Tomele Staples threw two touchdown passes to Jalen Coleman, including an 8-yarder in overtime, to lift St. Ambrose to a 28-21 overtime win over Briar Cliff Saturday night at Jack and Pat Bush Stadium in Davenport, Iowa.

The Bees survived several missed opportunities to post a season-opening win for the first time since 2021.

After watching Briar Cliff score a game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion inside the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, St. Ambrose had a chance to win in regulation, but Joe Namio's 42-yard field goal sailed wide left as the clock ran out.

But it took just three plays for SAU to take the lead in overtime.

Staples found Mikey Hellwig for a 12-yard pass on first down, and after Staples kept it himself for a 5-yard run, he hit Coleman in the end zone from eight yards out. Namio kicked the extra point for a 28-21 lead.

The defense made that hold up.

Djabril McNabb came up with a big tackle for no gain to start the Chargers' possession and Jonathan Thurman registered a 6-yard sack on second down to force a 3rd-and-16. Back-to-back incompletions gave the Bees the victory.

It was a game that SAU had a chance to take control of early, but Staples fumbled as he was crossing the goal line early in the second quarter. Later in the period, he was intercepted in the end zone to thwart another scoring opportunity. A late BCU touchdown gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead at the break.

St. Ambrose came out re-energized to open the second half. A six-play, 67-yard drive ending with a 51-yard scoring strike from Staples to Coleman tied the game at 7-7. On Briar Cliff's ensuing possession, Brock Mason picked off a pass and returned it to the BCU 5-yard line. Three plays later, Staples scored from a yard out to give SAU its first lead of the contest.

The Chargers came back with a touchdown but missed the extra point, and when Staples connected with Hellwig on a 50-yard touchdown, the Bees led 21-13 five minutes into the fourth. That set up Briar Cliff's late score leading to overtime.

Staples completed 22-of-32 passes for 349 yards. He also ran for 35 yards.

Coleman caught nine passes for 128 yards. Hellwig, Braden Downs, Kameron Bohnsack and Henry Wilson each had three receptions. Colin Shults had one catch for 12 yards.

Kaden King rushed for 57 yards and Maximo Vasquez ran for 31 yards.

Colin Gudella led the defense with 11 total tackles. Jake Strater was in on eight tackles. Mason, Rolando Sepulveda and Joe Reinhart were each credited with five stops. Nolan Obert had 1.5 sacks. Reinhart, Thurman and Kye Krofta each had a single sack.

SAU will hit the road for the first time and play at No. 17 Baker next Saturday.