COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - The Martin Luther College football team saw its historic season come to an end with an 84-6 loss at Saint John's (Minn.) in the Opening Round of the NCAA Division III Championship Playoff.

The Johnnies, ranked number 3 in the nation in the final D3football.com regular season poll, was too much for the Knights' defense, scoring eight first-half touchdowns on their first eight possessions. SJU quarterback Jackson Erdmann completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and six touchdowns (to six different receivers) in the first two quarters.

The lone MLC score came late in the second quarter, when quarterback Zach Bloomquist hit Harrison Hochmuch from 19 yards out to cap a 17-play drive.

Austin DeNoyer led MLC with 65 yards rushing on 15 carries, helping him set a new MLC single-season record with 1,086 rushing yards this season. 

Bloomquist completed 10 of 20 passes, but was held to 54 yards through the air.

The Knights finished the season 9-2 following the loss, snapping a school-record nine-game winning streak in the process. The Knights' nine wins also set a new program single-season record, and this marked the first trip to the NCAA Division III Championship in program history.

Saint John's improved to 11-0 on the season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs next week.