Trailing 0-10 with fewer than eight minutes left in the fourth quarter against the Prairie Fire of Knox College on Saturday, the Grinnell football team scored three touchdowns late, eventually winning 21-18 and improving its record to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

The Pioneers were quiet on offense for the majority of the game. Although they put together three drives of at least 45 yards, they were never able to finish a drive with a score, instead turning the ball over four times in the first three quarters.

“We were just frustrated that we were moving the ball and couldn’t put anything in the end zone,” said wide receiver Greg Ruzich ’16.

But that changed in the fourth quarter when the Pioneers compiled a 15-play, 84-yard drive to get on the scoreboard.

On the next series, Knox turned the ball over on a fourth down, with Barrett Morrissette ’16 recovering a loose fumble. Grinnell scored three plays later.

At that point, the Pioneers led 14-10 with six minutes left and the pressure switched to Grinnell’s defense.

“We knew we had to step up to the plate,” said linebacker Daniel Munger ’15.

And that’s exactly what the defense did. On Knox’s first and 10 near midfield, linebackers Rich Renteria ’15 and David Ternes ’15 blitzed from the same side. Ternes got into the passing lane, intercepted the pass and returned 48 yards to give the Pioneers a 21-10 lead.

“That was a great play call,” Munger said. “And then Ternes just made a huge play. I was too excited to do anything, so I just ran down the field with my hands up.”

Knox scored again, but Renteria sealed the deal by forcing and recovering a fumble with one minute remaining in the game.

This Saturday, the Pioneers will host perennial powerhouse Monmouth College, which is 5-2 this year.

Grinnell defeated Monmouth in 2010 and 2012 with unexpected wins and head coach Jeff Pedersen ’02 sees playing with confidence as the key to the game. If Grinnell is close to Monmouth at half, Pedersen does not see why the Pioneers can’t upset the Fighting Scots again.

“They’re not used to being in close games,” Pedersen said. “If we’re close to them, they’ll freak out a little bit.”

It won’t be an easy task for the Pioneers, though. They have had good teams on the ropes late in games this year, but have been unable to finish them off. They will need to do that Saturday to get the upset.

“We will have to play our best game of the season,” Ruzich said.