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Hope College

Scoreboard

#BeStrongBeTrue
17
Hope College HOP 0-1 , 0-0
38
Winner Aurora University AUR 1-0 , 0-0
Hope College HOP
0-1 , 0-0
17
Final
38
Aurora University AUR
1-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HOP Hope College 3 0 0 14 17
AUR Aurora University 14 0 3 21 38

Game Recap: Football | | Alan Babbitt

Football Drops Opener at Nationally Ranked Aurora

The Hope College football team dropped its season opener at nationally-ranked Aurora University (Ill.), 38-17, on Saturday.

Junior running back Chance Strickland and freshman receiver Brody Thompson each scored touchdowns for the Flying Dutchmen.

Sophomore Caden Balkon (Byron Center, Michigan / Byron Center HS) kicked a 27-yard, first-quarter field goal for Hope.

Strickland (Mason, Michigan / Mason) reached the end zone on an 8-yard run 37 seconds into the fourth quarter to cut Aurora's lead to 17-10. The play capped a 16-play, 75-yard drive.

The touchdown was one of four the two teams generated within the first 5 minutes, 49 seconds of the fourth quarter.

Aurora, which reached the third round of the NCAA Division III playoffs last season with wins at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Alma College, answered with two big plays.

Running back Jhequay Chretin ripped off a 48-yard touchdown run at the 12:59 mark. 

After the Spartans forced Hope to punt, Aurora quarterback Ian Luyando fired a 56-yard scoring strike to Ty Pruett at the 10:41 mark.

Thompson (Rockford, Michigan / Rockford) cut Aurora's lead to 31-17 by leaping in the end zone to catch a 30-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Zach Trainor (Milford, Michigan / Walled Lake Northern) at the 9:11 mark.

Aurora outgained the Flying Dutchmen, 453-286, in total offense.

Hope's next game is the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. against Loras College (Iowa) at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium.

 
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