The No. 18-ranked Baker University football team scored 14 points in the final two minutes of the game to defeat No. 11 Ottawa University 27-20 Saturday at Peoples Bank Field.

With the NAIA Football Game of the Week tied 13-13 with 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Ottawa quarterback Jake Johnson mishandled a snap that junior Emmerson Clarke went on to recover in the end zone to put Baker ahead 20-13.

Clarke was not done, however, as he intercepted his second pass of the game on Ottawa’s ensuing drive and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown to give the Wildcats a 27-13 advantage.

“I talked to the defense (Friday) night and tried to encourage them to score a couple of touchdowns and in the team meeting, I said I had a vision that they were going to score two (touchdowns) and I heard about it on the sideline after the second one,” Clarke said.

The Braves did not go down without a fight as they put together a 80-yard touchdown drive in 51 seconds to cut the deficit to 27-20, but it was too little too late as the Wildcats recovered Ottawa’s onside kick attempt to close out the game.

“I’m so proud of that football team,” head coach Mike Grossner said. “All areas … I thought we rallied on offense. We made a couple of plays, some big plays.”

While the Wildcats were able to knock off the Braves for the second consecutive year, they had to do so by overcoming adversity early on in the game. On the ‘Cats second drive of the game, junior quarterback Jake Morse was forced to leave the contest with a knee injury.

“We were starting to move the ball when Jake went down and scrambled,” Grossner said. “I could tell what he was trying to do. He was trying to get down and he made that one extra cut instead of diving and you know, that is the game of football. I feel so bad for that young man with how hard he works and he’s the leader of our football team.”

Morse was the 2011 Co-Offense Player of the Year in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, but Grossner was not optimistic after the game about Morse’s availability for the remainder of the season.

“I think it is a season-ending injury,” Grossner said. “The way he went down and then (athletic trainer) Lynn Bott on the sideline has seen a lot of those in his day and he kind of looked at me and confirmed it. We never know until they go in there and take a peak.”

With Morse unable to return, senior Sam Vossen took over the reigns of the Wildcats offense.

Vossen completed nine of his 22 passing attempts for 122 yards with a touchdown pass to freshman Dylan Perry and two interceptions.

“We’ll rally around Sam and we have Nick Marra as a young man that we brought in in case of emergency,” Grossner said. “Jesse Matthews is a freshman (quarterback) who we moved to (wide) receiver, but we might have to move him back. We got a lot of weapons on offensive, so our quarterback is a guy that needs to distribute the football and make the right calls.”

The season opener was also the first game for transfer running backs Dillon Baxter and Jermaine Broomfield. Baxter carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards, while Broomfield had nine rushing attempts for 25 yards.

It was senior Kyle Bolton who led the way offensively, though. Bolton had only two receptions and one carry, but recorded 129 total yards from scrimmage and had a long touchdown run called back because of a holding penalty.

Saturday was also the first collegiate game for senior Steven Stewart.

Stewart converted both of his field goal attempts from 23 and 44 yards, respectively, and made all three of his extra point attempts.

“Our kicking game … Steven Stewart … what a night by that young man,” Grossner said.

The Wildcats will take the field again as they play against conference opponent Peru State College at 1 p.m. Saturday in Peru, Neb.

Baker defeated Peru State 55-12 in last season’s matchup at Liston Stadium.