DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – For the second consecutive season the Loras football team came away victorious against Simpson on a cool, cloudy day in the Rock Bowl. Using a 21-point fourth quarter, the Duhawks (4-3, 3-1) pulled away for a 27-9 decision at the final whistle.

Freshman Nolan Baumhover and the offense didn't have their typical success through the air, but still managed 280 yards and two passing touchdowns. The real story however came on the opposite side of the ball where the Duhawks kept an opponent out of the end zone for the first time since 2010. Simpson (3-4, 2-2) managed just nine points on three field-goal attempts.

Neither team was able to move the ball effectively in the first half, with Simpson finishing the half narrowly above 100 total yards. Loras got off to a quick start however, scoring on the games third drive after a 16-yard completion to sophomore Mikey Castoro set the Duhawks up on the goal line. On the very next play, Baumhover handed the ball off to junior Zach Minch who powered his way through the line for the score. On the two-point attempt, Simpson stopped Loras in their tracks. Minch's touchdown was the only one of the first half and gave Loras a 6-3 advantage at the break.

The third quarter followed a similar script to that of the first half, with neither team finding much success offensively. The lone score came by way of a Drew Jensen field goal for Simpson, to draw level at 6-all. Simpson opted for the field goal after a delay of game penalty on Loras moved them to within field goal range.

As if a switch had been flipped, the Loras offense awoke in the fourth quarter much like they have all season long. In seven games, the Duhawks have scored a total of 100 points in the final quarter of play.

The first three quarters had not been generous to Baumhover and the Loras offense, but a tipped ball on third-and-21 was caught by junior Josh Schulte for a gain of 29 yards and gave Loras the lift they needed. Baumhover capped the drive with a 40-yard touchdown strike to senior Nate Even to put Loras back in front, 13-9.

On the next possession, Simpson was faced with a fourth-and-six from the Loras six-yard line and failed to convert after sophomore Liam Kirwan and junior Austin Epple fought through the line and stopped Cole Martin short of the first down marker, turning the ball over to Loras with 5:44 to play.

After a completion to Even for eight yards, Baumhover handed off to Minch on a power run and the Davenport native powered scampered through the trenches and past the secondary on his way to an 86-yard touchdown run for a touchdown, giving Loras the 20-9 lead.

Kirwan did his best to seal the victory by collecting his first career interception on the very next Simpson possession on a fourth-and-one pass from Simpson's Caleb Frye. This pick set up an 11-yard touchdown pass to Even. Falling backwards in the endzone, Even used every part of his body in order to haul in his second score of the day.

Loras stepped up defensively when it mattered most, holding Simpson to 6-of-19 on third down and 1-of-5 on fourth down.