CALEDONIA, Mich. – The Davenport football team sent the fans home happy in their home opener on Saturday against Lindenwood. The homecoming crowd also saw the Panthers battle back after a 14-0 deficit after the first quarter and then trailing 21-13 early in the fourth quarter. DU outscored LU 25-3 in the final quarter and pulled away for the 35-24 victory to improve to 3-0 this season.

Payton Rose and Dalton Grohler each scored a touchdown in the first quarter for the Lions who were methodical on both scoring drives. The Lions scored in under two minutes on both possessions. Lindenwood started off on offense fumbling on their first play from scrimmage. Robert Clanton forced the fumble and Deion Powers recovered at the LU 44. Deondre Ford was intercepted however on the next drive and the Lions took over at their own 47.

Cade Brister completed an 18-yard pass on the first play of the drive and then connected with Rose on the last play of the drive with a 17-yard catch for a 7-0 lead with 9:13 left in the opening quarter. After a DU three-and-out, Lindenwood marched just 25 yards in four plays as Grohler capped it off with a one-yard plunge for a 14-0 lead with 5:34 left in the first quarter.

Davenport got on the board with a 13-play, 69-yard drive in the second quarter. Chris Ahmed kicked a 23-yard field goal with 7:41 left until halftime and it was 14-3. The drive featured 60 rushing yards on 10 attempts. The Panthers got to within 14-10 late in the second quarter. DU took over with 2:48 remaining and went 61 yards in seven plays. Ford connected on a slant pattern with Ulice Gillard who took it 20 yards to the end zone for his first touchdown catch as a Panther.

Lindenwood came out swinging in the third quarter taking the second half kickoff and quickly moving 75 yards in just four plays. Brister found Rose for 30 yards on a run-pass option play to start the drive. Brister then found Erik Henneman for 18 yards to the DU 27. Brister rushed 22 yards on the next play and a face-mask penalty moved the ball to the DU 2. Brister called him own number on a touchdown run for a 21-10 lead.

The fourth quarter was where all the fireworks happened for the Panthers. Ahmed booted a 20-yard field goal at the 13:47 mark on a drive that lasted 5:13 and merged into the fourth quarter. The Lions went three-and-out and punted back to DU. The drive started at the LU 43 after an unsportsmanlike penalty following the punt. Nate Couturier rushed for 11 yards to the LU 32 and then Ford found Marquian Johnson on a 32-yard touchdown with 11:31 left to go. Ford then connected on the two-point conversion to Keion Powers to tie the game at 21.

Lindenwood regained the lead at 24-21 with 7:42 to play after Brett Garner kicked a 32-yard field goal. The Panthers took their first lead with 3:36 remaining as Ford completed a 30-yard touchdown to Couturier on a sideline route. The 28-24 lead would grow to 35-24 on the next possession as Lindenwood faced fourth-and-16 at their own 27. Brister lobbed up a long pass and Deion Powers picked it off and returned it 49 yards for a score with 1:52 left to seal it.

NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Powers interception return for a touchdown was the first since J.T. Houghton returned one 24 yards at Kentucky Christian on Sept. 3, 2016. Powers finished with three assisted tackles and a fumble recovery as well.
- Deondre Ford had his second multi-passing touchdown game at DU. He was 14-of-31 for 188 yards and three scores. He also rushed for a career-high 77 yards on 14 carries.
- Kye Black led the defense with 12 tackles. It is the most tackles he has had in a game since setting the school record with 18 back on Oct. 28, 2017 at Michigan Tech. He also had two tackles for loss and a QB hurry.
- Davenport set a new school record with eight sacks in the contest for minus-25 yards. Brendan Boman and Tariq Thurman each had a pair.
- Jeremy Kelly intercepted his first pass at DU on the game's final drive and also finished with five tackles.
- Couturier finished with five catches for 68 yards and a score.
- DU limited the Lions to 56 rushing yards on 31 carries (1.8 ypr). Lindenwood averaged 450.7 yards per game coming into the contest and were held to 220 total yards against the top-ranked defense in NCAA Division II.
- Lindenwood converted just 2-of-15 on third down while Davenport was 5-of-16.

Postgame Interview