possession at the Olivet 14 yard line.

Apple would cap of the five play drive with a one-yard touchdown run to knot the game at 7-7 with 1:57 left in the opening quarter.

With just 37 seconds left on the first quarter clock, Olivet quarterback Braden Black found a wide open Kyle Bryson for a 35-yard touchdown pass. The 1:20 second drive in four plays gave the Comets a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter saw the visitors score on their first two possessions as the AU offense sputtered to gain momentum and stem the tide. As the teams entered the halftime intermission, AU trailed 28-7.

AU opened up the second half kicking off to Olivet. On the second play of the Comet drive, AU senior safety Darren Harms made a diving interception at the Olivet 35-yard line to set up the Spartan offense with nice field position. But a personal foul stalled the Spartan drive forcing a Chudoba punt. Olivet went on the offensive having avoided a momentum switch and went 80 yards in nine plays to take a 35-7 lead.

Showing fight and the unwillingness to go down easily, AU kick returner Camerhon Guyton returned the kickoff 30 yards and added a 15-yard penalty to the end of the run, setting up the offense at the Olivet 40 yard line. Apple took over from there, rushing for gains of 18 and then 22 for his second score of the day and made the score 35-14 midway through the third quarter.

The Spartan defense forced a three and out with the offense taking over at the AU 30 yard line. AU went on a 12 play 57 yard drive that lasted 7:01. Chudoa came on to attempt a 30-yard field goal but his attempt went wide left. With Olivet in possession of the ball, AU trailed 25-14 through three quarters.

Olivet went into the fourth quarter and finished a 15-play 80 yard drive that took 5:24 off the game clock with a three yard touchdown run. AU now trailed 42-14.

After a 31-yard return by Guyton, freshman quarterback Kendall Lawson came on for his first varsity action of his career. On his first play, he would fumble with Olivet recovering at the AU 30 yard line. The Comets scored in three plays to push their lead to 49-14.

The games final score would come from the Spartans with just over three minutes to play. After three Reiner Ebarle rushes for 28 yards, junior quarterback Curtis Townsend connected on a 26-yard touchdown pass to junior Peter Rizzi. After a missed extra point, AU trailed 49-20.

Statistical leaders on the day for the Spartans included Apple (25 rushes for 123 yards and two touchdowns), Rizzi (three catches for 45 yards and one touchdown) and Guyton (four kick returns for 121 yards, 30.25 yards per return).  Defensively, Tanner Wilcox had 14 tackles, Harms had seven tackles with one interception and Anthony Malandro had six tackles.

With the loss, AU is now 0-2 on the season. Next action for the Spartan football team comes on Saturday, September 27 when they travel to Millikin University. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. in Decatur, Illinois.