QUINCY, Ill. – Concordia-St. Paul football opened the season with a 38-7 loss at Quincy University (1-0) in week zero on a perfect August evening at QU Stadium.
 
Concordia (0-1) will open Northern Sun action next Saturday with a 6:30 p.m. kickoff at home against Minnesota Duluth (1-0) at Sea Foam Stadium.
 
Concordia quarterbacks Zachary Yeager and Reed Styer combined to complete 62.9 percent (17-27) of passes on the evening, and the Golden Bear offense only committed one turnover. Yeager was efficient, completing 12-20 as the starter but Quincy's defense limited CSP's receivers after the catch as Yeager's 12 completions went for 51 yards.
 
Styer hit on some big plays in relief in the second half, finding redshirt freshman wide receiver Timothy Davis for big plays of 25 and 45 yards, setting up a 2-yard Joel Lacy touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Davis led CSP's offense with 73 receiving yards on three catches. 
 
Lacy rushed six times for 12 yards while senior running back Daniel Hornacek led the run game with seven carries and 19 yards, while adding value as a pass catcher out of the backfield with a team-high six catches for an additional 29 yards.
 
Styer finished the night 5-7 passing for 87 yards, engineering CSP's lone scoring drive, while Yeager had CSP into field goal range in the first half, coming up empty on a 47-yard try.
 
After allowing a quick 10 points on Quincy's first two possessions, the Golden Bear defense settled in, using the momentum from forcing three-straight incomplete passes in the red zone to hold the Hawks to a field goal, which set up CSP's 7-plus minute ensuing drive that resulted with the missed field goal.
 
From there, the CSP defense allowed just one score in the second quarter and one in the third, with the third-quarter touchdown set up by a 92-yard kickoff return to the CSP 7-yard line for a 2-play, 35-second QU touchdown drive.
 
Concordia's defense held the host Hawks to a 2.5 average on 33 rushing attempts for 84 yards, but Quincy's efficiency on third down (10-13) kept their drives alive, especially in the pivotal early moments of the game.
 
Concordia, meanwhile, converted just 4-13 on third down and went 0-2 on fourth, and CSP lost the turnover margin 1-0.
 
The Golden Bears played a clean game with just three penalties for 14 yards, netting 41 yards on penalty compared to QU (6-55).
 
Concordia also had an efficient day punting as junior relief pitcher from the baseball team Caden Carsen made his football debut with five punts for a 41.2 average, forcing four catches and a -4 yard return, allowing the coverage team to execute their roles.
 
Safety Ricky Dixon led the defense with seven total tackles, while four others (Dilan Williamson, Isaiah Wray, Hudson Jean, Mike King) each had six tackles. I.Wray, King, Machai Campbell and Howard Craft all had 1.0 tackles for loss.
 
I.Wray and Jason Harris combined for a sack, forcing an intentional grounding to set up a 3^rd-and-20-plus yards in the second half, while Williamson and Ben Rehl each had pass breakups with Williamson nearly securing an interception in the red zone on Quincy's first-quarter field goal drive.
 
Quincy was led by its quarterback Bradyn Little, completing 22-28 for 256 yards and three touchdowns, adding two more touchdown on the ground. The Golden Bears allowed just two plays of 20-plus yards on the day, but the 49-yard connection from Little to Derrick Miller in the first quarter set up Quincy's first touchdown.