DE PERE, Wis. -- The St. Norbert College football team jumped out to a 24-0 lead at the half and went on to a 45-3 Midwest Conference victory over Lawrence University on Saturday at Minahan Stadium.
St. Norbert quarterback Rob Berger completed 16 of 25 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns to pace the Green Knights. He also was picked off by Lawrence cornerback Kyle Gauthier. Jeremy Gezella hauled in six passes, including two for touchdowns, for 157 yards for St. Norbert.
St. Norbert (3-0, 2-0 MWC) took its opening possession of the game and went 62 yards in eight plays, with John Weninger running the final nine yards for the score, to take a 7-0 lead. The Green Knights then marched 86 yards in eight plays to make it 14-0 late in the first quarter. Gezella caught a 14-yard touchdown pass to finish the drive.
The Vikings (0-2, 0-2) then drove deep into St. Norbert territory on its next possession but turned the ball over on downs at the St. Norbert 17. Matt Frelich then blocked a punt for the Vikings, and Lawrence took over at its own 44 but couldn't move the ball.
Berger and Gezella then connected on an 80-yard touchdown pass to put the Green Knights up 21-0 late in the first half.
Lawrence got on the board late in the third quarter when Cody Robel connected on a 25-yard field goal for his first collegiate points. The 11-play, 63-yard drive was highlighted by a 16-yard catch by Brandon Olson and a 19-yard run by Ben Hartman.
St. Norbert came right back when Berger hit Logan Krueger on a 48-yard scoring pass to go up 31-3. The Green Knights also got a 29-yard fumble recovery by Mike Lunde for a touchdown, and a four-yard scoring run by Joey Kobs.
Lawrence returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Grinnell College.