JOLIET, Ill. – Brandon Ruffin (Peoria, Ill./Peoria) became University of St. Francis football's all-time leader in receiving yards but the Saints dropped their Mid-States Football Association Midwest League opener to St. Ambrose University 33-19.
 

On the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter, USF (1-4, 0-1 MSFA Midwest) ran a flea flicker. After receiving the ball from Dwayne Milton (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem), Don Butkus (Dyer, Ind./Mount Carmel Ill.) threw a perfect strike to Ruffin who caught it in stride and ran 72 yards for a touchdown. The play gave St. Francis its first lead of the game.
 

After St. Ambrose (4-1, 1-0 MSFA Midwest) scored the first 10 points of the game, the Saints answered back with a pair of Josh Holberry (Huddersfield, England) field goals to pull within four heading into halftime. Jamal Stovall (Champaign, Ill./Champaign Central) and Heithon Hurdle (Monee, Ill./Lockport) both intercepted St. Ambrose's Jake Romani in the opening half and the USF defense limited the Fighting Bees to just 49 yards in the second quarter.
 

After the break, Ruffin's record-breaking catch gave USF its first lead at 13-10. The Saints held on to that advantage until late in the third when St. Ambrose marched 95 yards on nine plays, capped by a Romani 1-yard touchdown run.
 

USF fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and the Bees recovered, setting up a Romani touchdown pass that gave the visitors a 24-13 advantage. SAU got another possession when Matthew Coovert recovered a surprise onside kick, but this time an Antonio Jameson (Bolingbrook, Ill./Plainfield East) fumble recovery in the red zone sent the Bees away with no points.
 

However, SAU added to its lead later in the quarter and held on for the victory. USF added an Aaron Ellis (Valparaiso, Ind./Boone Grove) touchdown pass to Matt Brachmann (Elmhurst, Ill./Montini Catholic) at the horn to round out the 33-13 score.
 

Ruffin finished with 11 catches for 163 yards and one score, moving his record-breaking career totals to 2,234 yards and 29 touchdowns. Butkus threw for 232 yards, while Ellis finished with 138 passing yards. Three different running backs, Milton, Michael Johnson (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) and Jordon Smith (DeWitt, Mich./Lansing Catholic), combined for 93 yards on the ground.
 

Mason DeLong (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) paced the Saints with 10 tackles while tying with Dominic Sterr (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central) for the team lead with 2.5 tackles for loss. Alex Zlomie (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) moved his career sack total to 15.5 with one, while DeLong and Kody Randa (Sandwich, Ill./Sandwich) also brought down Romani.
 

SAU's Romani finished with 330 yards through the air and four total touchdowns. Kobe Easley paced the Bees' defense with a team-high 10 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup.
 

The Saints travel to Indiana Wesleyan University next Saturday, October 6. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. local (Eastern) time, noon Central time.