Despite a strong first quarter that featured two Trojan touchdowns, the Trinity International University football team was unable to stop the running attack of the St. Francis (IL) Fighting Saints during the two team's Mid-States Football Association opener on Saturday afternoon at Leslie Frazier Field.

The Trojans (1-2) got on the board on their first possession on 43-yard touchdown pass from Nolan Brammer to Marc Wallace. TIU would find the endzone a second time on a five yard run by Isaac Branch. After a bad hold on the PAT kick attempt, Jimmy Campbell was able to salvage the play by converting the two-point conversion to put the Trojans up 15-0.

The Saints (1-2) responded with a strong second quarter on the ground with a two-yard touchdown run by Dwayne Milton, and a ten yard score by Michael Johnson. With a one point lead as the halftime break approached, Brammer was able to connect with Khalid Humphrey for a 22-yard touchdown pass. However, Milton was able to find a big gap in the TIU defense for a 57-yard run to the house, to put the Saints within a point at halftime, 22-21.

TIU struggled to find a groove on offense in the second half. While they were able to keep St. Francis off the scoreboard in the third quarter, they were unable to stop Saints quarterback Major Dedmond from connecting with Milton on an eight yard touchdown pass, giving the Saints their first lead of the game 27-22 after a failed two-point conversion attempt. Pinned deep in their own territory, the Trojans struggled to break into Saints territory as TIU dropped their home opener by five points.

The Trojans will return home on Saturday, September 21 to host seventh-ranked Marian (IN) as part of the TIU homecoming festivities at Frazier Field. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM.

Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.