St. Ambrose football traveled to Division II Upper Iowa University on Saturday afternoon. The Bees stayed with the Peacocks for the first half but couldn't keep pace in the second for a 45-26 loss in Fayette, Iowa.

SAU scored on the opening drive, going 80 yards in 3 plays. Joey Sprinkle found AK Agee for a 76-yard touchdown pass to give the Bees an early 7-0 lead. The Bee defense held Upper Iowa to a field goal on their opening drive to make it a 7-3 score with 9:19 remaining in the first quarter. St. Ambrose's offense stalled on the next drive, and the Peacocks took advantage with an 8-yard touchdown pass to take a 10-7 lead heading into the second.

The Bees got the lead back on a 37-yard strike from Sprinkle to Yemi Ward to make it 14-10 with 14:05 left in the half. Upper Iowa would go on a sustained drive on their next possession, an 11-play, 75-yard drive of over six minutes to grab the lead back at 17-14. SAU would head into halftime down three as neither team could find points to end the second quarter.

Upper Iowa took their second-half opening drive for a touchdown to take a 24-14 lead, but St. Ambrose responded on the next possession. Sprinkle found Kyle Yehling for gains of 30 and 18 yards, and the drive was capped with a 9-yard touchdown run by Nolan Bielskis with 7:05 left in the third quarter. The SAU point after attempt was blocked to make it 24-20. The Peacocks scored on their next possession to increase their lead to 31-20 with 2:46 left in the third. The Bees would be intercepted on their next possession leading to an UI touchdown for a 38-20 score with 13:25 left in the game.

St. Ambrose would go on a 17-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a 7-yard touchdown pass from Sprinkle to Ward for a 38-26 score with 7:32 remaining. The point after attempt failed. Upper Iowa would score on a long touchdown run to account for the 45-26 final.

Sprinkle finished 17-30 with 282 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Agee hauled in three catches for 93 yards and one touchdown. Ward had five receptions for 71 yards and two scores. Kaden King had 21 carries for 94 yards. Jarian Dunlap Jr. and Jamari Wise recorded interceptions for the Bee defense. George Litgen III recorded 14 solo tackles, while Micheal Robinson and Jake Strater had six tackles apiece.

St. Ambrose will be on the road again, traveling to Siena Heights on September 16 for an 11 a.m. start.