CALEDONIA, Mich. - The 2021 season opener saw Davenport go up against a strong Truman State squad on Saturday. The Bulldogs used a lethal ground game which proved to be the difference in a 31-14 win over Davenport. Truman State was led by Cody Schrader who carried 35 times for 217 yards and scored all four touchdowns for Truman on the ground. Schrader becomes the first running back since Evan Cummings of Ferris State in 2019 to rush for four touchdowns in a game against the Panthers. His 217 rushing yards is the first 200-plus day given up by Davenport since Demetrius Stinson of Wayne State rushed for 201 yards in 2017.

Truman State scored on their opening drive using 12 plays and covering 77 yards. Schrader's first rushing touchdown was an eight-yard scamper with 9:41 left in the first quarter. Both defenses held over the next couple of possessions and the next scoring play came with 2:00 left in the second quarter. DU's Roy Livingstone hauled in a 13-yard pass from Deondre Ford capping off a six-play, 50-yard drive to tie it at 7-7. The Bulldogs got an 81-yard kickoff return by Jaylen Jefferson to set up the Bulldogs with great field position. They needed four plays to move 17 yards as Schrader's one-yard TD with 24 seconds until halftime made it 14-7.

Ford was intercepted on the first play of the second half at the DU 42-yard line, but the defense forced a stop as the Bulldogs moved backward eight yards. Truman State increased their lead to 21-7 at the 9:47 mark of the third quarter on a nice 18-yard TD run by Schrader avoiding tacklers along the way. Davenport answered right back on a touchdown drive that covered 70 yards in seven plays. Ford and Livingstone connected again on a 19-yard strike over the middle for a 21-14 score with 7:14 left in the third quarter.

Truman State held the ball for over 10 minutes of the fourth quarter and Davenport could not convert a first down. Josh Scheiderer gave Truman State a 24-14 cushion with 6:04 left in the game on a 42-yard field goal that had plenty of leg. That score proved to be too much to overcome as DU punted on their next drive and the Bulldogs put it into the end zone one more time. Schrader from three yards out over left guard with 2:30 remaining sealed it at 31-14. Ford was intercepted on the next play for DU and the Bulldogs ran out the clock.

Davenport was a solid 7-of-16 on third down conversions and held Truman State to 4-of-13. The total yards were Truman State holding a 296-200 edge. Ford threw for 176 yards and completed 50 percent of his passes. Amonte Phillips caught six passes for 45 yards. Jalen Robinson led the defense with 12 tackles and had one interception. Shaq Floyd finished with nine tackles and had a tackle for loss.