No. RV Eagles Lose Overtime Thriller At No. 9 Notre Dame

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – An intense 2021 college football season-opener on Saturday (Sept. 4) afternoon ended with No. RV Ashland University on the losing end of a 42-35 score against No. 9-ranked Notre Dame College.
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• It didn't take long for the Eagles to assert themselves, as junior quarterback Austin Brenner found junior wide receiver Keshun Jones for a 51-yard touchdown bomb, giving AU a 7-0 advantage just 120 seconds in.
• The Eagle defense then rose to the occasion with six minutes left in the opening period, stopping the Falcons on a fourth-and-one just inside of AU territory. NDC, however, got on the scoreboard 1:26 into the second quarter, and tied the game at 7, on a touchdown run by Tyris Dickerson from just inside the two-yard line.
• Brenner, however, had the immediate answer, as his 16-yard scoring scramble with 7:50 left until halftime put the Eagles back on top at 14-7. The Falcons went for another fourth-down conversion, this time fourth-and-five from their own 45-yard line, but junior cornerback Jacob Williams knocked the ball away on a pass to force the turnover on downs.
• Notre Dame re-tied the game at 14 with 1:32 left until the break when linebacker Guam Lee scored on a long scoop-and-score. The Falcons then took their first lead of the day at 21-14 on the opening kickoff of the second half, when Bryce Sheppert raced 99 yards for a score.
• A back-and-forth second half began, and a three-yard TD run from sophomore tailback Eli Potts made it a 21-21 contest. NDC came right back with a 61-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Brimm to wide receiver Davis Patterson, but Ashland tied it again at 28 late in the third quarter when sophomore tailback Gei'vonni Washington went in from two yards out.
• Ashland got a break early in the fourth quarter on a missed field goal, then the Eagles went on top at 35-28 on a Brenner 10-yard TD run on a read option. Notre Dame, however, came up with the game's fifth tie when Patterson scored on a 16-yard reverse. The game went into OT despite a Hail Mary being caught by sophomore wide receiver Jake McLaughlin, who was stopped at the eight-yard line.
• In overtime, Notre Dame got the ball first and scored when Brimm found wide receiver Devanaire Conliffe for a 12-yard major. Ashland's last chance was a fourth-and-inches outside of the 15-yard line, but the Eagles were stopped short of the line to gain to continue the contest.

NOTES

• Brenner ended the afternoon 22-for-36 for 352 yards passing, with a touchdown and an interception, and added 89 yards and two touchdowns rushing.
• Washington led the AU ground game with 92 yards and a score, while junior wide receiver Garrett Turnbaugh grabbed six passes for 92 yards.
• Ashland has lost in overtime on the road for the second consecutive season. In 2019, it was a 42-41 decision in double OT at Wayne State.

UP NEXT
Ashland will open the home portion of the 2021 schedule with the 100-year celebration game on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field vs. No. 3-ranked Ferris State (1-0).