ST. LOUIS - Given the history of the football series between Marian University and Missouri Baptist University, expectations were tempered for the Spartans coming into this week's game. True to form, the #5 team in the country won 45-7 in dominating fashion. However, the difference this time was largely big plays and turnovers.
Marian dominated the game in every statistical category, including total yards 570 to 280. Marian's air attack accounted for 446 of those yards. Senior wide receiver Ben Stevens terrorized the Spartans defense all day, hauling in seven catches for 282 yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns for Stevens came from 50, 57, and 54 yards. Junior quarterback Zach Bundalo completed 16 of his 20 attempts for 390 yards and four touchdowns.
The Knights got on the board early. It took them only three plays and a minute and six seconds as Bundalo and Stevens hooked up for their first touchdown of the game, this one from 50 yards.
MoBap had a golden opportunity to even things up with 7:30 left to play in the opening quarter. The Spartans were forced into a punting situation and tried to pin Marian inside the 20-yardline. The punt returner, Stevens, mishandled the fair catch and the fumble was recovered by Spartans freshman
Kolden Kinney. The Spartans were in business with a first and 10 deep inside Marian territory. However, two plays later quarterback
Cooper Brown would connect with running back
Darius Morrison only to have the latter fumble the ball at the 1-yard line. The drive was turned away and the momentum took a huge swing in favor of Marian. The Knights put together an eight-play 99-yard drive culminating in a 57-yard touchdown from Bundalo to Stevens. The Spartans were never in striking distance from that point forward.
The Spartans' only score of the game came from its defense, with 5:49 left in the third quarter. MBU was down 31-0 when sophomore defensive back
Charvell Mccallister stepped in front of a Logan Blake pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. It was the first interception for Mccallister and the first of the season for the entire Spartan defense.
Despite the muted offensive statistics, freshman running back
Lionel Banks was a bright spot for the Spartans. Although he was held out of the end zone, he carried the ball five times for 70 yards, including a 55-yard run in the fourth quarter. Quarterback
Cooper Brown was 20 of 35 passing for 191 yards and an interception. Junior
Josh Munn led the receiving corps with six catches for 91 yards. Sophomore
Blake Kight was a standout once again defensively. The two-time MSFA Conference Defensive Player of the Week finished with 13 tackles and a forced fumble.
Throughout the contest, Missouri Baptist hung tough with the number five team in the country. It's small consolation but the 37-point defeat is the smallest in the six-game history of the series. Previous to today the Knights had outscored the Spartans 299-10 in the five previous meetings. With MBU moving to the Heart of America conference next year, it could mark the final meeting between the two schools, at least on a regular basis.
The Spartans are back home next Saturday when they open Mid-States Football Association Midwest Conference play by hosting St. Francis (Ill.) at 1:00 p.m. at Spartan Field. Marian goes back home to Indianapolis for Homecoming weekend when they take on the Taylor University Trojans.
