Peru State College Athletics

(Peru, Ne.)- The Peru State College football team dropped the season opener to No. 1 Grand View 51-0 on Saturday evening at the Oak Bowl.
 
Peru State falls to 0-1 on the season and in the Heart of America Athletic Conference while Grand View rises to 1-0 after the first game.
 
The Bobcats forced a three and out in the opening series but a fumble on the punt return kept the ball in Viking possession at the Peru State 20, Grand View settled for a field goal attempt, but the kick went far right to keep the score knotted at zero.
 
Grand View found the end zone after a nine play, 81-yard drive and struck again after a blocked punt on the following drive to deliver a 26-yard touchdown pass, but a missed point after attempt put the score at 13-0. After a Viking field goal, quarterback CJ Dixon (Loganville, Ga. / Independence CC / Grayson HS) connected a string of passes to get into Grand View territory but a fumble on the following play halted the drive.
 
The Bobcats continued to struggle as a bad snap into the end zone resulted in a Viking score and a one-yard rushing touchdown following a Peru State interception ended the first half 37-0.
 
The Bobcats offense started moving at the end of the third quarter with a drive that featured three first downs putting them at the 20-yard line, but a penalty and a sack ended the drive on the Grand View 31.
 
The Vikings scored two more touchdowns in the second half to end the game 51-0.
 
Chandler Cotton (Omaha, Neb. / Papillion LaVista South HS) led Peru State with 12 carries for 41 yards while Dixon completed 14 passes for 123 yards with Amahd Bacon Jr. (Tampa, Fla. Jefferson HS) and Akili Mattox (Iowa City, Iowa ICCC / Iowa City HS) each catching three passes.
 
Robert Bennett (Richmond, Texas. / Randle) led the defense in tackles with five total and three solo while Tyrell McMillian (Mount Pleasant, Fl FAMU / Sneads HS) and Daylan Kendrick (Warner Robins, Ga. Northside High School) each forced a fumble.
 
Peru State returns to play on Saturday at the Oak Bowl where the Bobcats take on Benedictine.