Story courtesy of St. Olaf Athletics
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Dan Dobson was 32-for-39 for 390 yards and five touchdowns as visiting St. Olaf defeated Saint John's 38-35 in MIAC football action at Clemons Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Dobson's final touchdown strike went to Stephen Asp from 19 yards out with 3:43 left in the game. It was Asp's second scoring catch of the day and gave St. Olaf its first lead.
Saint John's (2-3, 0-3 MIAC) drove into St. Olaf territory on the ensuing and final possession, but a 36-yard field goal attempt by the Johnnies' Jimmie Mattson went wide left. It was the fifth missed field goal of the day. Mattson missed three (40, 51, 36) and the Oles' Lucas Wainman, who made a 53-yard field goal off the cross bar with 7:52 left to get the Oles within four, missed two (45, 43) in the first half.
The Oles' game-winning drive was set up by a Reggie Woods interception and 32-yard return with 6:18 left. Woods had a key pass breakup on the Johnnies' final drive, on a third down in the end zone on a would-be go-ahead SJU score.
Ben Dobson had the other St. Olaf interception. With the Oles trailing 28-21, he picked off a Nick Martin pass to set up a game-tying touchdown drive.
The Oles trailed by as many as 14 twice, including 28-14 with 4:58 remaining in the second quarter after the Johnnies' Nick Martin scored from two yards out. Dobson and the Oles then marched 83 yards in 12 plays to get within seven on a 9-yard touchdown toss to Jake Schmiesing to make it 28-21 at the half.
Asp had seven receptions for 144 yards and two scores and Schmiesing seven for 97 and two touchdowns. Michael Thai had a game-best nine for 103 yards and a score. His 37-yard touchdown catch tied the game at 7-7.
The win is the Oles' first over Saint John's since 2004 and the first in Collegeville since 2001.