ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Rockford University football team picked up a decisive 61-41 win over the Concorida University Chicago Cougars on Saturday afternoon. The Regent offense exploded for a season-high 61 points, scoring in all four quarters, and amassed a season-high 599 yards of total offense. Rockford never trailed in the game, taking a 41-21 lead into the half, and led by as many as 27 points in the second half. Quarterback
Jaelen Ray tallied 402 yards passing and a season-high 6 touchdowns through the air, while
Da'Quan McIntosh and
Curtis Hosea each caught 8 passes for 168 and 120 yards respectively.
- It took the Regents just two plays and 39 seconds to find the end zone on the opening possession of the game. Jaelen Ray connected with Da'Quan McIntosh on a short pass over the middle of the field, that he took 61 yards into end zone. Kaden Finnestad added the point after to give Rockford a 7-0 lead.
- The Cougars answered with a touchdown of their own on their first drive of the game. CUC went 70 yards on 11 plays, taking 5:13 off the clock, and finding the end zone on 34-yard touchdown rush by Jayce Levy.
- Rockford responded with an extremely long scoring drive of its own. The Regents used 14 to plays to march the ball 67 yards, capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jaelen Ray.
- The RU defense came up with the next big play of the came. Defensive back Maddux Rigsby intercepted a pass to give Rockford excellent starting field position inside the Concordia 20-yard line. Kyle Thompson then found the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run to give his team a 21-7 lead.
- After a Cougar touchdown made it 21-14, Rockford scored on its next two drives and extended its lead to 20 points. Jaelen Ray hit Da'Quan McIntosh on a 40-yard touchdown strike, and then found him again on a 27-yard touchdown pass, his third of the half, to make it a 34-14 game.
- The back-and-forth nature of the game continued with CUC punching the ball into the end zone on a 36-yard touchdown pass, to crawl back to within 13 points.
- Rockford responded with its sixth straight touchdown to start the game. This time it was Jaelen Ray who found Blake Winters on a 30-yard touchdown pass to give Rockford a 41-21 advantage heading into the half.
- CUC opened the second half with a 70-yard touchdown pass to once again make it just a two-score game.
- The score remained unchanged until late in the third quarter, when Jaelen Ray tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass deep down the left side of the field to Curtis Hosea on a 3rd and 10 play.
- The Regents would add two more scores in the fourth quarter, as CUC never really threatened to take the lead. Timothy Bearden caught a 34-yard touchdown pass, and Kyle Thompson scampered 13 yards up the middle for his second rushing touchdown of the game en route to the 61-41 win.
- Jaelen Ray went 24-36 for 402 yards and a season-high 6 passing touchdowns. Ray also ran the ball 7 times for 67 yards and 1 score.
- Da'Quan McIntosh hauled in 8 passes for a career-high 168 yards and a career-high 3 touchdowns.
- Curtis Hosea caught 8 passes for for a career-high 120 yards and a score.
- Kyle Thompson carried the ball 12 times for a season-high 68 yards and a career-high 2 touchdowns. He also caught 2 passes for 12 yards.
- Joey Alvarez finished with a game-high 15 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and 3 pass breakups.
- Jack Carey tallied a career-high 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss, and forced 2 fumbles.
- Will Havens had 8 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, and a career-high 2.5 sacks.
