DES MOINES, Iowa - On the strength of six forced turnovers and a couple of big plays, including a 98-yard touchdown pass, the Marian University football team shocked No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Grand View University, 31-18, at Williams Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday afternoon.

Junior quarterback Hayden Northern completed 14-of-26 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns in relief of starter Brandon Beitzel, who had to leave the game in the second quarter. It was big plays that led MU to the win as each of Northern's touchdown passes was for 30 yards or more.

After senior Tevin Lake opened the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown run that capped a 7-play, 65-yard drive early in the first quarter. The drive began when sophomore Kyle Steinebach picked off a Derek Fulton pass to give MU the ball and quell the Vikings' game-opening drive.

On the first play of the ensuing GVU drive, Fulton fumbled the football and junior Daniel Rojas fell on it at the Grand View 17-yard line. MU was forced to settle for three as senior Martin Waddick hit a 33-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 7:54 left in the first quarter.

MU maintained the shutout in the first quarter, but a Ben Hurley 26-yard field goal made it 10-3, and, after turning it over on downs on an iffy spot after a 4th-and-1 over-the-pile run by Lake, the Vikings countered with a 64-yard touchdown pass to make it 10-10 with 6:20 left in the half.

The Knights weren't done for the half as Northern hooked up with sophomore Krishawn Hogan on a 32-yard touchdown pass to cap a 9-play, 65-yard drive to make it 17-10 with 3:03 left in the half. GVU answered with an 80-yard touchdown pass, but missed the extra point to send MU into the locker room with a 17-16 lead.

The second half started quickly for MU. On the second play from scrimmage from his own 2-yard line, Northern dropped back and hit sophomore transfer Trey White with a 98-yard touchdown pass to put MU up 24-16 with 14:06 to go in the third.

MU added one more when Northern hit sophomore Jimmie Walker Jr. with a 34-yard touchdown pass to cap an 8-play, 76-yard drive that made it 31-16. Now it was up to the defense to hold, and they did.

The Knights surrendered just two second-half points on a bad snap that sophomore punter Conner Cope wisely shoveled out of the back of the end zone for the safety to make it 31-18 with seven minutes left in the game. The final four drives of the game for GVU resulted in three interceptions and a turnover on downs. The Vikings quarterbacks were intercepted five times and had one lost fumble.

White finished the day with two catches for 101 yards and a score, while Walker Jr. finished with six catches for 63 yards and a score. Redshirt sophomore Robert Gibson finished with three catches for 78 yards, while Hogan had three catches for 69 yards and a score. Lake finished the day with 78 yards on 29 carries and notched his 48th career rushing touchdown.

Defensively, redshirt sophomore Beau Shields led MU with eight tackles, while Rojas and sophomore Eric Price each had two interceptions. MU amassed five sacks, five interceptions, nine tackles for loss and a forced fumble in the win. The defense also held the Vikings to 33 yards rushing.

KNIGHT NOTES
The five interceptions is the most the Knights have had as a team in one game in program history.
The 98-yard touchdown pass is the longest in program history and tied the longest play in program history, which was a 98-yard kickoff return in 2012 by Clifford Brown.
The 101 yards for Trey White gives the Knights three straight games in which they have had a 100-yard receiver. Krishawn Hogan had the first two in 2014.
The 362 passing yards are the 6th-most in program history in a single game.
The 319 passing yards is a career-high for Hayden Northern.
The six quarterback sacks ties for the fourth-most in a single game in program history.
MU improved to 7-1 all-time against Grand View University and 3-0 in Des Moines, Iowa.
MU is also 2-0 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Football Coaches' Poll.

UP NEXT:
The Knights will have a bye next week before they head to Robert Morris University in Arlington Heights, Ill., for a 2 p.m. clash on October 4. Scott McCauley (p-b-p) and Alex McCool (color) will call all the action beginning at 1:45 p.m.