College football: Wartburg blanks UW-Stout in Blue Devils' season opener
Sep. 11—The UW-Stout football team didn't get out to the start it wanted in its season opener on Saturday in Waverly, Iowa. The Blue Devils fell 27-0 to Wartburg to kick off their campaign.
The Knights put clamps on a Blue Devils offense that had averaged more than 30 points per game last season and returned largely intact this year. Wartburg nabbed two interceptions and recovered a Stout fumble to make for a long night for the Blue Devils.
Wartburg built a 24-0 lead by halftime. A field goal and a passing touchdown from Nile McLaughlin to Ben Bryant put the Knights ahead 10-0 in the first quarter. Hunter Clasen and Bryant ran for touchdowns in the second quarter. Wartburg closed out the scoring with another field goal late in the fourth quarter.
Stout's offense threatened a couple of times in the first half by driving into Wartburg territory, but the Knights intercepted quarterback Sean Borgerding both times to end the danger.
Borgerding completed 23 of 44 passes for 186 yards. Eight of those throws went to Arthur Cox, who had 81 receiving yards. Matt Pomietlo ran for 45 yards on 10 carries for Stout.
The Blue Devils will look to bounce back when they visit Gustavus Adolphus next Saturday afternoon.
