The Simon Fraser University football team fell 63-7 to the Central Washington Wildcats in the inaugural Border Battle at Pop Keeney Stadium, just outside of Seattle.
Central Washington would block two consecutive punts after already leading 7-0, to take a commanding 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
SFU would bounce back, as quarterback
Ryan Stanford (Phoenix, AZ) found wide receiver
Kyle Kawamoto (North Vancouver, BC) for a 15-yard gain, giving the Clan a first down.
Running backs
Cole Tudor (Pickering, ON) and
Stephen Spagnuolo (Vancouver, BC) would combine for another 15 yards on two carries leading to another first down.
Then a few plays later, and facing third down, Stanford would connect with wide receiver
Bobby Pospischil (Coquitlam, BC) for the 26-yard touchdown to put the Clan on the board.
After responding with a touchdown on their ensuing drive by the Wildcats, SFU kick returner
Earl Anderson (Courtice, ON) would take the kickoff 31-yards giving the Clan good field position.
Stanford again completed another third down, this time to receiver
Sam Swerhone (Ridgefield, WA) for 30-yards. Spagnuolo would rush for 13 yards on the next two plays, moving the chains to the CWU 20 yard line.
SFU would reach the five yard line, but Stanford would be picked off in the end zone.
However, the Clan defence would get the ball back, as Wildcats running back Jordan Todd fumbled with defensive tackle
Quinn Horton (Winnipeg, MB) recovering .
A roughing the passer penalty against Central Washington would give SFU the ball at the CWU 16 yard line, and then Stanford would find Pospischil for a nine-yard gain on third down making it fourth-and-one from the CWU five.
The Clan would go for it, but Spagnuolo would be stuffed for no gain, resulting in the offence turning it over on downs.
SFU would not be able to keep up the rest of the way, as the Wildcats would score the next 35 points to coast to the 56 points victory.
Tudor would finish with 48 yards on eight carries, while Pospischil led the team in receiving with five receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown.
With the loss, the Clan's record falls to 0-4 (0-1). SFU will be back on the road next week in St. George, Utah, as SFU battles Dixie State on October 4 at 5 p.m. PST.
