The Hillsdale College football team wasn't able to knock off a nationally ranked program on Saturday night.
But the Chargers also didn't go quietly in their home opener, battling back from an 18-point second half deficit before falling 35-31 to visiting Indianapolis, who entered the game ranked 12th in the AFCA Coaches poll.
Twice the Chargers fell into multiple touchdown deficits in the first three quarters, and both times the Chargers were able to cut the UIndy lead to four or less points. Hillsdale trailed just 28-25 early in the fourth quarter.
However, a late touchdown by UIndy tailback, Toriano Clinton, with 8:52 to play that put the Greyhounds up 35-25 proved to be too much to overcome.
Hillsdale scored a touchdown to cut the Greyhound lead to single digits once again, but freshman Austen Williams' five yard scoring reception from Luke Keller came as time expired in the game and was too little to make up the whole deficit.
The Chargers got off to a rough start, falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter as UIndy capitalized on an excellent punt return and a Charger turnover to put two scores on the board and seize control early.
Hillsdale refused to let the Greyhounds pull away, driving 66 yards in nine plays to set up a 25-yard field goal by freshman Julian Lee that got points on the board. The Chargers then hit a big pass play, as Luke Keller found freshman Isaac TeSlaa on a 20-yard slant route at midfield, and TeSlaa took the reception the distance for a 63-yard touchdown reception, the first of his career, to help Hillsdale claw back to a 14-10 deficit.
Indianapolis continued to pour on the offense, led by Clinton, who had a huge night for the Greyhounds, totalling 270 rushing yards and scoring four of UIndy's five touchdowns. Two of them came before and immediately after halftime, and helped UIndy pull out to a 28-10 lead.
The Chargers, however, rallied once again. A forced fumble by Alex Anschutz on a UIndy punt return midway through the fourth quarter gave the Chargers the ball at the UIndy six yard line, and the Chargers cashed in a short field on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Luke Keller to cut the deficit to 28-17.
Building off the momentum of that turnaround, the Charger defense got a fourth down stop deep in their own territory, and Hillsdale went on a nine play, 65-yard drive capped by a five-yard touchdown pass to Austen Williams. Keller ran in the two point conversion himself to cut the Greyhound lead to 28-25 with 14:16 to play. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Chargers would get, as a UIndy touchdown on the next drive proved to be the game winner.
Although it came in a loss, Saturday's contest proved to be a coming-out party for TeSlaa and Williams, the Chargers' two promising redshirt freshman receivers. TeSlaa more than doubled his career yardage of 96 entering the game against the Greeyhounds, leading Hillsdale with 152 yards on five catches and making several big plays beyond just the 63-yard touchdown catch.
Williams, meanwhile, scored the first two touchdowns of his career as a Charger, catching four passes for 31 yards and proving that his size and leaping ability make him a player defenses have to account for in the red zone.
Keller, meanwhile, was 23 of 43 for 311 yards and three touchdowns in the air, putting up his first 300-yard passing game in 17 career starts and just his third three-touchdown outing. The junior from Zionsville, Indiana also led the Chargers on the ground with 46 yards on 20 carries, and the team's only rushing score.
Hillsdale's defense struggled to contain Clinton, but proved opportunistic on the night, recovering three UIndy fumbles to give their team a chance. Senior captain Alex Anschutz had one of the finest performances of his career, recording a career high 17 tackles and forcing a fumble that set up a score. Junior safety Zach Herzog chipped in 12 tackles and junior linebacker Kyle Kudla added eight.
Nate Chambers led the Charger defensive line with six tackles and shared a sack with safety Julius Graber, and fellow defensive tackle Joe Royer added five tackles and a sack as well.
The Chargers fall to 0-2 on the season despite a solid performance on Saturday, and now face another tough task, traveling to Missouri next weekend to play 2-0 Truman State in the first leg of the GLVC crossover. If Hillsdale can pull the upset against a very talented Bulldogs squad, it could be just the momentum shift a young Charger squad needs with conference play fast approaching.
Photo by Anthony Lupi '22
