FAYETTE, Iowa - Concordia-St. Paul (3-3 NSIC, 0-2 South) lost for the first time to Upper Iowa (4-2 NSIC, 1-1 South) in eight all-time meetings with a 28-24 loss at Harms-Eischeid Stadium on Saturday night for UIU's homecoming game.

Concordia-St. Paul quarterback Jared Russo's 4th-and-goal pass from the five yard line sailed just out of the reach of Jermaine Clemon in the back of the end zone with three seconds to play as Concordia nearly executed a two-minute drill comeback. On the 4th-and-goal play, when the pocket broke down, Russo scrambled to his right when Clemon broke open to the back of the end zone with Russo's pass going out of the back of the end zone just out of Clemon's reach.

It was a game that Concordia actually had already overcome a double-digit deficit, trailing 14-3 in the second quarter before scoring three unanswered touchdowns.

Russo connected for two of touchdowns from 20-plus yards out, a 25-yarder to Gabe Boyce in the second quarter and a 23-yarder to Cordell Smith in the third quarter.

The two touchdown passes sandwiched what was looking like the play of the game until UIU took the lead back late. After Concordia's defense forced the first 3-and-out of the game against Upper Iowa's offense in the second quarter, freshman Dominic Nabak blocked the UIU punt with junior Marc St. Louis recovering on the 28-yard line and sprinting down the sideline for the touchdown.

Russo finished the game 22-38 for 238 yards and the two scores, and was not intercepted in the game. Smith led the receivers with seven catches for 84 yards and a touchdown while Boyce had four catches for 53 yards and the TD. Clemon led the receivers with seven receptions going for 49 yards.

Concordia's run game was led by Tre Spears with 16 carries for 61 yards while Ronald Zollicoffer had nine rushes for 33 yards.

But the story of the game was Upper Iowa running back Chris Smith who rushed for 266 yards on 34 carries wih three rushing touchdowns. It was his 55-yard run in the fourth quarter that set up UIU's go-ahead score, an 8-yard QB keeper by Cole Jaeschke with 1:59 to play.

Concordia's defense was led by Josh Trifunov's 10 tackles while Zach Moore registered a sack as he moves within a half sack of the school record for career sacks. Moore has 29.5 sacks and trails Matt Woodford's 30.0 (1996-99). He has 3.5 sacks on the season. His first quarter sack moved the Peacocks to a 3rd and long situation that led to the Peacocks missing a field goal on the next play.

On special teams, kicker/punter Tom Obarski had six punts for a 48.0 average with a long of 64. He also had three punts of 50-plus and four inside the 20. Obarski also converted one of his two field goals, making a 37-yarder and misfiring on a 40-yarder.

Kickoff returner Corey Cole also had a 53-yard return that set-up Concordia's first touchdown drive.

The Golden Bears return home next Saturday at 11 a.m. against Sioux Falls (3-3 NSIC, 1-1 South) for Randy Shaver's Tackle Cancer event at Sea Foam Stadium.