Wildcats Win Homecoming Thriller Over No. 25 Graceland, 45-42

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – A Wildcats touchdown with just over three minutes left to play gave Baker its first top-25 win of the year with a 45-42 victory over No. 25 Graceland in an action-packed Homecoming matchup on Saturday afternoon at Liston Stadium.

Trailing by four late in the fourth quarter, Truman Juelsgaard found Rashaan Graves for a short pitch-and-catch to cap a 7-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that put Baker in front for good and finish off a roller coaster game that featured two defensive touchdowns and 24 points scored in the final 10 minutes of play.

The two teams racked up a combined 866 yards of total offense with Juelsgaard and GU starting quarterback Cade Ross both throwing for over 300 yards and four touchdowns apiece. Will Roberts was Baker's leading receiver with four catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Despite the shootout, both defenses came through with big plays with each side recording a defensive score in the game. On the Wildcats' first drive of the game, a botched handoff turned into a Yellowjackets scoop-and-score as they returned the fumble for a game-opening touchdown.

Then, with the score tied at 21-21 late in the second quarter, junior safety Thad Metcalfe picked off a GU pass and took it 40 yards to the house to provide a huge momentum swing right before halftime.

Following Graceland's opening score, the Baker offense came right back out and marched down the field on an 11-play drive that ended with Juelsgaard hooking up with DeAndre Pruett Jr. to tie the game at 7-7. Juelsgaard had a key play on a fourth-and-short situation earlier in the series, taking off on a 25-yard QB scramble to keep the BU drive alive.

The Yellowjackets would find the endzone on another big-play opportunity, busting their first play on the ensuing possession for an 80-yard score to retake the lead.

Baker countered in similar fashion as its first response with another double-digit scoring drive, going 84 yards in 10 plays with Graves punching in the equalizer from 2-yards out.

With Graceland going up, 21-14, the BU defense delivered back-to-back game-changing plays, beginning with a highlight-reel moment from linebacker Canon Karn who made a sensational, one-handed leaping interception to set up the Wildcats' third game-tying score of the first half before Metcalfe followed with his pick-six to put Baker on top, 28-21 at halftime.

After Karn's second interception of the year, the Wildcats struck paydirt just two plays later with Juelsgaard dropping in a 38-yard dime to Kwan Brooks to tie the game at 21-21.

Coming off a 49-point first half, the game settled down a little bit in the third quarter with both sides trading punts until Graceland drew things even again on a score with two minutes left in the period.

The Wildcats would retake the lead on the following possession with Juelsgaard threading the needle to find Roberts on a 19-yard laser to make it a 35-28 advantage for BU early in the fourth quarter.

Baker posted the game's only two-score lead after another turnover by the BU defense - this one coming on a forced fumble - gave the Wildcats the ball in GU territory. Seth Simpson connected on a 47-yard field goal to give Baker a 10-point cushion heading into the final stretch.

The Yellowjackets quickly trimmed the deficit with a 69-yard touchdown pass to pull the visitors to within three with under nine minutes left to play. Then, after forcing a BU punt, Graceland took its first lead since the second quarter on another quick strike to go up 42-38 with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

Continuing to answer the bell as they'd done all day long, the Wildcats went to work on the game's decisive drive with Roberts hauling in a 36-yard pass to put BU in Yellowjackets territory before Graves' game-winning touchdown made it 45-42 with three minutes left in the game.

The Wildcats defense would come through with its final key play of the game, holding Graceland on fourth down to seal the Homecoming victory for BU.

Saturday's win marked the second 45-point outing for the Wildcats this year and third win at home with Baker remaining undefeated at Liston Stadium in 2023.

Moving to 3-1 overall, Baker heads out for a road trip to take on Culver-Stockton on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 12 p.m. in Canton Mo.

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