The end of the Rowan-Case Western Reserve game is a head-scratcher. Rowan athletics photo

The Rowan-Case game never got to a full conclusion on Saturday, and others were interrupted, while the Mayors' Cup did get finished. Utica got a big performance from a new QB, while Hampden-Sydney rolled on the road. Check out more from Week 1 in D-III in the recap below.

• Week 1 scoreboard
• Week 1 national wrapup
• Week 1 Top 25 wrapup
• Thursday wrapup | Friday wrapup |
• Even more game stories

Utica's season got off to a strong start, as the Pioneers racked up 593 yards of total offense in winning 49-31 at Washington & Jefferson. W&J got standout quarterback play from new starter Kellan Stahl, and John Peduzzi caught eight passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns, but Utica was even better. Tyler Szalkowski, who previously played at D-I FCS schools Albany and Robert Morris, threw for four touchdowns and completed 28 of 40 passes for 528 yards in the victory. Tyshawn Taylor, Antonio Cianfarani and Bryce Palmer each had more than 125 yards receiving for Utica in the victory.

Carter Sido passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns, wide receiver Mason Cunningham had 92 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and running back Terry Hicks rushed for a game-high 128 yards and one touchdown, as Hampden-Sydney took a 38-9 season-opening non-conference football road win at Delaware Valley. The visiting Tigers (1-0) never trailed against the host Aggies (0-1), leading 14-0 after one quarter, 17-9 at halftime and 31-9 after three quarters en route to the convincing triumph.

"I'm really proud of this team and their effort," said second-year head coach Vince Luvara. "We talked all week how it was about our effort and our execution each play. I thought we displayed that for 60 minutes and in all three phases."

Rowan and Case Western Reserve were fit to be tied, perhaps? After four hours of lightning delays and with no end in sight, the game was called in the third quarter. A mutually-agreed-upon decision by the coaches, athletic directors, and referees resulted in the game ending in a tie, even though Rowan had led the game at the time of the interruption, 17-14. The game statistics are unofficial until further guidance from the NCAA is received, but it's unlikely that the 17-17 score will stand. 

Roanoke started strong in its first-ever Division III football varsity game, defeating Virginia-Lynchburg 23-7 in front of a crowd of 5,643 in Salem Stadium. The last time Roanoke played a varsity football game was 1942. The Maroon defense held the Dragon ground game to minus-21 yards and RC outgained VUL 367-165. Roanoke scored on a safety midway through the third quarter for the only points of the second half for either team.

Gregory Walker ran for a career-high 185 yards and three touchdowns as Plymouth State opened its season with a 49-21 win against New England College. The Pilgrims, who were playing their first varsity football game in more than half a century, led 14-7 in the first quarter before the Panthers pulled away. Walker found the end zone on each of the Panthers' first three possessions, surpassing 100 yards rushing in the opening quarter alone. NEC scored on its first two drives, but PSU responded both times, with Walker plunging in from one and 14 yards out.

Lightning struck last for Vermont State Castleton, as the Spartans got a 27-yard TD pass from Mitch Chaves to Justin Peguero to grab a 16-12 lead over Westfield State with 12:15 left in the fourth quarter, but the Spartans' score proved decisive as the game was suspended with 9:42 left to play, and eventually called off as potent lightning and thunderstorms and an eventual tornado warning hit Western Mass. The game was called off shortly thereafter. It is considered official and final.

Noah Beaudrie lofted a beautiful deep ball down the field that Adrian receiver Ethan Abberger made a great play on with 26 seconds left in the game as the former Mount Union starting quarterback helped lead the Adrian Bulldogs to a 10-7 win at Division I FCS Valparaiso. Ethan Burrows made a pick with nine seconds left to deal the win. Valpo, which is in the same non-scholarship conference as former D-III member St. Thomas, is coached by former Marietta head coach Andy Waddle, in his first season. Valpo fell to 1-1.

Whitworth lost 10 starters on defense but it didn't seem to affect the Pirates that much as the held Gustavus Adolphus to 298 yards and 10 points in a 23-10 win. Junior quarterback Logan Lacio completed 29 of 38 passes for 331 yards with one touchdown and one interception in his Pirate starting debut. He also scored on a sneak for Whitworth's first touchdown. Wyatt Hess capped the Whitworth's defensive day with the interception in the final minute of the game to prevent Gustavus from narrowing the final margin.

Christopher Newport recorded its 150th all-time football victory, as the Captains opened their 25th season with a dominant 38-7 win over Trine in front of a crowd of 3,127. CNU used a second quarter surge to open a 17-point halftime lead, and held the Thunder scoreless in the second half to post the 31-point triumph on a hot and humid afternoon at TowneBank Stadium. quarterback Connor Barry threw five touchdown passes, with four going to Colin Hart, as the Captains outgained Trine 474-166. Barry completed 14 of 17 passes for 271 yards, while Hart made seven receptions for 199 yards. The victory was the fifth straight season-opening win for the Captains, who are now 12-13 all-time in openers.

Two Greensboro quarterbacks combined to go 16-for-30 for 156 yards, while two Guilford quarterbacks teamed up to go 12-for-32 for 106 as Greensboro defeated Guilford 21-7, winning the Soup Bowl for the first time since 2012. The rivalry is between the two NCAA Division III programs in Greensboro, North Carolina. Sincere McIntyre returned the opening kickoff of the season 95 yards for a touchdown for the Pride. With the win, Greensboro has already matched its win total from last season.

Trailing 14-0 after one quarter, Stevenson erupted for 26 points in the second quarter as the Mustangs defeated Bridgewater (Va.) 32-27 on the road on Saturday night. Trailing 32-21 in the fourth quarter, Bridgewater netted a late touchdown but had its potential game winning drive stalled at the Mustangs' 37-yard line with 1:48 left in the game.

WashU played a home game under the lights for the first time since 2018 and it sent the crowd home happy as the Bears blanked Rhodes 49-0. The Bears finished with 435 yards of total offense, while holding Rhodes to 122 yards, 37 of them on the ground. WashU led 42-0 at the half.

Calvin defeated Oberlin last year in the Knights' first-ever football game, and this year the Knights took it to the Yeomen even harder as Calvin decimated Oberlin by an 88-6 score. With just 38 players on the roster, Oberlin is pretty thin at most spots on the depth chart. Sophomore quarterback Thomas Vaccaro had a strong debut for Calvin. The Samford transfer completed 17 of 26 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns. All three scoring strikes went to the hands of sophomore Luke Michmerhuizen who scored on scoring strikes of 13 yards, 24 yards and 6 yards.

Grinnell went into the fourth quarter down 20-2 on Macalester at home before making a game of it, eventually falling 20-15. Midway through the quarter, the Pioneers put together an 83-yard drive that included passes of 13 and 33 yards from Stephen Bailey to Vincent Shen. Bailey finished off the drive by hitting Eisenberg with a 27-yard scoring strike. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the score at 20-8 with 5:07 left. Grinnell fed off that momentum on Macalester's next drive, which lasted just three plays before Luke Konczal stepped in front of a Jack Scully pass and scampered 53 yards for a touchdown. It was the Pioneers' first pick six in nearly two years. The extra point brought Grinnell within 20-15 with 4:39 left in the game. However, Macalester milked the clock on its next drive and maintained possession the rest of the way to secure the victory.