NEW ULM, Minn. — Up by two and looking to solidify the win, but facing 4th-and-10, Alma College Football Head Coach Jason Couch was looking for someone to step up and keep the drive alive.

Couch got all that and more, when quarterback Trent Devereaux hit wide receiver Nathan Goralski from 29 yards out to score a touchdown and finish off Martin Luther College, 35-27, on Saturday, Sept. 25.

 

"That was a huge play. Goralski split the linebackers up the middle and Trent made a nice pass," Couch said. "A lot of credit should go to Martin Luther for how hard they fought, but credit to our guys, too — we kept fighting and did what we had to do, when we had to do it."

 

Alma scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat the Knights and put the Scots' record to 4-0. Devereaux, making his second career start, finished 16-for-31 with 264 yards and two scores. Devon Frenchko — who went into Saturday's game leading the nation in two special teams categories — led the way for receivers, with 98 yards on four receptions and a touchdown. In the backfield, Vernonell Smith and Keegan Benkhardt split carries, with Smith notching 84 yards and one touchdown, and Benkhardt totaling 66 yards and two scores.

 

On the defensive side, Grant Pratt led the way for Alma, with 12 total tackles. Odin Soffredine totaled 10 tackles and picked up a key safety in the fourth quarter. Jerome Roberson had four tackles and forced a fumble.

 

"We turned the ball over a couple of times and put our defense in tougher situations than we should have. But I'm proud of how the team responded, making big plays after those turnovers," Couch said. "At the end of the game, I was happy with how we were able to hold onto the ball and keep the clock running."

 

The Scots started slow before making a comeback. Martin Luther scored the game's first two touchdowns to take a 13-0 lead, but fumbled deep in their own territory late in the second quarter to give Alma a chance to score. Smith cashed in from one yard out to put Alma on the board with 1:20 left in the half.

 

A quick three-and-out for Martin Luther followed, and once again, Alma took advantage. On the ensuing possession, starting from his own 15, Devereaux threw for 70 yards, before Benkhardt rushed in from the 8-yard line to give the Scots a 14-13 edge just before the half.

 

The momentum carried over to the third quarter. On Alma's first possession of the second half, Devereaux found Frenchko from 54 yards out to score and take a 21-13 lead. But Martin Luther followed up with two consecutive touchdowns to put the Scots down, 27-21, to start the fourth.

 

The fourth quarter, however, was all Alma. Kaleb Kindsvatter punted the ball down to the Knights' 1-yard line, and Soffredine took advantage by tackling the Knights' running back in his own end zone. At about the 7-minute mark, Benkhardt made a spectacular play, rushing in from 30 yards out to put Alma in position to take the lead.

 

On the Scots' next drive, Devereaux found Goralski to score, and that was all she wrote for Martin Luther.

 

"Obviously, going up to 4-0 is big for our program. But to do it on the road, following this long bus ride, I think, says a lot about the guys on this team and what they have the capability of doing," Couch said. "This was a big win."

 

The win marks the first time the Scots swept the field of non-conference opponents since the 1999-00 season. Next week, on Saturday, Oct. 2, Alma welcomes Olivet College (3-0) for its Homecoming game. In a matchup of two unbeatens, Couch said the Scots will be ready.

 

"We're going to be changing our focus, as the MIAA is an extremely physical conference," Couch said. "We will have to come out error-free to be competitive, and we'll be working all week on that.