RICHMOND, Ind. — One yard. Maybe even less.

The Earlham College football team literally came up short on Saturday as Bluffton University defeated the Quakers 24-22 in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference contest in Darrell Beane Stadium.

Trailing 24-20 and facing a 4th-and-goal from the 12-yard line, the Quakers nearly got the job done. Brennan Laird completed a pass that had Jalen Kenner near the goalline for a possible game-winning score with 1:19 remaining.

Kenner was ruled down at the 1-yard line and Bluffton (3-3, 3-1) had the ball.

The Quakers were able to stop the Beavers and get the ball back. David Dyer pushed Bluffton quarterback N Sheehan out of the end zone as the Beavers were prepared to take a safety.

Earlham got the ball back at their own 24-yard line with 24 seconds left. Laird fumbled and Bluffton recovered to end the contest.

The Quakers began the afternoon with an early lead when Tre Stephens scored on a 1-yard run with 4:01 left in the opening period.

After the Beavers tied the contest at 7-7, the Quakers answered with a pair of scores.

Malik Reid scored a 76-yard screen pass from Laird to make it 13-7 at 6:55. Laird capped the half with a 1-yard run at the 1:26 mark.  

Early in the third quarter, Bluffton scored to make it 20-14 before the Beavers would add a touchdown and a field goal in the final stanza to go on top 24-20.

Laird end the day with 19 completions in 28 attempts for 301 yards. He also had 70 yards rushing.

Reid finished with four catches for 148 yards. He had 45 yards on the ground in nine carries.

Kenner had a team-high six grabs for 74 yards. Wesley Hundley had four receptions for 49 yards.

Defensively, Marcus Villareal led the Quakers with 10 tackles. Mason Davis had eight tackles and Junior Jean had an interception.

Earlham (0-7, 0-5) returns to action next Saturday as the Quakers welcome Defiance College for Homecoming and Senior Day. The HCAC game begins at 2:30 p.m.