BELOIT, Wis. - The Rockford University football team dropped its season opener 34-27 on Thursday night to the Beloit College Buccaneers. Rockford scored the first 14 points of the game, but entered the half clinging to just a 14-10 lead. The second half went back and forth, as their were a total of three lead changes. The Buccaneers led by as many as ten points early in the fourth quarter. However, Rockford was able to claw its way back to within a single score and had the ball in the closing moments of the game, with a chance to tie or take the lead. Unfortunately, the Regents' fourth down pass was incomplete in the end zone, as the Buccaneers held on for the victory in the inaugural Battle of Rock River.
- Rockford broke the scoreless tie on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Jaelen Ray to Curtis Hosea with 6 minutes remaining in the first quarter. Kaden Finnestad added the point after to make it a 7-0 game.
- Following punts by both teams, the Regents scored their second touchdown of the game with 11:34 left in the first half. Rockford needed just 7 plays to move the ball 68 yards, capped off by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jaelen Ray to Curtis Hosea, to extend the Regents' lead to 14-0.
- However, the Bucs closed the half with points on each of their final two possessions. Beloit put together a 9-play, 65-yard drive, which ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass for its first score of the day. The Buccaneers then proceeded to boot a 30-yard field goal with only 28 seconds left in the second quarter, cutting the Rockford lead to 14-10 heading into halftime.
- Beloit opened the second half by scoring on its third straight possession. Buccaneer quarterback Jacob Shafer hit Tommy Dixson for a 37-yard touchdown on fourth down, to give Beloit its first lead of the evening.
- Fortunately, Rockford was able to snap Beloit's 17-0 run with a touchdown of its own late in third quarter to retake the lead. Rockford moved the ball on the ground for the majority of the drive, but it was once again quarterback Jaelen Ray who connected on a big play through the air to put the Regents back out in front. Ray found Da'Quan McIntosh on a 33-yard touchdown strike to give Rockford a 21-17 advantage.
- Following a Rockford turnover, the Bucs retook the lead with 1:05 left in the third quarter. Beloit marched 85 yards on 12 plays and found the end zone on yet another fourth down play. Jacob Shafer connected with AJ Fitzpatrick on a 22-yard touchdown to make it a 24-21 game heading into the fourth quarter.
- The Buccaneers would take advantage of a short field on their next possession after a bad snap on a Rockford punt attempt. The Regent defense put up a strong stand, but the Bucs would ultimately score their third touchdown of the game on a fourth down play, this one a 1-yard plunge by quarterback Jacob Shafer to extend the Beloit lead to 31-21.
- Rockford responded right back with a touchdown of its own on the very next drive. The Regents marched the ball 84 yards on just 7 plays, capped off by a 13-yard rushing touchdown around the left side by William Key. The point after was blocked, as Rockford now trailed 31-27.
- Beloit was able to tack on a short field goal with less than two minutes remaining to push its lead back out to seven, at 34-27.
- Fortunately, William Key ran the ensuing kickoff back to the 43-yard line to give the Regents excellent starting field position. Quarterback Jaelen Ray was able to methodically move the ball down the field and got his team into the red zone with under 30 second remaining. Unfortunately, Ray's back shoulder throw into the end zone on fourth down was ruled incomplete, as Beloit held on for the 34-27 win.
