NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College football team quickly fell behind to the College of St. Scholastica and trailed 14-0 early in the second quarter, but the Knights' offense got on track and defense found its rhythm as the game wore on with Carleton eventually claiming a 42-21 victory.
 
Carleton (6-1, 4-1 MIAC) was led by quarterback Jack Curtis, who accumulated 304 passing yards and four touchdown passes to go along with 54 yards on the ground. Ntense Obono finished the game with a team-high seven receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown.
 
St. Scholastica (2-5, 1-4 MIAC) found the end zone first – and second. The opening score came on an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Donald West to Ricky Weber. The second came on the Saints' next possession when running back Nick Schlender ran nine yards into the end zone, putting the Saints up 14-0 with 14:55 remaining before intermission.
 
After forcing the Saints to punt out of the back of their end zone, the Knights had favorable field position beginning their drive at the Saints' 30-yard line. The Knights capitalized by finding the end zone in two plays. A 29-yard strike to Obono was followed by Antonio Barrera's one-yard run up the middle to put the Knights on the board with 7:03 to go in the half.
 
On the second play of St. Scholastica's next possession, the Carleton defense came up with a key takeaway. Blake Neithart forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Luke Sugalski at the Saints' 33-yard line. After converting a fourth-down play to put the Knights on the eight-yard line, Curtis found Obono in the end zone, tying the game at 14-14.
 
The Knights' defense forced a three-and-out and took advantage of another short punt. Carleton took over at the 39-yard line and capped the scoring drive with a one-yard rush by Nick Toole, giving the Knights the 21-14 lead with 38 seconds remaining in the first half.
 
Early in the third quarter, the Knights' defense came up with another key turnover when Eric Lail intercepted a pass at the Saints' 27-yard line. Carleton took advantage with a three-yard catch and run by Joseph Park, his first touchdown of the season. The score put the Knights up 28-14 with 10:04 remaining in the third quarter.
 
St. Scholastica's other score came after marching 66 yards on 14 plays, culminating in West running it in from three yards out to bring the Saints back within one score at 28-21.
 
Carleton responded immediately, marching 73 yards in seven plays. The drive ended with a two-yard touchdown pass from Curtis to Rye Storrs. The final score of the game was a five-yard catch-and-run by running back Oryon Hamlin—his first touchdown of the year—with 6:10 still on the clock.
 
The Knights' offense included touchdowns by six different players. Curtis' four passing touchdowns brought his total for the 2023 campaign to 24, moving him into fifth place on Carleton's recorded single-season list.
 
Obono hauled in a touchdown for the sixth consecutive game. He now has seven TD receptions on the season and 20 in his career.
 
Carleton's defense was led by a 12-tackle game by Isaac Simons, as well as 11 tackles by both Henry Detmer and Lail. Michael Carey finished the game with two sacks, and CJ Richards and Simons finished with 0.5 sacks of their own.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton hosts Bethel University in the final home game of the regular-season. Kickoff on Oct. 28 is set for 1:00 p.m.