Salem, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Behrendt threw four touchdown passes and the UW-Whitewater Warhawks got the better of Mount Union yet again on Friday, claiming their sixth Stagg Bowl title since 2007 with a 43-34 win.
Behrendt completed 25-for-37 for 370 yards and threw touchdowns to four different receivers for the Warhawks (15-0), who have been kryptonite to Mount Union in recent years.
The Raiders (14-1) have lost just six games since 2006. All six have come against Whitewater in national title games.
Jordan Ratliffe carried 24 times for 116 yards for Whitewater, which got a pair of clutch field goals by Lake Bachar.
Seventeen straight Mount Union points gave the Raiders a 31-30 lead late in the third quarter. But 15 seconds after Edward Ruhnke's 29-yard field goal, the Warhawks jumped back in front with Dennis Moore's 75-yard touchdown catch.
Bachar kicked a pair of field goals in the fourth, and Mount Union got a 36- yarder from Ruhnke, but Kevin Burke was intercepted by Zach Nellis with less than two minutes remaining to end the Raiders' comeback effort.
Burke threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns but was picked off four times.
This was the ninth Stagg Bowl meeting between the two schools in the past 10 seasons. Whitewater improved to 6-3 in those games.
Lance Leipold, who recently accepted the head coaching job at the University of Buffalo, leaves Whitewater having won 32 straight games.
Mount Union hadn't trailed all season, but it found itself down 13-0 after a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes by Behrendt.
The Warhawks drove 78 yards on consecutive drives around a Mount Union punt. Behrendt capped the game's opening series with a 12-yard touchdown to Justin Howard and found Ricky Finco from seven yards out. Will Meyer had his extra point blocked following the first score.
Burke quickly moved the Raiders down the field later in the first. A 31-yard completion to Roman Namdar led to his 26-yard scoring strike to Luc Meachem. The ball was knocked loose at the end of the play, but officials gave Meachem the score regardless.
Brady Grayvold intercepted Burke and ran it back for another Warhawks TD at 5:51 of the second quarter.
Mount Union wasted little time responding, as Burke found Taurice Scott from five yards out less than three minutes later.
But Scott lost a fumble late in the half and Behrendt capitalized, tossing a 17-yard TD to Jake Kumerow on the very next play. Then, an interception led to Bachar's 23-yard field goal that sent the Warhawks into halftime leading 30-14.
Mount Union scored 17 straight with a pair of touchdowns and a field goal in the third to climb in front. Burke and Namdar hooked up for a 29-yard score, Logan Nemeth found the end zone from three yards out and Ruhnke made it 31-30 with a 29-yard kick.
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