University of St. Thomas Athletics
UW-Stout
Football loses 28-7 to No. 20 UW-Stout
9/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sat. Sept. 28
Non-Conference Football/NCAA Div. IIIat St. Paul, Minn.
Wisconsin-Stout 28, St. Thomas 7
Junior RB Luke Bundgaard rushed 30 times for 169 yards with two one-yard TD runs and Wisconsin-Stout held St. Thomas to 19 yards in net rushing in Saturday's 28-7 victory over the host Tommies in non-conference football action at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
Stout freshman Ryan Englebert rushed 26 times for 132 yards as the 20th-ranked Blue Devils (3-0) had a pair of 100-yard rushers in a 346-yard ground performance.
Stout outgained the Tommies 414-143 total yards, gained 29 first downs, and sacked UST quarterback Nick Ambrasas five times.
The winners held the Tommies to just 11 total yards in the second half and allowed just 1-of-9 in third-down conversions on the day. The Tommies averaged 33 ppg in 2000 and were averaging 40 ppg previously in 2001 but were held to their lowest output since a 2000 shutout loss to St. John's.
The Tommies threw four passes during a rainy second half, completing none and having two intercepted.
The Tommies (2-2) played the final three quarters without star running back Jake Barkley, who was carted off the field with a hip injury. Barkley was examined at a local hospital and likely will miss at least one game. Barkley entered the game with 3,649 career rushing yards, needing 76 yards to break the UST career record and 285 yards to break the MIAC career rushing record. Before his injury he rushed twice Saturday for minus-one yard.
The Tommies trailed 14-0 in the second quarter but pulled within 14-7 on a nine-yard TD pass from Ambrasas to junior RB Justin Kostner with 2:35 to go i the first half. But Stout drove 65 yards in nine plays and scored with :02 seconds left in the half. WR Matt Sprester used his 6-foot-5 frame to make a diving reception at the St. Thomas 1-yard line with 14 seconds left to set up the Devils' third TD. Stout used its last timeout after the catch. After two incompletions into the end zone, Bundgaard ran for a one-yard TD with :02 left. The PAT missed but Stout led 20-7.
St. Thomas senior DE Sean O'Leary had a fumble recovery at the Tommie 12 in the first quarter, and aded eight solo tackles, including two sacks. He has eight sacks on the season and 26.5 on his career.
Ambrasas finished 11-for-25 for 124 yards with one interception and the lone TD pass. A couple of dropped passes in the first half stalled Tommie drives. Justin Hall caught four passes for 68 yards to lead the Tommie receivers. Andrew Hilliard was held to just 19 yards on four receptions.
Ambrasas has now thrown a TD pass in 19 consecutive games dating back to the 2000 season.
The Tommies (2-1 MIAC) resume conference play next Saturday at St. Olaf. The Oles led St. John's in Collegeville 21-13 before losing 59-21 to drop to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the MIAC.
