St. Thomas football wins season opener over Lindenwood

Originally posted on Bring Me The News | By Tony Liebert | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 6:06 PM ET

St. Thomas kicked off its fifth season as a Division I football program on Thursday night with a 35-13 win over Lindenwood at O'Shaughnessy Stadium in St. Paul.

The Tommies were led by sophomore running back Joseph Koch, who had 18 carries for a game-high 154 yards and one touchdown. They had a dominant day running the football as a team with 42 carries for 278 yards and three touchdowns.

Season Opener Win Recap #Passion26 • @UofStThomasMN ⚪️☑️ pic.twitter.com/NYsz5jaw7R
— St. Thomas Football (@UST_Football) August 29, 2025

Senior quarterback Andy Peters made his first career start for St. Thomas. His night finished 11 of 18 for 172 yards and two touchdowns, along with seven carries for 29 yards on the ground.

Things were tied 7-7 at halftime, but the Tommies outscored the Lions 28-6 in the second half. Popular social media account College Football Campus Tour was even in attendance to check out the season opener.

Shot of the Night

O’Shaughnessy Stadium - St. Paul, MN

• First career @UST_Football game
• FCS school #94 of 129 pic.twitter.com/E9lw9GhhUF
— College Football Campus Tour (@cfbcampustour) August 29, 2025

St. Thomas competes in the non-scholarship Pioneer League, and Lindewood plays in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), which provides scholarships. Thursday's win is the Tommies' first nonconference victory as a Division I program.

Lindenwood beat St. Thomas 64-0 last season, but the Tommies got revenge to kick off their 2025 campaign. They will now travel across the country for an intriguing Week 2 matchup against No. 6-ranked Idaho at the Kibbie Dome.

This article first appeared on Bring Me The News and was syndicated with permission.

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