Buena Vista chalked up 435 yards of total offense on Saturday at Luther College, but in the end the Beavers couldn't overcome 375 yards rushing by the Norse, as Luther scored a key insurance rushing touchdown with a 1:33 left en route to a 41-26 victory.

The two defenses stood up to the challenge early in the contest as there were four combined punts on five first quarter possessions before each team traded a quick score early in the second.  BVU then grabbed a 14-7 halftime lead when quarterback Cole Miller hooked up with Eric Pacheco for a 29-yard touchdown pass with just 1:28 left.

The Norse then went 52 yards in just four plays to start the second half, capped by a 28-yard touchdown run, but they missed the extra point keeping BVU in the lead at 14-13.  After the Beavers were forced to punt on their ensuing drive, the Norse quickly answered with another touchdown drive that went 81 yards in nine plays to give Luther its first lead of the afternoon at 19-14.

That's how things stood until just into the fourth quarter when Charlie Flickinger hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Miller, but the two-point pass attempt fell incomplete, leaving the Beavers in front, 20-19.

That advantage was short-lived as Luther marched right back in nine plays and 75 yards, capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass and a two-point conversion for a 27-20 lead.  The Beavers stalled again on offense and were forced to punt the ball back to Luther, and the Norse capitalized by again going 75 yards in nine plays, capped by a 12-yard rushing score and a double-digit lead.

BVU wasn't about to go down without a fight as the Beavers got back within a touchdown with under two minutes left when Miller threw his third touchdow pass of the afternoon, connecting with Ross Adamson from seven yards out, capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive.  Luther would go onto recover the onside kick attempt, and on the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Ian Kuykendall broke free for a 48-yard touchdown run to all but secure the victory.

Kuykendall finished the game with 219 yards rushing on 18 attempts while Tre Jensen added 79 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries.  Kuykendall also threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns to help Luther win its first game of the year.  The Norse finished the game with 585 yards of total offense.

Miller was 26-of-43 passing for 312 yards and four touchdowns, moving him within six touchdowns of matching Bobby Brown for the program's all-time mark of 61 set back in 2014.  He did, however move past Chris Hawkins for second all-time in career completions (485) and career passing yards (6,404).

Pacheco hauled in seven catches for 105 yards and the one touchdown.  He now sits 72 yards shy of 1,000 on the season which would make him just the fifth player in school history to reach the mark.  With three games left, he needs 174 yards to break Gunner Gilland's single-season receiving yards record of 1,101 set back in 2014.  His nine receiving touchdowns this season is the fifth-best total in school history.

Ross Adamson hauled in a career-high eight catches to lead all receivers in the contest, finishing with 61 yards and the one touchdown.

Kobi Martin Jr. led BVU with 53 yards rushing with Josh Werge adding 43.

Reed Kruse led the Beavers, defensively, with 11 tackles as Collin Demoreullie followed with 11.

Buena Vista is now 1-6 on the year (0-5 A-R-C) and will go after its first conference victory next Saturday, October 20, as it hosts the University of Dubuque inside of J. Leslie Rollins Stadium at 1:00 p.m.