Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 6/8 Saint John's football out-gained No. 4 St. Thomas 328-304 but committed five turnovers in a 33-21 loss in front of an announced crowd of 16,514 on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Clemens Stadium.

The crowd was the second-largest recorded football attendance in NCAA Division III history; second only to last year's Johnnie-Tommie game, an announced crowd of 17,327 in Collegeville.

Two of the Johnnies' five turnovers came in UST territory. SJU (3-1, 1-1 MIAC) also had a punt blocked in the loss.

UST (4-0, 2-0 MIAC) took advantage of a short field thanks to an SJU fumble on its second offensive play of the game, on its own 26-yard line, and gained a 7-0 lead five plays later.

After the Johnnies blocked a 37-yard field goal attempt, freshman quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) connected with senior wide receiver Evan Clark (Phoenix, Ariz./Apollo) for a 68-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7. Erdmann ended the day 15 of 25 passing for 245 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.

The second quarter was one to forget, however, for the Johnnies. On third-and-11 from the Tommies' 36-yard line, Erdmann was sacked and fumbled, where UST's Anthony King-Foreman picked it up and sprinted 57 yards for a touchdown. SJU blocked the extra point.

SJU turned the ball over on downs on UST's 32-yard line on the ensuing drive and the Tommies advanced to the 11-yard line, but stalled. A 28-yard field goal attempt was good, but the Johnnies were called for a roughing-the-kicker penalty, giving UST a first-and-goal opportunity on the five-yard line. The Tommies scored from four yards out, two plays later, to build a 20-7 lead.

The Johnnies answered with a nine-play, 63-yard drive, but fumbled on the Tommies' nine-yard line near the end of the second quarter.

UST took advantage of Erdmann's first interception of the season, taking over the Johnnies' 38-yard line, and scored nine plays later to gain a 27-7 lead with 8:12 left in the third quarter.

SJU answered with a 61-yard scoring drive, which ended on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Erdmann to sophomore tight end Jared Streit (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins), to make it 27-14. Erdmann made it a one-score game with a 30-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Will Gillach (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) with 5:08 remaining in the game.

Josh Parks, a transfer from Division I Minnesota and a Johnnie for two weeks in August 2015, sealed the win for UST with a 46-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive. Parks ended the day with 109 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. The Tommies' All-American running back, Jordan Roberts, did not play.

Despite allowing 194 yards on 45 carries, the SJU defense held UST's rushing attack in check for most of the game. Sixty percent (117 yards) of the rushing total came on four attempts. 

Senior linebacker Carter Hanson (Blue Earth, Minn.) led the Johnnies with 11 tackles (three solo), including two for a loss.

The Johnnies travel to face Bethel for a 1 p.m. kickoff next Saturday, Oct. 1, in Arden Hills.