DEERFIELD, Ill. - Working out of a 24-point deficit to start the fourth quarter, Trinity International rallied with 17 points in the final period but ultimately came up short, falling to the 4th-ranked St. Francis (Ind.) Cougars 34-20 in the season opener at Leslie Frazier Field on Saturday.

Box Score | Season Stats

"I'm really proud of the effort," Trinity football head coach Kirk Wherritt said after the game. "We are a family; guys on this team love each other and want to play for each other, and they showed that today."

The Trojans (0-1) held the NAIA national semifinalists to just seven points until the final possession of the first half, and took an early 3-0 lead on Jeremiah Carter's 25-yard field goal. Trinity's defense held St. Francis (1-0) to just one first down in their first three drives, keeping the Cougars off the scoreboard until midway through the second quarter.

The visitors put together a scoring drive highlighted by Aaron Harris' 10-yard touchdown run with 9:05 left in the second quarter to move in front 7-3. After a turnover on downs by the TIU offense, St. Francis looked to extend their lead, but stalled out after three straight penalties backed up the attack. USF got another chance, however, taking over on their own 48 yard line with :50 on the clock until halftime. On 4th-and-15 from the TIU 40, St. Francis quarterback Nick Ferrer found Seth Coate for the late TD, making it a 13-3 score at the break.

Two third-quarter touchdowns exteneded the Cougar lead, until Carter's 42-yard field goal made it a 27-6 score with 14:45 to play in the 4th. St. Francis responded with a nine-play, 75-yard TD drive to pull away furter, 34-6.

Trinity's first touchdown of the season came on the next drive, as senior quarterback J.J. Burmeister completed six of nine passes and sophomore Isaac Branch marched in from 15 yards out for the score. A three-and-out by the Trojan defense and short punt set TIU up at midfield with 4:25 to play. On a 3rd-and-5 from the St. Francis 16, Burmeister scrambled up the middle of the field to close the gap again, 34-20. After the onside kick attempt came up short, the Cougars ran out the clock to close the door on a comeback. 

Burmeister finished the day 24-for-40, with 181 yards in the air and 13 yards on the ground, including his rushing touchdown. Branch finished as the team's leading rusher, collecting 42 yards on nine carries and one TD. Sophomore Brad Hargis made a game-high seven receptions for 71 yards.

Defensively, senior linebacker Riley Schussler led the pack with 12 tackles. Daniel Harris, Bradley Mowbray, and Mauricio Portillo all had six tackles each.

The Trojans are back in action next Saturday, when they host Wisconsin-Lutheran in non-conference play. Kickoff from Frazier Field on September 3 is set for 1:00 p.m.