Pride stumble in Homecoming matchup against Peru State

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Coming off of their first win of the 2024 season, the Clarke University football team welcomed Peru State College to Dalzell Field for CU's 2024 Homecoming game as the Bobcats were able to come away with a resounding 34-9 win on Saturday afternoon.

Peru State did not wait long to spoil the mood on Homecoming Saturday for the Pride as Jordan Kempf received the opening kickoff on his own 14 yard line and would return it the entire 86 yards down to the CU end zone to take a 7-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game.

In the Bobcats first offensive possession of the game, they would drive 82 yards but on eight plays over 3:49 of game time instead of a return where Stacian Livingston would punch in a three-yard touchdown run for his first of two rushing scores in the game.

Livingston would lead a rushing attack that would finish with 215 net yards on the ground between seven ball carriers and a fumbled field goal snap that lost PSC nine yards. Quarterback Colin Shields added four runs for 49 yards and Ricky Fulton carried the ball 12 times for 40 yards as Shields also went 8-for-16 in the air for just 85 yards and a touchdown but completed passes that were crucial for the Bobcats to keep scoring drives alive.

Coming out of the halftime break down 21-3, Clarke would receive the second half opening kickoff and drive 60 yards on 11 plays but all potential momentum was stopped as a Carson Estrada pass to the left side was intercepted by Caleb Jackson as the Peru State defender had nothing but green turf in front of him to return the interception 78 yards for at least a 10-point swing to make it 28-3.

Malik Inabinette would come into the game at quarterback for a full drive after seeing some snaps throughout the first half as the Montgomery, Ala. native would break a 29-yard run, produce back-to-back seven-yard plays, first a seven yard completion to Jackson Ostrander with a 15-yard personal foul on Peru State added on, then another run from Inabinette before back-to-back Jaden Warren runs would get the junior running back in the end zone from four yards out to make it 28-9.

Inabinette would finish with three completions for 50 yards and 42 rushing yards on seven carries as Jaden Alveranga led the Pride in rushing for the fifth-straight game to start the season but couldn't replicate his career performance from last week as he would finish with 48 yards on 11 carries.

Ostrander highlighted the passing game for any of the pass catchers on Saturday as he caught seven balls for 94 yards as the Dubuque, Iowa native continues to stay comfortable at Dalzell Field as the Hempstead High School product has caught 13 passes for 183 yards after his Homecoming performance.

Clarke's defense produced a fourth down stop after it became a 28-9 game but the ensuing Pride offensive drive stalled in Bobcat territory as the CU defense finished the game with seven tackles for a loss of 22 yards and three defensive backs finished with pass break ups led by two from DJ Johnson III as well as one each from both Jordan Summage and Elijah Akines.

Pride football will continue their heavy road first half of the season when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa on Oct. 5 to face Grand View University for a 12:00 p.m. CT kickoff against the Vikings.