MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - Falling behind by 17 points in the early minutes of the third quarter, the Ripon College football team rallied with 14 unanswered points, but fell just short of completing a comeback, losing to Cornell (Iowa) Saturday afternoon by a score of 31-28. The Red Hawks out-gained Cornell in total offensive yards (372-317) and first downs (22-16), but three Ripon turnovers proved to be the difference in the game, as Cornell converted them into 14 points.

Ripon (1-8, 1-6 MWC) scored the game's first points on a 32-yard touchdown run by Austin Bunders mid-way through the first quarter. Cornell (4-5, 3-4 MWC) answered with a 65-yard drive, which was capped by a 30-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Brown to Justin Ramirez. After Bunders returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards, Ripon capitalized on the short field, scoring on a one-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Samuel Shroyer to take a 14-7 lead at the end of the first period. Cornell would take control of the game in the second quarter, outscoring Ripon 17-0 in the period. After a 40-yard field goal, the Rams scored on a 16-yard reception by Gabriel Noyce and a nine-yard run by Brown.

Noyce added a three-yard touchdown run three and a half minutes into the third quarter to give Cornell a 31-14 lead, but those were the final points Cornell would score in the game. Ripon cut into the lead with eight and a half minutes left in the third quarter on Bunders' second TD of the game, this time from seven yards out. Cameron Gruenwald added a four-yard run with just under three minutes remaining in the game to cut Cornell's lead to three, and after a three and out by the Rams, Ripon got the ball back with one and a half minutes to play. The Red Hawks advanced the ball into Cornell territory in the final minute, but the game ended on an interception with 23 seconds on the clock.

Bunders finished the game with 47 yards on three carries for the Red Hawks, while Gruenwald and Shroyer each rushed for 43 yards. Gruenwald also completed 10-of-21 passes for 135 yards, while Cameron Mignone led all receivers with five catches for 89 yards.

Cornell was led by Daniel Brown's 73 yards on 11 carries, while also completing 20-of-38 passes for 203 yards. Noyce led the Rams with five receptions for 50 yards. Maliek Ketchens recorded two of the team's three interceptions, including the game-ender.

Ripon will bring their 2016 season to a close next weekend when they'll host Lawrence University in what is the longest college football rivalry in the state of Wisconsin. That game, which is Senior Day, will begin at 1 p.m. in Ripon, Wis. and can be seen live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.