The Culver-Stockton football team totaled a season-high 598 yards of offense but had four costly turnovers in a season-ending 42-35 loss to Peru State College Saturday afternoon at Ellison Poulton Stadium.

The Wildcats passed for a season high 380 yards and rushed for a season-best 218 yards but three interceptions, including a 94-yard pick six, and one fumble constantly kept C-SC from scoring points.

After Peru State took the opening kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive the game, the Wildcats answered with an 11-play, 71 yard drive to the Bobcat nine-yard line.

However, on third and goal, quarterback Liam Thornton was picked off by Peru's Cadaryirus Love returned it for a touchdown to put the Wildcats in a 14-0 hole.

C-SC showed its moxie by taking the ensuing kickoff and driving 75 yards on 11 plays before Thornton found the end zone a seven-yard run to cut the lead in half.

The Wildcat defense forced a three-and-out and the offense took over at midfield after a short Peru punt.

C-SC quickly went the 50 yards on seven plays with Damian Blankenship charging in from a yard out to tie the game. The big play in the drive was the first play with Nicholas Jarrett going 26 yards on a running play.

Tied at 14 midway through the second quarter, the Bobcats drove 57 yards on 10 plays to regain the lead. However, C-SC answered right back with an 11-play, 78-yard drive culminating on a 19-yard pass from Thornton to Hunter Perry and once again the game was tied.

Peru State took less than am minute to take a 28-21 lead, scoring just before the two-minute timeout.

On the ending possession, the Wildcats moved the ball to the Bobcat 20-yard line but the drive ended with Thornton's second interception in the end zone guaranteeing Peru a lead at the halfway point.

C-SC started the second half with the ball but was unable to do anything with and was forced to punt.

Peru extended its lead to 35-21 with a seven-play, 93-yard drive that ended with a 41-yard touchdown pass.

The Wildcats failed to move the ball on their next possession and was forced to punt. However, this time C-SC caught a break when the Bobcat return man muffed the kick and Mason Leu recovered for the Wildcats to give them life at the Peru 42-yard line.

C-SC quickly moved to the Bobcat one-yard line and from there Thornton found Kyle Dixon with a one-yard touchdown pass to get the home team within seven points at 35-28.

The C-SC defense stood tall on the ensuing possession and forced a Bobcat punt and the Wildcats went 66 yards on seven plays ending with Thornton's third touchdown pass of the day and the second to Perry, this time from 16 yards out, to tie the game for the third time.

It stay that for long as the Bobcats hit a 60-yard touchdown pass their second play after the C-SC score and the final play of the third quarter.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter as the Wildcat defense limited Peru to just six total plays in the quarter across two drives.

After the first three-and-out, the Wildcats drove all the way to the Peru 20-yard line but the drive stalled and the Wildcats gave up the ball on downs with two minutes remaining.

With three timeouts, C-SC kept the Bobcats from recording a first down and got the ball back one last time with 1:37 to play.

Starting at his own 30, Thortnton on the first play after the punt, gained 24 yards into Peru territory. However, he fumbled at the end of the run and Peru recovered. The Bobcats had three kneel downs to end the game

Thornton had a big day offensive with 360 yards passing on 24 if 44 accuracy and three touchdowns. He also had 82 yards rushing on 17 attempts for 442 total yards. 

Dixon caught nine passes for 158 yards and one touchdown. Dixon finished the season with 83 catches, falling five short of the school record of 88. Hunter Perry totaled six receptions for 91 yards and two scores.

Blankenship rushed for a career-high 91 yards on 21 attempts while Jarrett had 45 yards on six carries before leaving the game in the first quarter due to injury.

The Wildcats end the 2025 season with a 5-6 overall record overall, the third straight year they have improved over the previous year, and 2-4 in the Heart's North Division.