ALMA, Mich. – The Adrian College football team kicked off conference play against Alma College on Saturday afternoon. Adrian was looking for their first win over Alma since 2021.
The Bulldogs' defense got the game started by forcing a three-and-out for the Alma offense. Adrian's offense recorded one first down on their opening drive before punting the ball to the Alma seven-yard line.
The Scots got the scoring started on their ensuing drive. Alma's offense traveled 93 yards on ten plays before finding the end zone.
Now trailing, Adrian's offense looked to even things up. Jake Wright found Braiden Whitaker twice on their first two plays, totaling 25 yards. The Bulldogs crossed over into Scots territory, but the drive ended shortly after via an interception by the Alma defense.
Adrian's defense came up big with a stop, keeping the deficit at seven points. Alma's punt pinned the Bulldogs' offense at their own one-yard line.
With lots of work to do, Adrian's offense found a groove before the end of the first quarter. Finding success both through the air and on the ground, the Bulldogs tied the ballgame up at seven. The drive lasted over six minutes, going 99 yards on 14 plays.
The Bulldogs' offense didn't have much time to rest after the long touchdown drive. As the Scots' offense looked to reclaim the lead, Vincent Iwuagwu intercepted an Alma pass, giving Adrian the ball back at their own 29-yard line.
Adrian was able to move the ball before their drive stalled out at the Alma 17-yard line. David Galligan gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game with a 34-yard field goal, the longest of his career. Entering halftime, the Bulldogs led 10-7.
Adrian's offense came out of halftime firing on all cylinders. Tyler Morgan's 11-yard touchdown rush completed the scoring drive, giving the Bulldogs a ten-point lead.
Once again, Alma's offense couldn't get anything going against the formidable Bulldog defense. Adrian's offense took over from their own one-yard line after the Scots punted. Adrian wasn't able to move the ball much on their next drive, punting the ball back to Alma.
On Alma's next drive, a 30-yard touchdown pass gave the Scots six points. A missed extra point kept the game at 17-13 in favor of the Bulldogs.
Both offenses exchanged punts to open up the fourth quarter. With just over seven minutes left in the game, Alma's Jett King picked off an Adrian pass and returned it for a touchdown.
Now trailing, Adrian rattled off a 12-play drive that resulted in a Braiden Whitaker 21-yard touchdown reception. Alma took over with just over two minutes left at their own 25-yard line, trailing by four.
Alma's drive looked to be stalling, but quarterback Tyler Herzog's 24-yard scramble breathed new life into the Scots' drive. Two plays later, Herzog found Cooper Keene in the end zone, giving Alma a 27-24 advantage over Adrian with 19 seconds on the clock.
Any hope of a miracle was erased on the first play of Adrian's final drive when Alma strip-sacked Jake Wright in the backfield. The Scots recovered the fumble, sealing the victory and extending their winning streak over Adrian to five games.
Up Next
Adrian will look to bounce back next weekend when they host Calvin University at Docking Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 PM.
