APPLETON, Wis. — Chance Byrd tossed three touchdown passes and Taylor Mandich had a career day as the Lawrence University football team topped Beloit College 21-13 on Saturday in a Midwest Conference North Division game at the Banta Bowl.
Byrd, a freshman quarterback making his first start, was 23-for-36 for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Mandich, a senior receiver from Green Bay, had a career-high eight catches for 130 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (2-3, 1-0 MWC North).
The Lawrence defense limited Beloit (2-3, 0-1) to 266 yards and made a key stop late in the game to preserve the victory. Linebacker Brandon Taylor paced the Lawrence defense with 14 tackles and two pass breakups.
Beloit was down by eight but got an interception on a tipped ball and took over at the Beloit 35-yard line with 5:30 left. After three consecutive runs by Mason Dixon, who had 31 carries for 132 yards, the Bucs were facing fourth-and-four. Evan Phillips’ fourth-down pass was deflected away from receiver Michael Nolden by Taylor to give the ball back to Lawrence.
The Vikings then picked up a pair of first downs to run out the clock.
Beloit led 3-0 in the opening quarter, but Lawrence took the ensuing possession and moved 75 yards in 12 plays for the game’s first touchdown. Byrd hit freshman receiver and Appleton native Cole Erickson with an eight-yard touchdown pass to complete the drive and give Lawrence a 7-3 lead.
The Vikings then put together another long scoring drive early in the second quarter. Lawrence went 80 yards in eight plays and Byrd found Trevor Spina with a 24-yard touchdown pass for a 14-3 Lawrence lead with 11:53 left in the first half.
Beloit kicker Kam Sallee connected on a 36-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to cut the lead 14-6.
Sallee then missed a 27-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, and Lawrence hit on a big play on the next drive. Mandich caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Byrd, and Lawrence led 21-6 with 8:43 left in the game.
The Bucs marched right back down the field and Phillips found Sallee on a 12-yard scoring pass on fourth down to cut the margin to 21-13 with 6:45 remaining.
This was Lawrence’s homecoming game, and marked the Vikings first victory at homecoming since a 17-13 win over Knox College in 2009.