GREENVILLE, Ill. – The University of Minnesota Morris football team fell to Greenville University, 27-20, in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon in Greenville, Ill.
 
The win moves the Panthers to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the UMAC, while the Cougars fall to 2-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
 
On the opening kickoff, Christian Davis pinned Greenville inside the 20 to start the game. The Cougar defense held strong, forcing a punt after preventing the Panthers from crossing midfield. It took no time for the Cougars to find the end zone — on the third play of the drive, Bryson Drake connected with Manny Guy for a 70-yard touchdown to open the scoring. The following PAT was blocked, giving the Cougars a 6-0 lead.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, Davis dribbled the ball 10 yards and recovered it himself for a successful onside kick. An eight-yard rush by Drake, followed by a five-yard carry from Sean-Keley Chinanga, moved the chains. The Cougars continued to find success on the ground, with Oscar Weah Jr. rushing for nine yards. Another eight-yard carry by Chinanga pushed Minnesota Morris into the red zone, and Chinanga capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. A successful PAT from Logan Ahlers extended the lead to 13-0.
 
Greenville responded with a 60-yard scoring drive to cut the lead to six.
 
The Cougars were driving to start the second quarter as Drake connected with Guy for a 31-yard gain into Panther territory. Facing fourth-and-12 at the GU 29, the Cougars went for it, but Drake's pass fell incomplete, turning the ball over on downs. Neither team would score in the second quarter, and UMM took a 13-6 lead into halftime.
 
Trent Roden opened the second half with a 49-yard kickoff return, setting Minnesota Morris up at the GU 45. Rushes from Weah Jr. and Drake moved the ball inside the 30, and Weah Jr. found the end zone shortly after. Ahlers' PAT was good, putting the Cougars up by two scores.
 
Greenville answered with an eight-minute drive that resulted in a touchdown, pulling within six.
Minnesota Morris began its next drive late in the third quarter, which carried into the fourth, but the Cougars were forced to punt. The Panthers then took five minutes to march downfield and take the lead.
 
Starting their next possession at their own 22, the Cougars faced a critical fourth-and-one. Chinanga converted with a two-yard rush to keep the drive alive. Drake then connected with Roden for a 12-yard gain, and Weah Jr. followed with a 28-yard run to move into the red zone. However, the drive ended with an interception at the one-yard line.
 
Greenville immediately extended its lead with a 99-yard rushing touchdown. The Panthers went for two but were unsuccessful.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, Juan "JT" Garza III returned the ball 70 yards to set the Cougars up at the GU 20. Chinanga and Drake combined for 10 yards on the ground to earn a first down, but a sack pushed the offense back eight yards. The Cougars were unable to reach the end zone and ultimately fell, 27-20.
 
Drake led the offense with 132 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while also rushing for 66 yards. Weah Jr. added 73 rushing yards, and Guy led all receivers with 106 yards.
 
Defensively, Gregory Ohmen paced the Cougars with 12 tackles, followed by Derrick Dohmen with 11. Nathaniel Edwards-Gaona recorded the team's lone sack for a loss of 12 yards.
 
The return game was a bright spot for UMM, as Garza totaled 96 yards and Roden added 66.
 
Minnesota Morris returns home on Nov. 1 for a 2 p.m. matchup with Crown College.