ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College football team racked up 564 yards of offense and the defense allowed just 252 in a 43-7 victory over Martin Luther College Saturday evening in the home opener at Macalester Stadium. The win, combined with last week's 45-24 triumph at Minnesota Morris, gives the Scots a 2-0 record to start the season for the first time since 2018.

The combined 88 points are the second-most in the program's history in the first two games of the season, behind only the 1969 team that beat Bethel, 59-6 and St. Thomas, 34-8.

Sophomore kicker Theo Crosby (Edina, Minn./Blake School) opened the scoring with a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter. After the Scots forced Martin Luther to punt on the next drive, the offense put together a 6-play, 90-yard drive that consisted mainly of a pair of 40-plus yard passes to junior receiver Nick Bice (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge). Junior quarterback Michael Nadeau (Garden Grove, Calif./La Quinta) hit Bice with a 40-yard pass on 3rd-and-9 on the 11-yard line, then connected with Bice again on a 49-yard touchdown pass for a 10-0 lead.

The Scots' offense dominated the second half, scoring touchdowns on all five possessions. On just the third play of the third quarter, Nadeau threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Rex Desso (Evergreen, Colo./Lakewood) to put Macalester ahead, 17-0. After the defense stopped the Knights (0-2) on 4th-and-2 at the Macalester 46-yard line, the Scots completed a 10-play, 54-yard drive with a 12-yard pass from Nadeau to junior receiver Michael Poker (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) that made the score 23-0. On the next possession, junior defensive back Will Brazgel (Hartland, Wis./Lake Country Lutheran) intercepted a pass to set up another scoring drive. Another Nadeau touchdown pass, this one for 14 yards to Bice, capped a 61-yard drive for a 30-0 lead.

In the fourth quarter, a fumble by the Knights was recovered by first year defensive lineman Keaton Lawson (Minneapolis, Minn./Park Center) at the Martin Luther 39-yard line. Nadeau and Poker connected again on a 29-yard touchdown pass to give Macalester a 36-0 lead. Martin Luther broke through on the next possession, as Johnathan Slater ran it in from the 1-yard line with 5:17 to play. The Scots closed out the scoring when first year Colin Mathews (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic School) threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Brian Anderson (Agana Heights, Guam/Father Duenas Memorial School).  

Nadeau was 24-of-39 for 442 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. Desso caught nine passes for 212 yards and a touchdown, while Poker caught 10 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns, and Bice had nine catches for 112 yards and two scores. Sophomore running back Josh Bulski (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) ran five times for 34 yards.

The defense also performed well, forcing four punts, two fumbles and two interceptions. Senior defensive back Joshua Strickler (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) and sophomore linebacker Riley Cogan (Loveland, Colo./Mountain View) each had seven tackles, with Cogan also recording an interception at the end of the first half.

Macalester has a bye next week before hosting St. Olaf on Sept. 24 in the first MIAC game of the season. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at Macalester Stadium.