by Alan Babbitt

The first game in Iowa in 15 years for the Hope College football team did not go as planned.

Coe College rode a strong rushing attack and capitalized on Flying Dutchmen miscues to win, 28-21, on Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

Hope dropped to 1-1 on the season. The Kohawks improved to 2-0 with the non-conference victory.

Running back Alphonso Soko propelled Coe by rushing for 284 yards on 33 carries for an average of 8.6 yards per attempt.

Soko ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 Kohawks lead with 4 minutes, 17 seconds in the first quarter.

Hope rebounded to take a 14-7 lead behind second-quarter touchdown passes from quarterback Chase Brown to tight end Lucas Leak (6 yards) and wide receiver Ian Rampersad (5 yards).

Coe answered with two touchdowns in a span of 1:58 for a 21-14 halftime lead the Kohawks would not relinquish. Anthony Ballard's 50-yard interception of a Brown pass snapped a tie score three minutes before halftime.

Coe intercepted Brown three times and sacked him four times. The junior from Comstock Park, Michigan (Comstock Park HS) completed 24-of-47 passes for 319 yards in his first collegiate start.

Rampersad (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern) caught a career-high nine receptions for 97 yards.

Wide receiver Terrell Harris (Whitehall, Michigan / Whitehall) had four catches with 61 yards.

Coe's defense held Hope with 97 yards rushing after the Flying Dutchmen totaled 354 on the ground in a season-opening win at home vs. Anderson University (Indiana). Running back Daniel Romano (Royal Oak, Michigan / Shrine Catholic) scored on a 10-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Hope also could not overcome a bad snap on a first-half field goal attempt and committing six penalties for 57 yards.

This was the first all-time meeting between Hope and Coe. It was Flying Dutchmen's 80th different opponent.

Hope returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 18, at home against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Kickoff is 2 p.m at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium.