Oct. 7, 2017 - The Concordia-Chicago football team hosted Aurora University this afternoon for their first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game of the season. The Cougars fell behind 9-0 in the first quarter and spent the final three quarters trying to battle back. The challenges CUC faced included a heavy rain in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't until the final minute that Aurora was able to breathe a sigh of relief as they held on for the 16-14 victory.

Both offenses were three-and-out to start the game. The Spartans moved the ball on their second possession and drove to a third-and-one at the CUC seven, but Jaylan Cox dashed the Spartans' touchdown hopes with a huge nine-yard sack, Forcing Aurora to settle for a field goal attempt. The kick then sailed wide right, keeping the game scoreless. 

Unfortunately for the Cougars, the Spartans came up with the game's initial score anyway. Concordia was forced to punt moments later, and the long snap flew over the punter's head and out the back of the end zone for a safety.

The Spartans made the miscue hurt more as they took the free kick and marched downfield. On a second down from the CUC 24, running back Connor Olson ran to the right and evaded several tackles for the touchdown to make it 9-0 late in the quarter.

The score remained 9-0 for the rest of the half as Aurora's rushing game was able to control the clock. Concordia's best scoring chance came in the final minute of the half as a 10-yard run by Lance Moise and a 13-yard completion to Corey Dooley put CUC into Aurora Territory. With time expiring, Shane Virnala hit Moise on a short pass. Moise made it down to the Spartans' 20 before he was angled out of bounds.

Aurora received the kickoff to start the second half, threatening to open a wide lead. The Spartans marched 83 yards to the nine-yard line, but passes on second and third down misfired. On fourth down, the Spartans had a receover seemingly open in the end zone, but a lunging DeShawn Battle knocked the ball away, and the Cougars took possession. 

Concordia came up with three first downs, but the drive stalled at midfield. However, Ben Parker's punt was mishandled by the AU return man, and DeVonte Wilson pounced on the loose ball at the Spartans' five-yard line. Given new life, the Cougars capitalized on the very next play as Moise took the handoff and found room up the middle for the touchdown. Orlando Hayes' extra point put the Cougars within two points at 9-7.

The decisive drive of the game came early in the fourth quarter as the rain began to fall. Aurora held the ball for nearly nine minutes and capitalized on an 83-yard drive. Most of the drive came on the ground, although Zimbelman hit Shawn Mullin for completions of 16 and 21 yards. The CUC defense kept battling, and it appeared as if they had stopped the Spartans inside the five-yard line, but a pass interference call in the end zone on third down gave a reprieve to the visitors. Zimbelman then scored on a two-yard sneak to extend Aurora's lead to 16-7 with 7:53 remaining.

As the rains picked up, it was the Cougars that produced some lightning in a bottle. The ensuing possession began with completions of six yards to Moise and nine yards to Ryan Allison for a first down at the CUC 40. On the next snap, Virnala stepped back and threw a deep ball down the middle to a streaking D.J. Perry. Perry caught the ball in stride and pulled away from his pursuit for a 60-yard score. Suddenly, the Cougars were back within two points at 16-14.

Momentum for the home side continued to build as the Spartans were snakebit by a couple of penalties on their next possession. A punt gave CUC a late chance for victory as they took control at their own 32 with 4:26 remaining. Virnala drove the Cougars with completions to Moise for 11 yards and Bridges for 15. An unsportsmanlike cconduct penalty was added to the Bridges reception, and the Cougars suddenly had a first down at Aurora's 27. However, an untimely penalty and a sack pushed the Cougars back, and they eventually faced a fourth-and-18 with 40 seconds left. Virnala found Bridges down the middle, but Bridges was pushed back immediately by the defense, two yards shy of the first-down marker. Aurora took over, and two kneels were all it took to kill the clock and seal the win for Aurora.

The Spartans finished with 383 yards of offense to Concordia's 357. Olson was the Spartans' leader with 186 yards on 23 carries, while Zimbelman  threw for 163 yards on 15 of 27. The Cougars' ground game was held in check with a net 55 yards, but Virnala threw for 302 yards on 23 of 33. Defensive leaders included, for Aurora, Cody Dycus with seven total tackles (six solo) and, for Concordia, Demetrius Rufus with nine total tackles (five solo).

The Cougars (2-2, 0-1 NACC) will return to action next Saturday when they play at Rockford University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.