ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Lawrence University football team dug itself a big hole early on Saturday, and Rockford University pulled away late for a 34-6 nonconference victory at Sam Greeley Field.
The Regents (1-0) surged to a 19-0 lead just 11 minutes into the game, and Rockford then put up a pair of touchdowns in a 16-second span in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Quarterback Andrew Stochl and receiver Milton Phillips did most of the damage for the Regents. Stochl completed 17-of-27 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Phillips caught five passes for 127 yards and a score.
Lawrence (0-1) struggled on offense and had just 234 total yards. Rockford rolled up 448 yards of offense.
After two touchdown passes from Stochl and a scoring run from Pete Berry put the Regents up early, Lawrence cut the deficit to 19-6. Freshman Alic Riedel blocked Cody Casazza’s punt to give Lawrence the ball at the Rockford 21-yard line. Lawrence scored eight plays later on Tanner Schuh’s two-yard run.
Lawrence was driving again in the final minutes of the first half, but Schuh was intercepted in the Rockford end zone to end the threat.
The score remained the same until Rockford drove 73 yards in eight plays midway through the fourth quarter. Stochl hit Dane Kirk with a 22-yard scoring pass for a 27-6 lead with 8:59 left.
On the next play from scrimmage, Pascal Sylla intercepted Lawrence backup quarterback Chance Byrd and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown and a 34-6 lead.
Schuh finished 10-of-29 passing for 103 yards. Byrd was 6-for-16 passing for 68 yards and two interceptions. Byrd led the team with seven carries for 34 yards, and Dan Rothbauer, Taylor Mandich and Tyler Lueck all had four catches apiece for the Vikings.