Bloomington, Ill. - The Franklin College football team recorded 438 offensive yards in a 42-35 season-opening loss at Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday – a match up that featured two 2013 NCAA Division III playoff teams.

Illinois Wesleyan scored 28 points in the second quarter to hold a 35-21 halftime advantage.

Franklin senior Grant Welp (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park) threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start. He hooked up with senior Jonny Hession (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) for a six-yard touchdown pass on the game's opening possession.

The Titans answered with three touchdowns in a five-minute span to take a 21-7 lead. Jack Warner threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Adam Muellers to give the hosts the 14-point advantage with 9:36 left.

The Grizzlies answered with a 11-play, 71-yard drive as Welp threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior Dylan Jenney (Floyds Knobs, Ind./Floyd Central) with 6:46 left in the first half.

Later, sophomore Kole Stogner (Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood) recovered a blocked punt 10 yards for a touchdown. The score trimmed the deficit to 28-21 at the 3:10 mark of the second quarter. Illinois Weslean then drove 66 yards to close out the first half with a four-yard TD pass to Andrew Javorka.

In the second half, Welp scampered 25 yards for a touchdown to bring Franklin within 35-28 at the 4:59 mark of the third quarter. The Titans took a 42-28 lead with 1:19 left in the third quarter on Warner's third touchdown pass of the contest.

Franklin mounted a fourth-quarter rally with Welp finding senior Zach Cole (Middletown, Ind./Shenandoah) for a six-yard score midway through the period. The Grizzlies' defense forced a punt by the Titans and had one last drive. The visitors moved the ball to midfield, before a quarterback sack and fumble secured the victory for Illinois Wesleyan.

Individually, Welp threw completed 26 passes, rushed for a team-best 60 yards, and had a score on the ground. Cole and Hession each had seven receptions. Jenney caught five passes for a team-high 98 yards.

Defensively, junior Lucas Windell (Corydon, Ind./Corydon Central) had a game-high 12 tackles and an interception. Twin brother Jeremiah Windell (Corydon, Ind./Corydon Central) made eight stops.

Franklin plays its 2014 home opener on Saturday, September 13 at 1:30 p.m. when No. 1-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater comes to Faught Stadium. Live statistics and video of the game will be available at www.franklingrizzlies.com. In-game updates will be available on Twitter (@FCAthletics) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics).