Taylor scored a touchdown with nine seconds left to cap a back-and-forth final quarter and defeat St. Ambrose 37-34 in Upland, Ind., in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

The loss spoiled a huge game for Bee wide receiver Yemi Ward. Ward caught five passes for 216 yards and four touchdowns. He is the first Bee receiver to top 200 yards since Brad Connor had 201 yards against Olivet Nazarene during the 2016 campaign. In the fourth quarter alone, Ward caught touchdown passes of 76 and 52 yards from Tom Casey. The final one gave SAU a 34-30 lead with 3:38 to play.

On their final possession, the Trojans converted a 4th-and-8 play and then facing a 3rd-and-12 from the Bee 24-yard line, scored on a 24-yard run.

St. Ambrose had one final chance. Taylor was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and Micheal Robinson returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards to the Taylor 30-yard line with one second remaining. Joe Namio had a chance to send the game into overtime but his 47-yard field goal came up just short.

The Bees overcame two early turnovers and a 13-7 deficit with Ward's 32-yard touchdown reception from Joey Sprinkle accounting for SAU's first points of the year.

Ward added a 46-yard touchdown to give St. Ambrose a 14-13 lead in the second quarter before Taylor took a 20-14 lead into the halftime break.

The teams traded scores in the third quarter with Kaden King's 14-yard run putting St. Ambrose in front 21-20 before Taylor answered with a 26-yard field goal for a 23-21 advantage.

But most of the offensive fireworks came in the final frame.

Seconds into the quarter, Ward hauled in his 76-yard touchdown to put SAU back in front. After George Litgen III picked off a pass, the Bees had the opportunity to increase its 27-23 lead, but Casey's fourth-down pass to AK Agee fell incomplete in the end zone.

The Trojans immediately capitalized, scoring on a 64-yard run to take a 30-27 lead with 3:54 left. The Bees needed just two plays to regain the lead on Casey's 52-yard strike to Ward.

That led to Taylor's 12-play, 65-yard drive that ended in heartbreak for St. Ambrose.

Casey completed 7-of-11 passes for 226 yards and the three long touchdowns to Ward. Sprinkle had three completions for 29 yards and one score.

King rushed for 98 yards and the one touchdown. Israel Taylor caught two passes for 14 total yards.

Rolando Sepulveda led the Bee defense with 15 total tackles. Robinson was credited with 14 stops. Litgen and Anthony Brown were each in on eight tackles and D'Mauryon Hunter had seven, including two for losses.

St. Ambrose will play its home opener next Saturday against Wisconsin-Stout. Kickoff from Jack and Pat Bush Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.