Franklin College’s perfect run through the HCAC hit a pothole on Saturday afternoon.
The Grizzlies weren’t able to keep pace with fellow conference leader Rose-Hulman, dropping a 50-35 shootout at Faught Stadium.
The home side took the lead twice in the first quarter, going up 7-0 on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Kai Ross to Dylan McKinney and then grabbing a 14-13 edge when Garrett Cora scored on a 20-yard run and Gabe Crutchfield added the second of his five PATs on the day.
Franklin (3-4, 3-1 HCAC) pulled ahead two more times in the second, first on a 5-yard Kam Jennings rush and then on a 24-yard throw from Ross to Spencer Wright that made it a 28-27 game, but the visiting Engineers controlled the contest from there. They picked up a touchdown and a field goal over the last 2:17 of the half, then added 13 consecutive points after the intermission to stretch their lead to 50-28 late in the fourth quarter.
Ross ran it in from 2 yards out with five seconds remaining to account for the final score.
The 23 straight points allowed proved fatal to the Grizzlies, who piled up 470 yards of offense but allowed 608. Ross was 21 of 33 through the air for 250 yards, while Cora rushed for 134 yards. Haidyn Bulmer paced the Franklin defense with 12 tackles.
The Grizzlies are back in action this coming Saturday at Mount St. Joseph.
