Mattern's Record-Setting Day Highlights Homecoming Win

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/14/23)---Quarterback Cooper Mattern turned Concordia's Homecoming game into one long personal highlight reel. The junior signal caller threw for program-record 401 yards, connected on a record-tying five touchdown passes and rushed for another score in the Cobbers' 58-14 win over Hamline.

Mattern was part of a Cobber squad that scored 46 unanswered points in the final 32 minutes of play. Concordia led 16-14 after the Pipers scored with 3:06 left in the first half. CC promptly responded by scoring on six of their next seven possessions and fished the game by posting 46 unanswered points.

The win ends a 2-game losing streak for the Cobbers and evens both of their records. Concordia is 3-3 in all games and 2-2 in conference play. Hamline loses for the fourth straight game and moves to 2-4 overall and 0-4 in the MIAC.

THE 411: The two teams traded touchdowns on their opening drives of the game, and it looked like the football contest would turn into a track meet. Concordia took a 10-7 lead on their second possession when junior kicker Damien Silus knocked home a 31-yard field goal. After a pair of punts by the Pipers and a missed 48-yard field goal by CC, the teams once again swapped scoring drives with Dawson Schaffer outracing the defense for an 85-yard TD reception, Hamline connecting on a 7-yard scoring strike and then Owen Miller hauling in a 26-yard touchdown catch.

The Cobbers held a modest 23-14 lead at the halftime break before blowing the game open in the third quarter when they scored on all four possessions and turned the 9-point margin into a 44-14 walk in the park.

Schaffer caught his third TD pass of the game to open the scoring spree, then senior wideout Joey Headrick came away with his first touchdown reception of the year, before Mattern powered his way in  from 1-yard out and Colin Conteh broke free at the line of scrimmage to record a 57-yard TD run.

Freshman Jordan Summers would close out the scoring when he plunged into the end zone from 2 yards out with 2:51 left in the fourth quarter. The TD was the first of Summers' collegiate career.

THE NEXT LEVEL: Mattern finished the day by going 23-for-29 and throwing for 401 yards and five TDs. The 401 passing yards are the most in a single game by a CC player. That total surpasses the previous record of 386 set by Ethan Pole in 1997. The five TDs tie a school record, which is also held by Hall of Fame QB Brian Schumacher, who threw for five scores in a pair of games in 2004.                           

THE NEXT LEVEL 2.0: Schaffer's three TD receptions tied a school record for touchdown catches in a single game. Andrew Passanante caught three TD passes in a game against MSU Moorhead in 2003, and Hall of Famer Tory Langemo accomplished the same feat in 1996.

THE NEXT LEVEL 3.0: Conteh's 57-yard scoring run was the longest rush of the season for the Cobbers and the longest since the last game of last year when Peyton Mortenson broke off a 63-yard ramble against Carleton.

BY THE NUMBERS: Concordia finished the day with 177 rushing yards and 425 passing yards for 602 total yards. The 602 total yards is the second-most in school history. The Cobbers put up 616 against Hamline in 2019.

The Cobber defense limited the Pipers to 265 total yards of offense. HU had 11 rushing yards and 153 passing yards.

Hamline didn't have a turnover in the game, while Concordia lost a fumble and had a pass intercepted.

INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Besides the record-setting day from Mattern, Owen Miller had another career game. One game after going over the 100-yard receiving mark for the first time in his career, Miller recorded 11 catches for 147 yards and one TD. Schaffer finished with five receptions for 136 yards and three scores. It is the first time this year that Concordia has had a pair of 100-yard receivers in the same game. Headrick nearly gave the Cobbers a trio of 100-yard receivers. He finished the day with three catches for 94 yards.

Conteh also had a career game for CC. He was a late entry into the starting lineup and responded by posting the first 100-yard rushing game of his career. He ran the ball 12 times and finished with 101 yards and the one score.

Ty Moser led the defense with 8.0 total tackles. Stuart DeMerit had 5.0 tackles with 1.0 tackles for a loss, while Collin Thompson added to his league-leading tackles for a loss total by recording 0.5 tackles for a loss and 5.0 total tackles.   

UP NEXT: Concordia will stay at home and host Skyline Division foe Macalester on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m.