DUBUQUE, Iowa -- Head coach Chris Winter earned his 50th career victory in just his fifth season leading the Wartburg football program, as the Knights scored 34 second-half points to top the Loras College Duhawks Saturday afternoon at the Rock Bowl.
Winter now ranks third among all active Division III head coaches in winning percentage (minimum 50 games) and fourth all-time, holding a 50-7 overall record.
The No. 8-ranked Knights improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in A-R-C play, while the Duhawks fell to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in conference action.
Wartburg totaled 422 yards of offense, including 243 rushing yards and 179 passing yards. Quarterback Leo Dodd completed 13-of-20 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, while the backfield duo of Joey Anderson (115 yards) and Dawson Rud (88 yards) combined for 203 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Dylan Swanstrom accounted for three scores: a receiving touchdown, a rushing touchdown, and a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Defensively, Keenan Tyler led the Knights with 12 tackles (8 solo), with Conner Grover and Mac Watts adding nine each. Grover also recorded Wartburg's 13th interception of the season. Jack Drahos led the team with three tackles for loss, while Conner McDonald, Jake Walker, and Cam Stalzer each recorded a sack. The defense held Loras to just –24 yards rushing, the lowest for the Duhawks since Oct. 8, 2022 (–33 yards vs. Central College).
Dodd connected with Schmitt for an 11-yard game after a defensive stop, followed by a 21-yard rush by Rud to stick the Knights at their own 41-yard line. The drive was cut short as Wartburg would punt it away, leading to a 19-play 87-yard drive by Loras to give it a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
Bachman hauled in a 54-yard completion from Dodd to put the Knights at the Loras 19-yard line to begin the second period. Jaxson Hoppes gave Wartburg its first points of the afternoon with a 31-yard field goal to cut it to a deficit of 7-3. The Duhawks would then answer back with a field goal themselves, a 22-yard attempt to bring it back to a 10-3 advantage.
Hoppes drilled his second field goal attempt of the half, this time a 34-yarder, with just under three minutes to play in the opening half. Trading field goals, Loras responded with a 38-yarder with 16 ticks to play to lead Wartburg 13-6 at the break.
Wartburg rushed for 68 yards on the ground out of its 171-yard total in the first half. Dodd through for 103 as Bachman hauled in 60 on a pair of receptions himself. Loras quarterback Will Phillips completed 25-of-31 of pass attempts for 218 yards and a score to lead the Duhawks. Other than the passing game, the Duhawks rushed for –2 yards.
The Knights strung together three-consecutive 10-plus yard rushes that was capped off by Anderson's 32-yard touchdown with 12:26 to play to knot the game up at 13-13. On Wartburg's next offensive drive, Dodd found Swanstrom on a screen for the go-ahead 28-yard touchdown pass to lead 19-13 with 5:20 to play in the third. Swanstrom took a 68-yard punt return to the house to extend the Knights' lead to 25-13 with 2:47 to go.
Swanstrom tallied his third score of the afternoon, this time on an end-around rush from 10-yards out to lead 32-13 early in the fourth. Rud put the game to rest with a 6-yard score with 6:46 to play, before Loras found the end zone with under a minute left, 40-20.
With the win, Wartburg extended its A-R-C winning streak to 31 games and now leads the all-time series against Loras 34-9, including 20 consecutive victories.
ALL-TIME WINNINGEST DIV. III HEAD COACHES (Min. 50 Games) – NCAA Statistics
- Brad Spencer (2022-23 – 2025-26) – North Central (Ill.) 50-1 Overall (4th Season)**
- Vince Kehres (2013-14 – 2019-20) – Mount Union 95-6 Overall (7 Seasons)
- Geoff Dartt (2022-23 – 2025-26) – Mount Union 62-4 Overall (6th Season)**
- Larry Kehres (1986-87 – 2012-13) – Mount Union 332-24 Overall (27 Seasons)
- Chris Winter (2021-22 – 2025-26) – Wartburg 50-7 Overall (5th Season)**
** - Indicates Active Head Coach
UP NEXT
The Knights return home for a top-15 matchup against Central College Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Walston-Hoover Stadium.