No. 1 College of DuPage stepped outside of Division III play Saturday afternoon and was dealt a 41-14 loss to D1 and No. 4-ranked Iowa Central at MacDougall Field.
 
The loss snapped the Chaps' four-game losing streak as they now prepare for Saturday's home contest against fellow D3 opponent Erie (N.Y.) Community College.
 
Kickoff is 1 p.m.
 
The Tritons (4-1 overall) scored on their first four possessions of the game, taking up 21 minutes and 18 seconds off the clock and totaling 300 yards on those possessions for a 28-0 halftime lead.
 
"They were able to sustain drives and we couldn't get on the field,'' head coach Matthew Rahn said. "We didn't play as bad as the scoreboard looks. We had some matchups with them and we're taking away some things today that we feel pretty good about.''
 
Backup quarterback Robert Brazziel led COD (4-1) on both of its scoring drives. The Chaparrals capped a 70-yard drive that ate up 5:58 when Brazziel connected on a two-yard touchdown pass to Deszmund White with 30 seconds left in the third.
 
COD added its final scoring drive in the fourth, eating up 5:22 on a nine-play, 43-yard drive with Brazziel scoring from the 1 with 1:26 left.
 
That final drive was set up by a 50-yard kickoff return from White that put COD at Iowa Central's 43.
 
"I'm proud of what Robert has shown,'' Rahn said. "He's moved up from No. 3 to the backup at his position. For Robert, it's never been a talent issue, but it's been playbook retention. Robert took a big step up in his play today and it showed.''
 
On COD's two scoring drives, running back Ernest Temple totaled 66 yards that included a 24-yard gain that put COD at first-and-goal from the 8 before Brazziel's TD run.
 
White's kickoff return along with stellar punting from Mason Wojtas, who boomed a 49-yarder in the first quarter, gave COD and its coaching staff an edge on the day.
 
"We think we have the best special teams in either D1 or D3 football,'' Rahn said. "Credit coach (J.R.) Niklos, who has taken talent and schemes to put us in position of doing some great things. Special teams play is how he played in the National Football League. Whether we're good or bad on either side of the ball, we can count on our special teams each game.''
 
Iowa Central 14-14-6-7_41
COD 0-0-7-7_14
 
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
IC — Justin Silverstein 8 run (Kongolo Mwenemkamba kick), 9:08
Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:48
IC — Mario Sanders 2 run (Mwenemkamba kick), 2:58
Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:11
Second Quarter
IC — Adriel Fussell 2 run (Mwenemkamba kick), 9:03
Drive: 14 plays, 90 yards, 5:45
IC — Fussell 1 run (Mwenemkamba kick), 1:37
Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:34
Third Quarter
IC — Tavis Maloy 64 reception from Trevon Taylor (kick no good), 6:38
Drive: 1 play, 64 yards, 10 seconds
COD — Deszmund White 2 pass from Robert Brazziel (Christian Casillas kick), :30
Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 5:58
Fourth Quarter
IC — Marcell Cutright 1 run (Mwenemkamba kick), 6:58
Drive: 13 plays, 62 yards, 8:25
COD — Brazziel 1 run (Casillas kick), 1:26
Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 5:22