Sioux City, Iowa - The 2019 University of St. Francis football team try as they might couldn't stop the nation's number-one ranked and defending NAIA National Champion Morningside (Iowa) as the Mustangs defeated the Saints 80-0 this Saturday (Aug. 31) afternoon in both team's season opener before a crowd of 1,000 fans at MU's Elwood Olsen Stadium.
 

Dominating best described the play on both sides of the ball for Morningside, which compiled a 15-0 overall record a season ago. The Mustangs scored on their first three offensive possessions in the opening quarter to take a commanding 35-0 lead. MU running back Arnijae Ponder accounted for two scores on a pair of one-yard touchdowns runs at 10:23 and with three seconds to go in the opening frame. Quarterback Joe Dolincheck threw for a pair of TD's covering 40 and 15 yards with the last one occurring at 1:36 showing on the scoreboard. A 15-yard TD fumble recovery at the 5:46 mark represented the Mustangs' other first-quarter score.
 

Morningside continued its scoring prowess in the second quarter with a 21-points output and held a 56-0 advantage at halftime. A blocked USF punt led to a MU score with 13:44 left in the first half. The Joe Dolincheck-to-Bo Els combination connected twice in the quarter with back-to-back TD's coming at 5:59 and then again with just under a minute to be played before intermission.
 

The Saints, who finished the game with 150 yards passing and 52 yards on the ground, threatened to score midway thru the third quarter after Morningside had went up 66-0.  A 14-yard pass completion by USF quarterback Major Dedmond (FR/Freeport, Ill.) to running back Michael Johnson (SR/Plainfield, Ill.) following a Mustangs' personal foul placed the ball at MU's 13-yard line. However, Dedmond was hit for a one-yard loss on the ensuing play and fumbled the ball in the process which was recovered by MU's Klayton Nordeen, who sprinted 86 yards down the field into the end zone with 2:07 left in the quarter as Morningside led 73-0.
 

 USF's second scoring opportunity occured late in the fourth quarter after a Mustangs' seven-yard TD pass play with just over three minutes left to be played. The Saints started out at their 25-yard line and proceeded to move into MU territory on the next play as Dedmond completed a 38-yard aerial to wide receiver Brandon Ruffin (SR/Peoria, Ill.) for his lone reception of the day.  A 12-yard pass completion from Dedmond to wide receiver Re'John Williams (JR/Brooklyn, N.Y.) moved the chains down to the 25-yard line. After the next two plays resulted in no gain, Dedmond went back to Williams again with a 10-yard toss to put the ball at the Mustangs' 10-yard line.  Unfortunately, the potential USF scoring drive stalled out as Dedmond was unable to complete a pass on his next four attempts as the Saints turned the ball over on a loss of downs and the hosts ran out the game's final 52 seconds.     
 

Individually for USF, Dedmond completed 13-of-28 passes for 150 yards and ran for a team-high 61 on 22 carries. Running back Dwayne Milton (SR/Machesney Park, Ill.) was held to 17 rushing yards. Williams led the Saints in receiving as he caught six passes for 66 yards and Michael Johnson had three catches for 23 yards. USF had 202 total offensive yards and compiled 15 first downs.
 

Morningside, which rolled up 585 yards in total offense, was led by Tupak Kpeayeh's game-high 122 rushing yards while starting signal-caller Dolincheck threw for 316 yards and five TD's on 23-of-28 passing with Bo Els on the receiving end of eight aerials for 138 yards and three TD's.
 

Defensively, outside linebacker Mike Gruben (SR/Joliet, Ill.) led USF with nine tackles (eight solos) and safety Rio Strama (JR/Shorewood, Ill.) recorded seven stops (six solos). Nick Murray (SR/Manteno, Ill.) and Jonathan Pullen (FR/Joliet, Ill.), a pair of safeties, each had seven tackles apiece. Murray compiled five solos stops while Pullen garnered four.
 

The Saints will now get set for their home opener next Saturday, Sept. 7, as St. Francis (Ind.) travels to Joliet, Ill. A 4 p.m. (CT) start is scheduled for the matchup at ATI Field in Joliet Memorial Stadium.