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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Capital University Football played its long-awaited home opener at Bernlohr Stadium on Friday night, but lost in a 47-6 decision to the Ohio Northern Polar Bears. The Crusaders now fall to 0-3 on the season leading into its bye week.

The Polar Bears (2-0) scored first but had to work for it after junior Kameron Lee pinned Ohio Northern on its own 5-yard line. However, a nine-play, 95-yard touchdown drive ended with a Chase Rose 9-yard scoring run.

Capital came back to put points on the board on its next drive. Aralius Walters gave Cap good field position following a 36-yard kickoff return. Luke McCarrell moved the sticks with a pair completions for first downs to put the Crusaders in field goal range. Senior Blake Middleton then came on to hit one of his two field goals, this from 32 yards out.

Ohio Northern came back to score touchdowns on each of its next two drives to make a 21-3 contest. Cap then mounted its most promising drive of the evening, carving 7:24 off of the clock over 18 plays. The Crusaders slowly but surely moved the ball down the field with a steady barrage of run plays. Once the Purple and White got inside the red zone, the drive stalled following a pair of incompletions, setting up Middleton for another field goal try. His second boot from 23 yards away was good, making for a 21-6 score.

ONU quickly answered back with its third consecutive touchdown drive, finished by quarterback Brody Hahn's 1-yard scoring run set up by a 48-yard connection between him and Jack DiMario. A field goal attempt was missed by ONU kicker Dom DiFalco prior to the half, lending to a 28-6 score going into the break.

Capital was unable to find the end zone or light up the scoreboard in the second half while ONU added another 19 points to its line.

While Capital dominated the time of possession behind 34:35 with the ball, they were only 4-of-18 on third down conversions and only had two trips into the red zone. ONU totaled 565 yards of total offense, 253 of which came on the ground. Hahn put together 418 total yards and five total touchdowns in leading the Polar Bears to victory. The Ohio Northern defense tallied five sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

Capital's Jack Blaisdell tallied 1.5 sacks, eight tackles and one hurry from the end position, while linebacker Wyatt Long led CU with 10 total tackles. Aralius Walters posted eight stops and two pass breakups.

The Crusaders (0-3) have a bye week to rest and use to prepare for its annual rivalry contest with Otterbein University on April 9.