Box Score | Post-Game Press Conferences: AU | SJU 

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - In the aftermath of his team's 51-47 first-round playoff victory over Aurora (Ill.) Saturday afternoon, Saint John's University senior cornerback Chris Harris (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) readily acknowledged there was not much left in the tank.

"I'm drained," he said. "But these are the kind of games you live for as a competitor. They did a really good job. Their quarterback is a really talented guy. He played a great game."

Indeed, Aurora University junior Gavin Zimbelman, who entered play leading all divisions of NCAA in passing touchdowns with 51, gave the Johnnies all they could handle and more. 

He finished 39 of 58 passing for 432 yards and six touchdowns as his team built leads of as much as 13 points in the third quarter and nine in the fourth.

The eighth-ranked Johnnies (10-1 overall) did not lead until a 9-yard touchdown run by senior running back Kai Barber (Minneapolis, Minn./Totino-Grace) put them on top 35-34 with 7:45 to play in the third quarter. 

But Zimbelman and Aurora retook the lead late in the quarter, and expanded their margin to 47-38 when the quarterback connected with freshman Brock Harner on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 8:26 remaining in the game.



The Spartans finished with 531 yards in total offense, by far the most Saint John's has surrendered all season. In fact, the 294 yards Aurora piled up in the first half alone exceeded the totals the Johnnies had allowed in all but two games during the regular season.

"We knew they were a well-coached football team," said Saint John's head coach Gary Fasching, whose team advances to meet No. 12 Chapman (Calif.) in the second round next Saturday.

"And they made life rough on us. I know a lot of people thought this was going to be an easy game. But watching film on them during the week, we could tell they were a very good football team."

There were eye-popping offensive numbers on both sides. The Johnnies finished with 559 yards of total offense and senior quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) made enough plays to make sure the hole never got too deep for his team.



He finished 30 of 42 passing for 481 yards and four touchdowns, crossing the 10,000-yard passing mark in his collegiate career and breaking SJU single-season passing mark in the process.

Sophomore wide receivers Ravi Alston (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Vista Murrieta) and T.J. Hodge (Miami, Fla./Doral Academy) finished with 216 and 103 yards respectively, and each had a touchdown catch. 

Barber's 1-yard touchdown run with 1:49 to play erased a two-point deficit and put SJU on top by four.

"As a quarterback, I love to throw the ball," Erdmann said. "And we had a lot of dudes making plays out there. It was a lot of fun."

But Aurora still had a chance to end the amusement. Zimbelman and the Spartans' offense took the ball all the way to the Johnnies' 30-yard line on the game's final drive. But Harris tackled senior Colton Jewell at the 22-yard line after an 8-yard completion as time expired.

Erdmann Elite Once Again
Erdmann's performance was one for the record books, as his 481 yards are second in single-game SJU history. Erdmann now holds the top four passing games in SJU history, and surpassed 400 yards for the fifth time in his career. 

Mr. 10,000
Erdmann needed 49 yards to surpass 10,000 career passing yards, and he did much more than that. Erdmann now has 10,432 career yards, 306 away from breaking Alex Kofoed's (2004-07) SJU and MIAC record of 10,737 yards. 

Single-Season Record
Erdmann is also SJU's new record holder for passing yards in a season with 3,833, which surpassed the old record of 3,489 yards set by Tom Linnemann '00 in 2000. 

Better Late Than Never
After some early-season difficulties on special teams, the Johnnies converted when it counted. With 12:41 left in the fourth quarter, junior Colin Kummer (Hastings, Minn.) split the uprights on a 28-yard field goal, the Johnnies' first of the season. Kummer is also 21-for-23 on extra points this season.

Kai When It Counts
Barber scored three second-half touchdowns and gained 88 yards on 15 carries. Barber's first touchdown, a nine-yard scamper, gave SJU its first lead at 35-34 with 7:45 to play in the third quarter. Barber found the end zone from two yards out to cut SJU's deficit to 47-45 with 5:47 to play and his one-yard touchdown run with 1:49 remaining proved to be the game-winning score. 

200 Through the Air 
Alston recorded career highs with 12 receptions and 216 yards, and caught a 12-yard touchdown from Erdmann with 1:51 into the second quarter. He may have saved the game for SJU with his 14-yard reception on fourth-and-four from the Aurora 37-yard line with the Johnnies down 47-38 in the fourth quarter. Alston surpassed 1,000 yards on the season and now leads the Johnnies in receptions (64), yards (1,106) and touchdowns (9). 

Another 100-yard Receiver  
Hodge also surpassed 100 yards receiving as he finished with 103 yards on seven catches for his fifth 100-yard game of the season. He got the Johnnies on the board in the second half as he hauled in a 44-yard pass from Erdmann with 12:29 to play in the third quarter. 

Key Defensive Plays 
An early interception by Harris may have been the difference in Saturday's shootout. On Aurora's second drive, Harris picked off a deep throw by Aurora on the SJU 3-yard line. It was the only drive in the first half in which the Spartans failed to score. Harris now leads the team with seven interceptions, the most by a Johnnie since Bobby Fischer '13 did it in 2012. Harris also blocked an extra point after Aurora scored to open the second half.

Combined points
Saturday's 98 combined points tie the most in program history, with the previous game being SJU's 98-0 win over St. Scholastica on Sept. 2, 2017. The game also set an SJU record for combined points in a playoff game, surpassing the 91 points scored in last year's first round win over Martin Luther (84-7). The Division III record for points in a playoff game was set by next Saturday's opponent, as Chapman defeated Linfield (Ore.) 68-65 in three overtimes. 

First-Round Success
With the win, SJU improved to 19-4 in the first round of the NCAA playoffs, including a 15-1 record in Collegeville. 

See You Sept. 5
SJU recently signed a two-year deal with Aurora to play non-conference games in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The deal was signed before Saturday's game was determined. The Spartans will return to Collegeville next season for the home opener Sept. 5, followed by a showdown in Illinois in 2021.