Macalester vs. Grinnell statistics
Macalester out-gained host-Grinnell (Ia.) 462-395 in total yardage, while compiling 25 first downs, but the Pioneers had the edge in turnovers and penalties and went on to defeat the Scots 45-35 in the season-opener.
Jake Johnson (Fy., McKenzie, Tenn.) ran for 106 yards and
Riley Koval (So., Mount Horeb, Wis.) caught 10 passes for 91 yards to lead Macalester. Both were making their Macalester debuts.
Trevor Miehe (Sr., Holmen, Wis.) was 26-for-42 passing for 283 yards and three touchdowns (he also ran for a score).
Miehe's three TD strikes brings his career total to 34, breaking the Macalester all-time career record established by Adam Denny (2000-04) of 33.
Miehe tossed touchdown passes to Koval,
Jon Elliott (Sr., Andress, Tex., Andress) and
Mike Snavely Jr., Minneapolis, Minn. / Southwest). Elliott pulled in five passes for 73 yards, while also returning four kickoffs for 133 yards.
Nate Sands (Jr., Madison, Wis. / East) was Mac's top tackler with 11 stops, including seven solo tackles.
Macalester possessed the ball for over 10 minutes of the second quarter, pulling to within a touchdown at 21-14 with 1:47 left, only to see Grinnell respond with a quick scoring march to go up 28-14 at the halftime break.
The Scots came out and marched 77 yards on just six plays to start the second half and were once again with a touchdown when
Mike Adams (So., Chippewa Falls, Wis.) sprinted to the corner from six yards out to make the score 28-21. Grinnell, however, scored the next two touchdowns to take a commanding 42-21 lead early in the final period. Mac put a couple more TDs on the board but it was not enough to make up the difference.
Macalester was 8-for-16 on third down conversions and 4-for-6 on fourth down tries.
Mike Bogard completed 18 of 23 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns for Grinnell, with Robert Seer catching four TDs on nine receptions for 86 yards. The 45 points are the most for Grinnell since another high-scoring 48-35 win over Macalester in 2004. Logan Granera gained 120 yards on four receptions.
The Scots play their home opener next Saturday (Sept. 11) against Cornell (Ia.) at 6 p.m.
