HELENA, Mont. - The No. 6-ranked Carroll College Football team were dealt their first setback of the 2023 season, falling 35-21 to No, 9 College of Idaho on Saturday at Nelson Stadium.

The Fighting Saints (6-1,4-1) could not quite keep pace with one of the nation's top offensive teams in College of Idaho (7-1, 5-1).

All good things must come to an end, and the Carroll College win streak to begin the 2023 season has unfortunately come to a close.

The top two teams in the Frontier Conference met in a battle of the titans at Nelson Stadium, and those in attendance saw an offensive showcase.

The Carroll defense entered the game as one of the nation's most staunch units, and as some around the nation, and many around the conference expected, the game was scoreless after one quarter of play.

Both teams had their opportunities, and felt each other out through the first 15 minutes of play, but neither would put points on the board.

Andy Peters, the reigning Frontier Offensive Player of the Week, would change that at the 13:25 mark of the second frame, powering into the endzone on an 11-yard run to cap a 12-play, 90-yard drive and give the Yotes a 7-0 lead.

The Saints responded quickly. Jack Prka (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / JR) found his big tight end Carson Ochoa in the middle of the endzone from five yards out to finish a 14-play, 73 yard drive with Carroll's first points of the game to even things up at 7-7.

C of I added another score right before the break with Peters finding Jon Schofield in the corner of the endzone for a 12-yard touchdown pass with just 12 seconds remaining in the frame, giving the Yotes a 14-7 lead heading into half.

After a near miss on the prior play, Peters would connect with John Kreps on a 71-yard bomb early in the third quarter to extend the Coyote lead to 21-7.

Carroll, in danger of letting things get out of hand would respond in a big way. The Saints marched down the field with Baxter Tuggle (Laramie, Wyo. / R-SR) punching in an 11-yard touchdown on a seven-play, 70-yard drive to cut the lead back to one score at 21-14

Two separate fourth down conversions on the ensuing Coyotes drive, including a 22-yard touchdown pass between Peters and Kreps at the end of the third would give C of I a 14 point advantage heading into the final quarter at 28-14.

Duncan Kraft (Billings, Mont. / R-SR) would blast into the endzone from three yards out, just two minutes into the fourth quarter to being Carroll back within a score, but the Saints would be unable to score from that point on.

A Schofield touchdown run with just under seven minutes remaining would prove to be enough to keep the Saints at bay, and C of I would wrap up the 35-21 conference win to reinsert themselves in the Frontier title hunt.

The Saints offense, while still not completely in rhythm, showed signs of improvement, finishing with 302 yards on the day (216 passing, 86 rushing), but theu were simply outdone by a high-powered Yotes offense that finished with 427 total yards.

Prka finished his day with a line of 20-40 for 216 yards and a touchdown. 

Chris Akulschin (Gig Harbor, Wash. / R-SO) led the Saints with six receptions for 85 yards.

Max Lehman (Meridian, Idaho / R-SO) ran hard in his limited snaps, leading a Carroll rushing attack with 37 yards on the ground.

For the second straight week, Tucker Jones (Hamilton, Mont. / R-JR) led the Saints in tackles, finishing with eight on the afternoon.

While the loss is not what the Saints wanted, it in no way removes them from the hunt for both a Frontier title and postseason berth.

Carroll will look to quickly erase the blemish from their mind, and shift focus towards a road trip to Southern Oregon next weekend in Ashland.

Visit www.carrollatheltics.com for a preview of that game, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athelics.