ASHLAND, Ore. - The No. 23 Carroll College Football team scored a huge late-season win over Southern Oregon in Ashland, Ore on Saturday, 24-17.

Carroll (7-2) came into Saturday's contest with one goal, find a way to win. The Saints needed a win to keep their hopes at a Frontier Conference title alive, and also to rid the Ashland losing streak monkey off of their backs. 

Although it was not as simple as Saints fans, coaches, and players would have liked, Carroll got the job done, beating Southern Oregon (3-6) 24-17.

The game started out perfectly for the Saints, they took the first drive 69 yards down the field in seven plays, hitting pay dirt with a Matthew Burgess (Junction City, Ore. / R-JR) touchdown run from five yards out to grab an early 7-0 lead.

After forcing an SOU punt, the Carroll offense took the field again. On the fifth play of the drive, Jack Prka (Coeur d'ALene, Idaho / SO) connected with reigning Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Week Chris Akulschin (Gig Harbor, Wash. / R-FR) on a 45 yard flea-flicker, setting the Saints up inside the Raiders five-yard line. Burgess would cash in his second score of the day from four yards out and give Carroll a 14-0 lead just seven minutes into the game.

SOU would begin their comeback on the next possession, with Quarterback Blake Asciutto leading a nine play, 55 yard drive that ended with a 33 yard field goal from Stokes Botelho to bring the score to 14-3.

Carroll's next possession saw a lengthy 16 play drive stall out in the red zone, and Spencer Berger (Billings, Mont. / FR) hit a 26 yard field goal to extend the Carroll advantage to 17-3.

On the final drive of the first half, Southern Oregon would cap off a 12 play, 66 yard drive with a touchdown pass from Asciutto to Ben Graziani from two yards out to cut the Carroll lead to 16-10. After a wild sequence of events, including three consecutive penalties, Botelho would finally add the PAT to bring the score to 17-10 heading into the break.

After a scoreless third quarter, Ascuitto and Graziani would connect on their second passing touchdown of the game, this one from five yards out, tying the game at 17-17 with 13:27 left in the final quarter.

Carroll Quarterback Jack Prka engineered a response drive on the next Carroll possession. Prka marched the Saints 76 yards down the field on a 12 play, six-minute drive that culminated with a seven yard touchdown reception by Chris Akulschin to give the Saints a 24-17 lead with only seven minutes remaining.

The Saints defense would stand tall on a fourth down play from the Carroll 35 yard line, turning the Raiders over on downs.

After the turnover on downs, Burgess rattled off a 35 yard run to set Carroll up in the SOU red zone. Spencer Berger's kick would drift to the right however, leaving the score at 24-17 and opening the door for some late-game heroics from the Raiders.

As it turns out, Garrett Worden (Laramie, Wyo. / R-JR) would be the one who provided the late-game heroics, forcing an Asciutto fumble that would be recovered by the Saints and iced the game, 24-17.

Jack Prka had another outstanding afternoon, finishing his day 20-32 for 238 yards and one touchdown.

Matthew Burgess was the workhorse back for the Saints, rushing for 129 yards and two touchdowns on 24 attempts.

Chris Akulschin followed up his career day last weekend with six receptions for 91 yards and one touchdown.

Thomas McGree (Butte, Mont. / R-SO) led the Saints with seven total tackles (five solo, two assisted), and Garrett Worden finished with five total tackles, three sacks, and the game-sealing forced fumble.

Southern Oregon's Blake Asciutto finished 18-37 for 197 yards and two touchdowns, and Wide Receiver Bryce Goggin led the Raiders with seven receptions for 85 yards.

After Montana Western's 27-21 win over No. 20 Montana Tech this afternoon, Carroll's win puts them in a position to control their own destiny and grab a share of the Frontier Conference title. 

Carroll will get their opportunity next week in Caldwell, Idaho, as they play a de facto Frontier Conference Championship game against current No. 12 College of Idaho (8-1) at 1 p.m.

College of Idaho beat Eastern Oregon, 41-7 today to claim at least a share of the Frontier Conference Championship.

Be sure to visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of that game, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.