MANCHESTER, IND. – The Concordia University Chicago football team took their first road game of the season and did so by carrying the momentum of a home opener with them to build on, ultimately downing the Manchester University Spartans in a dominating 35-14 fashion. This marks the first time the Cougars have started 2-0 since the 2021 season.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Colton Bosch (Coopersville, Mich.) went 10-for-13 in the air with 217 yards thrown, including a program record tying 95-yard touchdown pass.
- Joron Brown (St. Joseph, Mich.) once again led on the ground with a gain for 129 yards with no loss on the day, including three touchdowns and a 53 yard rush.
- Kevon Lawson (Pompano Beach, Fla.) led on the receiving side with three total receptions for a total of 102 yards and one touchdown, including the program record tying 95-yard touchdown pass.
- Wesley Jackson (Robinson, Ill.) picked up one touchdown in the air on the day with 16 total yards.
- Kadin Stroer (Warrenton, Mo.) led the defense with 12 total tackles, including 11 solo tackles. He also picked up one sack.
- Dameion Givens Jr. (Columbus, Ga.) and Aden Hatchett (Kennesaw, Ga.) each picked up an interception on the day.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
Concordia Chicago opened the first quarter with a statement, setting the tone on both sides of the ball to grab early control.
After Lawson's return set the Cougars up near their own 35, CUC went straight to work with an efficient no-huddle attack. Bosch connected with Lawson for a key third-down pickup, while Brown and
Blake Henson (Potosi, Mo.) gashed the Spartans' defense on the ground. The drive capped off when Brown powered into the end zone from seven yards out, and Diego Marquez added the PAT to put the Cougars ahead 7–0 with 10:24 left.
The Cougar defense quickly forced a three-and-out, aided by a Manchester unsportsmanlike penalty, and the offense was right back in business. Bosch found Brown for a big 25-yard gain, and CUC marched deep into Spartan territory again. Though the Cougars came up just short on a fourth-down try inside the red zone, they had already established dominance in time of possession and field position.
CUC's defense held firm again, pinning Manchester deep and forcing another punt. With less than a minute to play in the quarter, Bosch and Lawson delivered the highlight of the night—a perfectly timed deep ball that Lawson hauled in and took 95 yards to the house, doubling the Cougars' lead. This throw ties the program record for longest touchdown throw in program history.
At the end of the first quarter, Concordia Chicago was in full command, leading Manchester 14–0, thanks to a balanced offensive attack, a stingy defense, and explosive playmaking through the air.
SECOND QUARTER
CUC carried its momentum into the second quarter and continued to dominate both sides of the ball, stretching its lead to four touchdowns by halftime.
The Cougars struck immediately on defense when
Jonathan Aungst (Lovells, Mich.) picked off a Manchester pass on the second play of the quarter, returning it 30 yards to set CUC up in prime position. Though the offense couldn't capitalize after a turnover, the defense and running game made sure the early miscue didn't matter.
Moments later, Brown broke loose for a 53-yard sprint to the end zone, extending the lead to 21–0 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the half. The defense again came up huge, with Stroer registering a sack to push Manchester out of scoring range and force a turnover on downs.
Bosch and the offense took advantage of the stop, marching 62 yards in a methodical drive that featured a big 32-yard strike to
Jaxon Martinus (Birch Run, Mich.) and clutch red-zone plays from Jackson. Jackson capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown catch, pushing the lead to 28–0 late in the quarter.
CUC's defense wasn't finished.
Adam Lambaz (Elgin, Ill.) pounced on a Spartan fumble in the final minute, giving the Cougars another scoring chance before halftime. Although an interception ended that drive, the first-half dominance was undeniable: two takeaways, two long scoring drives, and a balanced attack that kept Manchester on its heels.
At the break, Concordia Chicago was firmly in control, leading 28–0 with both its offense and defense firing on all cylinders.
THIRD QUARTER
After Manchester opened the half with a short possession, CUC wasted no time striking again. This time, Bosch connected with
Korey Randle (East Moline, Ill.) for a 39-yard gain, setting up Brown for a 15-yard touchdown run that stretched the Cougar advantage to 35–0 with 11:18 on the clock.
From there, the Cougar defense continued to frustrate the Spartans. Stroer and the front seven clogged running lanes, while Hatchett added another defensive highlight with an interception near midfield. Although the offense couldn't turn that takeaway into points, the CUC defense consistently forced punts and limited Manchester to minimal yardage.
The Cougars rotated in several backs and quarterbacks down the stretch, with Henson and
Dominick Jolley (South Bend, Ind.) helping chew clock on the ground. Special teams also contributed, as
Dennis Vanderplow (Livonia, Mich.) pinned Manchester deep multiple times to maintain control of field position.
By the end of the quarter, Concordia Chicago's balanced effort—explosive plays on offense, turnovers on defense, and steady special teams—kept the shutout intact and had the Cougars firmly in command, 35–0.
FOURTH QUARTER
The defense opened strong, with Lambaz and
Jordan Lacey (Belleville, Ill.) stuffing Manchester's ground game to force a punt. On offense, Jolley churned out yards to keep the clock moving before Vanderplow flipped the field with a solid punt.
Manchester managed to break through midway through the quarter, capitalizing on a CUC facemask penalty and a long run to spoil the shutout at 6:59. The Cougars responded with a steady ground game from
Josiah Lugo (San Antonio, Texas), though another stalled drive gave the Spartans chances late. Even after a pair of costly penalties extended a Manchester possession, CUC's defense answered when Givens Jr. hauled in an interception deep in Cougar territory with three minutes left.
Jakob Redmond (Bishop, Calif.) and
Jayden Taylor (Southfield, Mich.) picked up tough yards on the ground to drain the clock, but Manchester managed one last score in the final minute on a 30-yard pass play. CUC closed the game with control, taking a knee in the final minute to secure the 35–14 win.
The Cougars head back to River Forest for their next game as they kick off Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play against St. Norbert College on Saturday, September 20
th. Kickoff is slated for 1:00pm and coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
