STORM LAKE, Iowa (Sept. 28, 2024) - The Buena Vista University football team was going after back-to-back wins to begin conference play when it hosted Central College on Saturday for Homecoming / Hall of Fame Day, but the Beavers couldn't slow down the Dutch who picked up a 52-0 victory inside of J. Leslie Rollins Stadium.

Central did most of its damage on the ground with 321 yards rushing and four touchdowns while adding 233 yards and three scores through the air. Jase Grunder led the Dutch with 190 yards and two touchdowns on 26 total carries. Hunter Hoffman completed 10-of-14 pass attempts for 200 yards and three TD's.

Grunder put the Dutch on the board just less than four minutes into the game with a 41-yard scamper, and that was all the scoring until a Logan Sunvold 24-yard field goal five minutes into the second.

BVU threatened to cut into that lead after driving down to the Central five-yard line late in the half, but would ultimately miss wide right on a 22-yard field goal with 57 seconds left. The Dutch then took over at the 20, and got inside the redzone, but time would run out and they settled for a 10-0 cushion at the half.

BVU received the opening kickoff of the second half but would go three-and-out on the drive as Central would take over just inside of Beaver territory at the 47. The Dutch wasted little time adding to their lead by going 47 yards in five plays, capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-4 at the seven.

Following the touchdown, Central recovered a well-executed onside kick attempt just shy of midfield, and again struck with a six-play 52-yard drive that took just over three minutes off the clock and capped by a 34-yard touchdown pass that made it 24-0. The Dutch outscored BVU 28-0 in the third quarter as the Beavers were held to only two yards of offense in the frame.

Central (3-1, 1-1 A-R-C) added a pair of rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 46-yard burst up the middle on a quarterback keeper by third-string Cole Duty on 4th-and-1 midway through the quarter.

Offensively, the Beavers were held to nine total first downs in the game and 130 yards of total offense. Senior Eman Alaniz carried the ball 20 times but was held to only 38 yards against a rush defense that ranks in the top-25 of DIII. Senior quarterback Zach Herrera completed 9-of-18 pass attempts for 71 yards and one interception. Blaine Peebles had four catches for 24 yards

Troy Reynolds finished with a career-best 15 tackles for BVU while Keaton Bindel was right behind with a career-best 13. Bindel also added one sack for six yards. 

Buena Vista dips to 1-3 overall (1-1 A-R-C) and will now travel to Nebraska Wesleyan (1-2, 0-1 A-R-C) next Saturday, Oct. 5, for a 1 p.m. kickoff.