AURORA, Ill. - The RU football team (1-3, 0-2 NACC) fell 70-20 in its first road game of the season on Saturday to the Aurora University Spartans (2-2, 2-0 NACC). Rockford played the Spartans extremely tough into the third quarter, before Aurora started to take command of the game. Rockford trailed 14-7 at the end of first quarter and entered half down just 21-7. The Regents then made it 21-13 on a 77-yard touchdown pass from Jaelen Ray to Joey Owens with 13:59 left in the third. Unfortunately, Aurora went on to score 35 points in the third quarter, including 21 straight, to seize control of the game. Aurora would then tack on 14 more in the fourth, to outscore Rockford 49-13 in the second half. It was not all bad news though, as Joey Owens and Jaelen Ray continued to show why they are one of the best qb/wr combinations in the country. Owens hauled in a school record 14 receptions for a career-high 242 yards, to bring his season receiving touchdown total to a school record 11. Jaelen Ray broke the school records for completions (36) and pass attempts (59).

• The Spartans jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead after their first possession of the game. The Aurora drive covered 63 yards, all through the air, and was capped off by a 32-yard touchdown pass from Gavin Zimbelman to Cameron Moore. 
• Rockford would tie the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter. The RU drive covered 55 yards on 7 plays and was capped off by a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal from Jaelen Ray to Titus Cannon. Gerardo Zamudio would convert the point after to tie the game at seven.
• Unfortunately, it took just one play for the Spartans to retake the lead. Zimbelman found Moore for the second time in the quarter, this time on a 69-yard touchdown strike, to put the Spartans out in front 14-7.
• The Regents seemed as though they may tie the game on their very next possession. Jaelen Ray connected with Joey Owens for 43 yards on fourth down to give Rockford a first and ten at the AU 18-yard line. The Regents would eventually find themselves with a first and goal at the nine-yard line, but unfortunately, the Spartans intercepted a pass at the goal line and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. 
• Rockford and Aurora each had additional scoring chances in the first half, but neither team was able to covert, as Aurora took a 21-7 lead into the break. 
• It was the Regent defense that came up with the first big play of the second half. With Aurora once again threatening deep in Rockford territory, Lorenzo Walker III forced a fumble and Amari Jackson fell on top of it, to give the ball back to the Regent offense. 
• Rockford wasted little time capitalizing on the Spartan miscue, as Jaelen Ray found Joey Owens for a 77-yard touchdown on the very next play and cut the Aurora lead down to 21-13. 
• Unfortunately, Aurora running back Tyran Bailey found the end zone on the Spartans' next three possessions, as Aurora took a commanding 42-13 lead. 
• Rockford was able to answer with a touchdown of its own on the very next drive. The Regents needed just 4 minutes and 12 seconds to run 10 plays and cover 81 yards. Rockford would again convert on a big fourth down, this time it was Ray who found Jack Carey for eight yards on fourth and six, to keep the drive alive. Three plays later, Ray connected with Owens for 31 yards and his second touchdown of the game. Zamudio would convert the point after to make it a 42-20 game with 1:13 left in the third quarter. 
• However, that would be as close as the Regents would get for the remainder of the day. Aurora scored the final four touchdowns of the game en route to a 70-20 victory.

• Joey Owens was once again a force to be reckoned with on Saturday. Owens caught a school-record 14 passes for a career-high 242 yards and 2 scores. Owens' 242 yards was just five off the single-game school record set back in 2013 by Delroy Russell Jr. His 2 receiving touchdowns brings his season total up to 11, which is also a new school record. 
• Jaelen Ray completed a school record 36 passes on a school record 59 attempts for 374 yards and 3 touchdowns. 
• Titus Cannon caught 6 passes for 30 yards and 1 touchdown. 
• Ja'uan Joiner tallied 6 tackles and intercepted a pass. 
• Lorenzo Walker III forced a fumble and Amari Jackson recovered a fumble. 

The RU football team will be back on the road next Saturday, October 2 at Concordia University Wisconsin. Kickoff is set for 1 PM.