LINCOLN, Neb. – Dubuque rushed for 451 yards and had two different backs go over 200 yards rushing as the IIAC preseason favorite Spartans handed Nebraska Wesleyan their seventh straight loss with a 42-27 victory on a gray Saturday afternoon at Abel Stadium.
 
The combination of Dwayne Allen Jr. and Maurece Herrion was too much for the Prairie Wolves defense as they couldn't contain the Spartan backs.  Allen, the leading rusher in the IIAC, ran for 213 yards and four touchdowns on just 15 carries, averaging 14.2 yards each time he touched the ball.  Herrion showed his power running with 215 yards on 20 carries, an average of 10.8 per rush.
 
Despite all the big offensive numbers for Dubuque, the Prairie Wolves were still right in the ballgame and had a chance late pulling within a touchdown in the fourth quarter.  An interception from defensive lineman Tyler Sorensen gave NWU the ball in prime position.  Jonathan Curti then found Derrick Curtis for a 29-yard touchdown pass to make the score 35-27 with 11:16 remaining.
 
Dubuque responded scoring in only four plays with Allen making a highlight reel 51-yard TD run to put the Spartans back up by two scores.  Curti had two late fourth quarter interceptions that ended any rally.
 
Things couldn't have started worse for NWU playing in their only home game during the month of October.  On the second play of the game, Michael Joseph intercepted a Curti pass giving Dubuque the ball at the 38-yard line.  Joseph proved why he is one of the premier defensive players in the IIAC, finishing with three interceptions in the game.  Two plays later, Allen scored the first of his four touchdowns.
 
NWU got a break of their own later in the 1^st quarter when Bryan Moore blocked a Spartan punt to setup the Prairie Wolves first score.  Four plays later, Jackson Hinze caught a 16-yard TD pass from Curti to tie the game.
 
The tie was only for one play as Allen busted through the line for a 71-yard TD run on the ensuing drive.  The wild first quarter continued when NWU got the ball back as they promptly marched 75 yards, capping the drive with another Hinze TD reception from Curti.
 
Conor Feckely threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to give the Spartans a 28-14 lead at halftime.
 
In the second half, the Prairie Wolves defense forced a quick three and out handing the ball back to the offense.  Curti marched NWU down the field and had a big pass play of 39-yards to Curtis getting in the redzone.  On the next play, Curti found tight end Austin Orr for a 11-yard TD reception to cut the lead in half.
 
After the NWU defense got another stop, NWU was ready to march down and tie the game.  An untimely fumble gave the Spartans the ball back and they responded with a 54-yard drive all on the ground capped with Allen going 20 yards for a score.
 
Dubuque finished the game with 651 yards of total offense, rushing for 451 and passing for 200.  They average 9.4. yards per play and 28.6 yards per completion.  Conor Feckley was just 7-22 passing, but threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns.  Emmanuel Jenkins caught three passes for 113 yards.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan's offense continued to put up big numbers with 441 yards, but they had five costly turnovers.  Curti completed 34-59 passes to set a new school record for completions.  He had 384 yards passing to go over 2,000 already on the season.  Curti had four TD passes, but did throw four interceptions.
 
Derrick Curtis had his best career game with seven catches for 140 yards and a TD.  Jackson Hinze caught five passes for 53 yards with two TDs, and Shaka Taylor had a team-high nine receptions for 68 yards.  Taylor was held in check on the ground with only 61 yards on 17 carries.
 
Dakota Buss had a team-high 16 tackles, with Eli Bricker adding 11.