ORANGE, California – Cal Lutheran football fell just short of its first victory of the season, nearly completing a furious comeback on the road against Chapman University on Saturday night. The Kingsmen (0-4, 0-2 SCIAC) had a chance to win the game with a last-second touchdown, but the Panthers (3-1, 2-0 SCIAC) prevailed on Homecoming weekend in front of a packed crowd.

The Kingsmen defense gained momentum early as linebacker Jake Frey picked off the Chapman quarterback on the Panthers' second offensive play. Frey's interception set up a quick Cal Lutheran touchdown drive brought by the legs of running back CJ Zackery. He gained yards on three straight runs, capped off by a nine-yard scamper in the end zone to put the Kingsmen up 7-0. Zackery would finish with 70 total yards, one touchdown, and two receptions.

Chapman would respond with 21 unanswered points to go into the half up by 14.

Cal Lutheran quarterback Jaden Casey must have his own version of "Michael's Secret Stuff" from Space Jam, because he flipped a switch after halftime. On the Kingsmen's first drive of the second half, Casey dropped a 41-yard dime down the middle to wide receiver Cade Cadam. A few plays later, Casey found a hole in the defense and ran for 23 yards down to Chapman's 4-yard-line. Kingsmen signal-caller capped the impressive 9-play, 83-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run up the middle. Casey would end the game with 165 passing yards, 36 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns.

Early in the fourth quarter, Chapman was up by seven and decided to go for it on 4th-and-12 from Cal Lutheran's 38-yard-line. The Kingsmen defense made the crucial stop, kickstarting a 9-play touchdown drive led by common heroics from Cadam. After an offensive pass interference left Cal Lutheran facing a 3rd-and-17, Cadam hauled in an 18-yard reception to keep the drive alive. On the next play, Cadam drew a defensive pass interference on the Panthers before ending the possession with a six-yard touchdown catch.

Kicker Daniel Burgos missed the potential game-tying extra point, leaving the Kingsmen down by one with 8:34 left. Chapman responded with a long field-goal drive to go up four with 1:45 left. Then Casey and the offense took the field, looking for a touchdown to bring home the win.

The drive started with two quick catches by elusive wide receiver Desmond Thompson for 26 yards. Then a check-down to Zackery for 7 yards. Cadam continued his huge performance with two consecutive receptions for 26 more yards. The Kingsmen suddenly found themselves facing a 4th-and-2 from the Chapman 20-yard-line with only 19 seconds left. Head Coach Anthony Lugo used his final timeout to think it over with the game on the line.

Out of the timeout, Lugo went to Zackery on the ground, and his faith was rewarded with a first-down pickup of 8-yards. Casey hurried the offense to the line and spiked the ball with 11 seconds remaining.

12 yards from the goal-line, Casey took the snap, improbably escaped a sack, rolled to his right, and fired just short of wide receiver Taylor Evans. Chapman started to celebrate, but the officials put one second back on the clock.

With one last chance, Casey took the snap, saw Cadam separating in the back of the end zone, and let it fly for his top receiver. Cadam reached up and snagged the ball, but his momentum brought him out-of-bounds. The Kingsmen would lose the game by a score of 24-20 in heart-breaking fashion.

Cadam finished the game with eight receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown. Running back Gabe Landless impressed on the ground with 61 yards on 13 touches.

The Kingsmen drop to 0-4 on the season and 0-2 in conference. They continue their season next Saturday at La Verne, kickoff at 5:00 PM.