At the end of the game, the teams acknowledged each other with a postgame handshake that featured no physical contact. Adrian athletics broadcast

Trine scored first by returning a blocked field goal for six, and scored last on a safety. In between was a pretty entertaining game as the Thunder won 44-27 at Adrian.

The game was the first Division III football contest played in the 2020-21 season and is one of a handful featuring teams from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference scheduled for October.

Adrian was knocking on the door at the end of a 10-play drive, and lined up for a 26-yard field goal attempt. But the snap was a dribbler back to the holder and Adrian's kicker was unable to get a kick off, with Aaron Dean picking up the ball and taking it back 86 yards for a touchdown to give Trine a 7-0 lead. 

Seven of the 11 full drives in the first half resulted in touchdowns, and Trine took a 28-20 lead into the locker room at halftime. Trine's Xaine Kirby scored on a 2-yard run at 11:26 to make it 21-7 before the Bulldogs cashed in on excellent field position at the Trine 36 following a 19-yard punt. Wurzer connected with Gage Palus on a 25-yard passing play to close the deficit to 21-14 at 5:21. On its next possession, the Thunder scored again at 54 seconds left as Alex Price had a 9-yard TD pass to Michael Chandle. But Wurzer followed with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Palus with 19 seconds left in the half, capping a 75-yard drive that took just 35 seconds. But the extra point attempt was no good and Trine (1-0) maintained an eight-point lead.

The Bulldogs (0-1) dodged a bullet early in the second half, as Mitchell Mallek intercepted a pass at the 7-yard line. Wurzer went to work, including a 33-yard pass to freshman Preston Smith and a 29-yard run of his own before hitting Jimmie Clark for a 25-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 28-27. But it was the last time that Adrian would find the end zone, as Xaine Kirby ran for 23 yards and Alex Price hit Michael Chandle for a 42-yard touchdown on the very next drive.

Kirby put the game out of reach with a 6-yard touchdown run with 3:11 left in the game, and Adrian's last possession ended with Wurzer fumbling the ball out of bounds for a safety.

Kirby led all rushers with 141 yards and scored three touchdowns for Trine, while Price threw for 129 yards on 6-for-16 passing. Steven Moses, a converted linebacker, led Adrian with 13 carries for 102 yards and a score, while Wurzer completed 11 of 28 passes for 231 yards and three scores, two to Palus. Smith led all receivers with five catches for 136 yards.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 720, with players having been given two tickets. Adrian students were also seen watching in small numbers from outside the gates.