(Peru, Neb.) – It was billed as the NAIA's Football Game of the Week and the game definitely lived up to its billing.

In the end, after several big scoring swings for each team, the tenth-ranked Benedictine College (BC) Ravens defeated the 23^rd-ranked Bobcats 45-41 as the 'Cats failed to convert on the last play of the game.

The Ravens improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) while Peru State fell to 3-1 and 1-1 in the HAAC.

First Quarter Action

At first, it looked a little bleak for the Bobcats as Benedictine scored the first ten points of the game.

The Ravens took the opening possession and settled for a 36-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 13:10 left in the first quarter. On Peru State's first possession, on third down, the Bobcats lost a fumble and Benedictine took over on Peru State's 22-yard line. It only took one play as the Ravens were successful on a 22-yard touchdown. The PAT was good and with not quite three minutes gone in the game, Benedictine led 10-0.

On the kickoff, Logan Paben (Columbus) returned the kick for 38 yards and Peru State started on the Ravens' 41-yard line. This time it only took the Bobcats one play to find the end zone as Ethan Bray (Liberal, Mo.) took the handoff and went down the far sideline for a 59-yard touchdown run. Levi Cockle's (Lincoln) PAT was good and the gap was closed to 10-7 with 11:47 left in the first.
Second Quarter Action

The Bobcats started their last possession of the first quarter on their 20-yard line and proceeded to march the ball down the field with a big play of quarterback Tyler Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) finding Ryan Twehous (Central City) for a 26-yard gain which moved the ball to the Raven's 23-yard line. Audsley followed with 12-yard run for another first down before finding Twehous again for a nine-yard reception. On the next play, Audsley ran into the end zone from two yards out to put Peru State in the lead for the first time. Cockle's kick was good and the 'Cats led 14-10 with just four seconds gone in the second quarter. The ten-play, 80-yard drive took 3:50 off the clock.

Peru State forced the Ravens into a three-and-out and started their next drive on Benedictine's 21-yard line. After a short gain on the ground, Audsley found Lance Steffen (Murdock) for a big gain of 38 yards, moving the ball into Benedictine's territory at the 37-yard line. Five plays later, Nate Tromblee (Lincoln) took the handoff from Audsley and scampered into the end zone for four yards. Another PAT by Cockle made it Peru State 21-10 with 9:44 left in the half. The eight-play, 79-yard drive took 3:42 off the clock.
On Benedictine's next possession, Shane Lloyd (Ridge Crest, Calif.) hit the Ravens' quarterback, forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Curtis Larsen (Plattsmouth) on the Benedictine 34-yard line.

Audsley found Steffen for 11 yards and first down to the 23-yard line. A short gain by Tromblee was followed by a 14-yard, first-down run by Marcus Spearman (Platte City, Mo.) put the ball on BC's six-yard line. On the next play, Bray collected his second touchdown of the game as he went into the end zone from six yards out. The PAT was not good, but the Bobcats had put 27 straight points on the Ravens and led 27-10 with 6:53 left in the first half.

Benedictine had not given up as the Ravens put together a nine-play, 75-yard drive on their next possession to cut the deficit to 27-17.

On Peru State's next possession, on the third play of their drive which had gone for a first down, the Ravens forced a fumble and recovered it at Peru State's 48-yard line. Nine plays later, Benedictine scored on a two-yard run. With another PAT, the lead was now Peru State 27-24 with just 35 ticks left in the half and that was how the half ended.

Third Quarter Action

Peru State had won the toss at the beginning of the game and opted to get the ball at the start of the second half. After an 11-yard kickoff return by Tromblee, the Bobcats started on their 34-yard line. A four-yard gain by Kalena Rodero-Workman (Kapaa, Hawaii), Audsley found Rodero-Workman for a 31-yard gain moving the ball into Benedictine's territory at their 31-yard line. Peru State eventually went for it on a fourth-and-five and Audsley hit JD Faxon (Odell) for a six-yard gain moving the ball to the Ravens' 20-yard line. An eight-yard gain by Tromblee was followed by Audsley finding the end zone on a 12-yard quarterback keeper. Cockle's kick was good and Peru State regained a ten-point advantage at 34-24. The eight-play, 66-yard drive took 3:19 off the third quarter clock.

That would prove to be the only score in the third as both teams played well defensively. A key play for Peru State was a Paben interception of a Raven pass in the end zone. Paben had tipped the ball up and eventually the ball landed in Paben's hands.

Fourth Quarter Action

With 4:52 left in the third, Peru State started a ten-play, 75-yard drive that would eventually result in another touchdown with just seven seconds gone in the fourth. Audsley found Bray for a ten-yard first down to start the drive. Aaron Smith (Houma, La.) then carried for 25 yards to move the ball into the Ravens' side of the field at their 40-yard line. A short gain by Smith was followed by Audsley finding Jon Kolman (Beatrice) for eight yards for another first down. Five rushing plays later found Tromblee finding the end zone with a five –yard touchdown with 14:53 left in the game. Cockle's PAT made it 41-24.