HANCOCK — If there is such a thing as a moral victory, the Finlandia University football team may have gotten one Saturday afternoon at snowy McAfee Field.

The Lions (0-8, 0-5) battled a much bigger Adrian College team most of the way on the cold, blustery afternoon, finally losing a 48-24 game.

At one point late in the MIAA contest, Finlandia was within 41-24 after the third touchdown run of the day by tailback DJ Davis.

But the Bulldogs (4-4, 3-2) scored on a late pass to put the frosting on the cake.

“We battled hard the entire game,” Finlandia head coach Travis Wiltzius said. “We missed a couple of good chances early in the game … and that was costly.”

Records fell as quickly as the snow flakes, mainly for the Lions. Davis tied a school mark with his three scores; freshman quarterback Darin Johnson had a career-best 245 yards passing. The 24 points was Finlandia’s most against a league opponent this season.

The downstate team got off to a 14-0 lead in the first stanza behind the sharp passing of sophomore quarterback Jack Wurtzer.

The Lions began their comeback late in the opening period on a 51-yard run by Davis.

Adrian held a 34-12 halftime lead despite a Lions’ 9-yard scoring pass from Johnson to Brett Beauchaine.

Davis added scoring runs of 52 and 5 yards in the second half.

“I thought DJ (Davis) had a really fine game,” Wiltzius said. “He ran hard and busted some tackles.”

The Bulldogs stayed on the ground most of the second portion of the game.

Johnson connected on 19-of-30 passes for 245 yards with two intercepted. Davis rushed for 136 yards in 17 tries.

Kenny Kujawa caught seven passes for 106 yards, while Beauchaine snagged a season-best 5 passes for 69 yards.

Wurzer passed for 220 yards and two scores for Adrian College.

The Lions host Albion this Saturday in their home finale.

Winless on the season, Finlandia will keep playing hard, Wiltzius said.

“I just tell the kids we have to keep grinding and grilling,” Wiltzius said. “It’s the idea of working really hard and getting better.”

Adrian 21 13 7 7 — 48

Finlandia 6 6 8 6 — 24

First Quarter

AC — Oberheim 2 run (West good)

AC — Wilson 23 pass from Wurzer (West kick)

FU — Davis 51 run (kick blocked)

AC — Harris 2 run (West kick)

Second Quarter

AC — Wilson 23 pass from Wurzer (West kick)

AC — Oberheim 2 run (West kick)

FU — Beauchaine 9 pass from Johnson (run failed)

Third Quarter

AC — Neal 9 run (kick failed)

FU — Davis 52 run (pass failed)

Fourth Quarter

FU — Davis 2 run (pass failed)

AC — Johnson 8 pass from Heide (West kick)