DECORAH, Iowa — Lawrence University football opened the 2026 season Saturday at Luther College, falling 30-7 at Carlson Stadium.
The Vikings got on the board first, capitalizing early when Jacob Cawley scored on a seven-yard rushing touchdown with 7:58 remaining in the opening quarter. Lennon Frazier added the extra point to give Lawrence a 7-0 advantage.
Luther answered later in the quarter on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Brett Liljedahl to Bryce Buckley, tying the game at 7-7. The Norse took the lead for good in the second quarter and carried a 14-7 advantage into halftime before adding 16 unanswered points after the break.
Lawrence found some success through the air, finishing with 126 passing yards. Jordan Pidala completed 9-of-17 passes for 101 yards, including a 42-yard completion, while Boris Christensen went 7-for-13 for 20 yards. The Vikings did not throw an interception in 31 passing attempts.
Cawley was Lawrence's biggest offensive weapon, finishing with 133 all-purpose yards. He totaled 66 receiving yards, 60 kickoff return yards and seven rushing yards, with his rushing score accounting for the Vikings' lone touchdown.
Raenaldo Farrington Jr. led Lawrence on the ground with 22 yards on nine carries, while Cawley caught two passes for a team-high 66 receiving yards. Tristian Gooden added an 18-yard reception, and Hunter Carlson and Ethan Holland each recorded three catches.
Defensively, Dyson Sharpton paced the Vikings with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops and a tackle for loss. Jaden Johnson followed with nine tackles, while Brady Dilworth recorded eight. Andrew Bloomquist registered Lawrence's lone sack, and Gabe Arnold recovered a fumble.
The Vikings finished with 138 yards of total offense and converted six of 17 third downs. Lawrence's defense forced a turnover and limited Luther to one fourth-down conversion in two attempts, while the Norse finished with 397 yards of offense.
Lawrence returns home next Saturday for its 2026 home opener against Buena Vista University. Kickoff is scheduled for noon at Banta Bowl
